We have many people visit our display centre in Forestville to view the various options for laying exposed aggregate concrete in their driveways. Exposed aggregate is a very popular choice today because it’s modern, it’s versatile and you can use colours and stones to create a customised aggregate style for your home.
However there are other excellent decorative concrete finishes available to give a smooth up-to-the minute look to new homes or to compliment older style homes.
Stamped concrete driveways will add value, function and style to your home, for a long time to come. We know this very well because we have been installing stamped finishes for over 30 years, long before exposed aggregate finishes existed. With a bit of maintenance, possibly including a reseal which you can easily do yourself, older jobs will still look good as new many years after installation
As with all concrete driveways, good site preparation is very important to ensure the best finish possible when installing Stamped Concrete. After the coloured concrete is in place and cured enough our concrete team will install polyurethane moulds (stamps) over the surface to create the pattern and texture.
Some reasons why clients choose stamped concrete for their driveways
- Stamped concrete provides affordable quality and great value for money
- Solid, durable and strong and will remain in place for many years
- Handles heavy use such as cars, boats, small trucks and caravans
- Oil and stain resistant
- No weeds or subsidence so very little maintenance required
- Easily installed in curved shapes for circular driveways and garden beds
- Has many advantages over pavers including no weeding, and very little if no movement and subsidence, as well as being ideal for sloping or steep driveways.
Related article: 10 Reasons Why A Concrete Driveway Is Better Than A Paved One
Here are stamped concrete driveway ideas to get those creative juices flowing
Slate Stamped finish
You’ll have the beauty of natural slate combined with the structural strength of concrete. slate finish pattern pave is durable, easy to maintain, oil and stain resistant and adds more interest and texture to modern home design as shown in the photo.
Tiled Stamped Finish
A fresh clean finish which is as durable and long lasting as all our Decorative Finishes.
Cobble Stamped Finish
Our cobblestone stamps complement traditional and heritage homes and are available in a couple of different sizes. The cobble finish creates a natural feel with beauty and durability at the same time.
Handcrafted saw-cut decorative concrete
For people who want the sleekest finish with the look of high-end pavers or tiles our Handcrafted Saw-cut Finishes will fit the bill. As with all our decorative concrete finishes no weeds can grow through the driveway which always happens with pavers no matter how well they are laid. Pattern sizes can vary from 600mm to 300mm in size. Larger patterns will create a more expansive look for a modern home but the finish also works well for older style homes as well.
The driveway for this more traditionally designed home was created with handcrafted saw-cut squares of 300 x 300 cm patterns cut into the cured concrete. The result was a smooth, sleek finish which has no subsidence and no weeding for the owner who was most happy about that!
Handcrafted Sawcut Finishes can also be installed in some of our Exposed Aggregate Ranges as can be seen in the photo below
Coloured Concrete
There is a large variety of concrete colours these days to create anything from a rustic and traditional look perhaps with a special release agent to give an antiquing effect or a sleek and modern concrete design. Smooth or stamped edges are a way to add distinction to a coloured concrete driveway or you can use a different colour for the edges and borders to create interest as you can see in the driveway example below.
Tiled inserts
Another way to add interest to any of our decorative concrete finishes including exposed aggregate, is to have tile or slate inserts installed. This will frame and finish an area that may need definition, or it will simply add some interest to your driveway. You can create a perimeter of decorative lines through the middle or at the edges of the concrete to create contrast.
Close up of Exposed Aggregate with Tile Border
Commonly asked questions about stamped concrete
Q: Will decorative concrete driveways crack?
As with all concrete, there are environmental factors that cannot be predicted and cracks can occur. We believe that it is best to leave hairline cracks in concrete paving alone. With the steel reinforcing installed in the paving the crack should not become larger over time.
Q: Do I need to seal my concrete paving?
We recommend concrete is sealed after installation and include sealer in all our Residential Contracts. The sealer helps prevent lasting stains in concrete from oil, grease or wine etc which can become absorbed into porous concrete without sealer. The sealer will give your concrete a fresher look and is smoother to sweep clean in patio areas or carports.
Q: Will the colour of outdoor decorative concrete fade?
Everything will change colour slightly over time in our strong sunlight. Plain natural concrete with no colour becomes lighter as it cures over time, Pavers will also change colour slightly, paint colours lighten, there is no getting away from that. However an occasional reseal will ensure that your decorative concrete paving looks like new again.
Q: How do I create a decorative concrete paving driveway more grip?
We can give you advice on the style of concrete finish you need for a steeper driveway or an area requiring more traction. Whether an Exposed Aggregate style with more exposure or other styles with a broom finish creating more texture to provide additional traction for cars and boats if needed.
Visit our Concrete Display Centre in Forestville for stamped concrete ideas
We’re open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm and located at 1 Maple Avenue, Forestville. Our concrete consultants are available to help you with this exciting project to improve the curb appeal of your home, increase its value and provide lifestyle benefits! Call us on 8297 9611 to get started.