Driveway Installation in Aylesbury
Are you looking to add something new to the style and appeal of your home? Are you looking for renovation ideas to improve the value of your home? If that is the case, decorative concrete driveways available in exciting patterns and colours are the best choice.
A concrete driveway provides an ideal alternative to the asphalt-based surface. However, just like asphalt, a plain concrete driveway is not all that appealing to the eye.
A concrete driveway is usually grey, whereas an asphalt driveway is frequently black in colour. In case you wish to move away from these plain colours, the option is to use decorative concrete driveways.
A decorative pavement can be painted, stained, textured or given an intricate pattern. Also, just like any concrete driveway, this surface will be very durable and cost-effective. A decorative driveway is effective at enhancing the curb appeal of your home while simultaneously increasing its potential market value.
Having a great decorative concrete driveway requires you to have a proper plan. You need to understand what the project entails so that you can have a basic idea of what to expect. Below are some frequently asked questions about decorative concrete driveways that will help you understand this paving method better:
· What is decorative concrete driveway? This is a specialised process in which an experienced paving contractor pours specially mixed, coloured concrete while treating it with molds and/or tools that provide the concrete with a textured look. The look can resemble nearly anything from slate to pavers to cobblestone and aggregate. The advantages of this paving method are that it has exceptional strength, it's weather resistant, it can conform to any shape and it can also last longer than the traditional materials.
· What's the cost of having a decorative concrete driveway? Decorative concrete is a really affordable alternative compared to pavers, stones, slate or brick. For a cost that is slightly more than regular concrete, you can experience the beauty and the advantages of a decorative concrete driveway. Together with the benefits of concrete over other paving materials, the value is well worth your investment.
· Are decorative concrete driveways difficult to maintain? No, it isn't difficult to maintain provided that you wash off any contaminates as soon as you possibly can. After the trained pavement installers leave your home, your driveway will be almost maintenance-free. A simple occasional sweeping and washing is all you will need to keep your driveway looking beautiful. To maintain your driveway's original luster, it's recommended that you coat the concrete with protective sealer every three to four years. Your paving contractor should provide you with the necessary maintenance and care instructions for your decorative concrete driveway.
· How can I find the right contractor to install the pavement on my driveway? You can look online, on local directories or ask the people you trust for referrals. Alternatively, you can look at the decorative concrete driveways in your neighbourhood and get the names of the paving contractors who installed the driveways that attract you most. Ensure you ask the homeowners about their experience with the respective contractors and their quality of workmanship. You can also get references from your friends, home builders or the local ready-mix suppliers. After you've come up with a list of paving contractors, you can contact each of the contractors and ask them for references and make them give you a list of projects they have done in your area so that you can check them out. Also, ask the paving contractors how long they have been in business, if they have insurance, whether or not they have any professional documentation, and if they offer a warranty for their work.
· Should I seal my driveway? You need to apply a high quality sealer to your driveway, since the sealer aids in protecting the concrete from moisture absorption, grease and oils stains and exposure to chemicals. On the decorative coloured concrete, the sealer will also help improve the colour. Irrespective of the sealer you use, make sure you apply it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
· What happens when the colour on the finished project isn't what I expected? It is a bit unrealistic to expect your paving contractor to exactly match the colour of your driveway to a sample in the showroom, the decorative concrete driveway in the neighbouring home, or a picture from a brochure. Even the plain concrete may exhibit some colour variations, particularly if the project needs more than a single load of concretes or the concrete placements are done on different days. Majority of such variations are negligible and will usually fade over time.
· How should I choose the pattern of my driveway in relation to my home' exterior design? The paving contractors will work with you to assess the appearance and style of your home, for instance, if it's rustic, traditional or maybe a twist of both? The contractors will also find out what you're trying to create with the setting of your area. Once they've done that, they will pull colours from various areas to make the area flow together.
· How does the decorative concrete driveways compare to the natural stone? Decorative concrete is not only more cost-effective, it's also more durable compared to natural stone. This is because water can't penetrate grout joints, freeze or even pop loose. Nearly all natural stones will flake when exposed to UV rays. Also, the sealing maintenance for the decorative concrete will last up to three times longer when you use an acrylic sealer, which can't be used on the natural stone.
· Can I get a warranty for my decorative concrete driveway? Yes, you can. A good number of paving contractors will warrant their work, and you might be able to get an extended warranty. Remember to talk to your contractor about this before you go ahead and sign for the project.
In conclusion, I hope that the above frequently asked questions about decorative concrete driveways will help you have a basic idea of what this paving method involves.
With this information, you can now start planning for your project. Remember, you can find a variety of different decorative options online with pictures that will help you select the right pattern that matches your style as well as interests. Add class and beauty to your home by creating a driveway with cheaper decorative concrete.
Concrete or Asphalt Driveways?
When it comes to driveways, making people go with either concrete or asphalt as their preferred paving material. They have their own merits and demerits and are very suitable for construction. But which is the best material to be used in building driveways? Let us discuss about the pros, cons and materialistic properties of each of these materials to find out about that.
