Different Design Options For Enhancing Your Home’s Driveway
When you no longer like the look of your driveway, you should consider different design options. You have the option of replacing your driveway, but this may not suit your overall design scheme. For this reason, you should consider other ways to enhance the style of your home's driveway.
Cutting
When the surface of your driveway has minimal damage, cutting a design into the surface is a good option. This method helps you hide cracks in a creative manner. For example, you can create a pattern that incorporates the existing cracks and then have a concrete contractor cut corresponding lines in these areas to redesign the surface.
Cutting out sections and then placing newer materials such as stone pavers is another way to use this method to enhance your driveway. The idea is to remove specific shapes of existing concrete and then lay stone pavers into the open space. To secure the pavers, the contractor (such as one from Claggett & Sons Inc) places a thin layer of concrete on the bottom of the pavers, so they will not pop out when you drive over them.
Coloring
If you prefer a different color for your driveway, you have a few ways to accomplish this goal. Many of these options come in basic colors such as shades of green, red, brown and blue. However, you can find some companies that offer custom colors that incorporate shades of yellow, grey, purple and orange if you prefer a different color option for your driveway.
Your first option is to add dye to a small amount of concrete. The contractor can then place a thin layer onto the surface of your driveway, thus adding color to the surface. The dye will generally give you an even coat and solid color.
Another coloring option is using an acid-based stain, which reacts to the minerals within the existing concrete. Since each batch of concrete has different mineral levels, the color will be slightly different from the sample colors you first see. The other design aspect of a stain is that the final color will have a swirl or speckled appearance similar to stone such as marble or granite.
When you want an easier to apply color option, you can choose a concrete paint. This type of paint works the same way as traditional paint, but it has been altered chemically to adhere to hard and porous surfaces like concrete and asphalt. The only issue you may encounter with this option is that the paint can fade or chip over time. However, since you can apply it with a roller or paint brush, you can complete this type of project on your own.
Altering the look of your driveway can be done in several different ways. It is best to look through all of your available options, so you can pick the right overall design for your home's existing driveway.
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