Appearance and Design Options
Concrete has lots of decorative options and designing prospects compared to asphalt. It can be stained or tinted with various colors to form unique and colorful patterns. Similarly, it can also be stamped into different designs. On top of this, one can easily give different kinds of finishes to a concrete.
On the other hand, asphalt has no decorative options like concrete. It just comes in standard black color. As it has to be rolled and compressed to make the surface even, there is not any way to give it unique finishes like concrete.
Weathering and Climate Compatibility
Weather is an important factor in deciding whether to choose asphalt or concrete for your driveways.
In Hotter Climatic Regions: Concrete driveways are more suitable in the regions where the weather tends to be much hotter than asphalt driveways. Driveways constructed using asphalt, are prone to cracks and grooves because the tar softens in hot temperatures quite easily.
In Colder Climatic Regions: Asphalt driveways are more suitable in this type of weather than concrete driveways. Cracks are easily formed in driveways made from concrete due to frost heave. Similarly, the salt used on roads to combat ice and snow also affects concrete negatively while on the other hand, asphalt is resistant to salt. As asphalt is dark in color, it can readily absorb heat from the sun which makes the melting of ice even faster.
Potholes and Root Growth: Concrete are more resistant to potholes and roots compared to asphalt due to their rigidity and hardness.
Changing climates: In some regions where the weather is frequent changing, concrete can be a better option compared to asphalt for driveways. This is because the edges of concrete driveways can stand up against weathering better than that of asphalt driveways.
Maintenance and Repairing
Sealing: Asphalt driveways needs to be sealed after about 8 months of their installation because they will be still soft during that time. After the first sealing, it requires to be sealed again every 4 to 5 years. In the case of concrete driveways, if they are sealed once then they do not need to be sealed for about 50 years.
Stains: Stains in concrete driveways are easily visible because of their light coloring while asphalt does not get stained as easily as concrete. However, sealing can help in reducing staining too.
Cracks: Weathering and aging will infect crack on both concrete and asphalt driveways. However, cracks on asphalt are easier to mend than the cracks on concrete. On top of that, maintenance fee is quite minimal in asphalt than in concrete.
Driveway Design Aylesbury
A Beautiful Driveway For Your Beautiful Home
Have you ever thought of having a beautiful, appealing and well-designed driveway which you saw in the magazine? With just a little bit of creativity you can easily implement these designs for your driveway project with the help of an expert professional.
Why Custom Driveway Designs?
A custom driveway can increase your home's value, change the complete look of the space by giving a complete makeover and can also turn the ugly area into a beautiful and valuable space.
Choose The Right Paving Method
One of the very first aspects that you should consider is the paving method which you want to opt for your driveway design. With so many paving options available such as paving blocks, concrete, asphalt, Stone-Crete, you can easily choose the best paving option for your driveway.
Paving Blocks
When you are choosing paving blocks, you should look at all the available colors and patterns to add appeal to your driveway. Though it is an expensive affair but you will get great benefits from it. Block paved driveways can give a neat, clean and finished appeal. Moreover, it can also last for a long time if you take good care of it.
Concrete
Go for concrete because it looks elegant and versatile. It is very cost-effective and affordable. You can either go for a solid, level slap style or perhaps an imprinted design which looks very creative and artistic. Now choice is yours.
Asphalt Paving
Asphalt paving is one of the best options for homeowners who are looking for some temporary benefits from their driveway; it can help you to get a better value for your property. Some of the very common problems you may meet with this driveway design are that it easily gets cracked and crumbled. It usually happens due to lack of maintenance. So take good care of driveway asphalt paving.
Stone Crete
Make Stone create by mixing pea-gravel with concrete and an idea way to get a pebble driveway look. Slowly and gradually the driveway space will become sturdier. It is an ideal option for homeowners who want to get a natural look for their cottages, farm-house or beachfront areas.
Hiring The Right Professional For The Driveway-Installation Task
After choosing the right material for your driveway, your next task is to decide whether you will take a DIY approach or seek help from a professional for the driveway-construction project. If you don't know how to keep your driveway in a flawless condition or don't know how to use the paving material, you should seek help from experts.
Design the driveway of your dreams with a qualified and experienced contractor. They can get the work done in a quick, easy and hassle-free way. It is essential to hire someone who is professionally trained, knowledgeable and experienced. If the criteria are not met then you may not get the desired results.
Conclusion
Homeowners invest a pretty hefty amount on the driveway design project. For this reason it is advisable to collect all the necessary information related to repair and maintenance for the paving chosen for your driveway.
If you have hired an experienced professional for the installation task of your new paved driveway, get some easy and quick tips for maintenance. So you can now keep your driveway looking beautiful for a long time with all the tips.
Tags: Driveways Aylesbury, Driveway Installation Aylesbury, Driveway Installers Aylesbury, Driveway Contractors Aylesbury.
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