Having an edgy design to your concrete driveway

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We all want to experience the true taste of modern living and nothing can define this more than waking up to a posh home every day. While this may seem like a fairy tale to many, the reality is that it is achievable. I’m happy to announce to you that the solutions are just but a phone-call away. Vancouver concrete connection holds the key to unlocking that dream. We have creative designs that are the results of compressed rubber mats. This mats produce patterns that mimic that of brick, stone, weathered wood, cobblestone and flagstones.

For more concrete stamp examples please click here

 

Stamped concrete, is prepared by making patterns using large flexible polyurethane mats that are pressed into weak concrete to create a textured finish. This procedure helps create magnificent designs to be used for your pool-side walkways, patios and driveways. It’s a surety that stamped concrete transforms an ordinary patio, walkway or driveway to a work of art.

 

 increase the value of your investment in a big way

You might be wondering why you should go to the trouble of incorporating coloured and stamped concrete while you could just go for something simpler like a plain brush finish. The thing is, with coloured concrete, the choice of colours and patterns one could go with are endless. This leaves you with a variety of patterns to get creative with. In addition, when considering the sale of your home in the future a stamped concrete driveway is a sure way of adding to the overall value. This could help you increase the value of your investment in a big way while at the same time improve the entire appearance of your home to prospective buyers.

 

Many property owners are opting for coloured concrete for indoors as well as outdoors. Whether they gravitate towards a modern style or traditional one, with creative selections there is a high possibility to achieve the perfect look. Stained concrete can transform plain rooms or hallways to spectacular combinations of style and colour while having a polished concrete floor in your office or workspace can reduce maintenance costs and look good at the same time.

 

 Protect your patio or driveway with concrete sealer.

Stamped concrete is in no doubt a vital form of property investment and you will definitely be interested in protecting your investment. Protecting stamped concrete can be done by coating it with a concrete sealer. This will play a great role in preventing water and other minerals from making way to the exterior which would result to accumulation of pores in the concrete. The concrete sealer will also discontinue grass from growing in between the stamped concrete.

 

 

For more tips on how to use concrete sealer click here

 

Sealing your concrete is important when you notice the patio looks better when wet, whereas it is supposed to look better when dry. Another indicator is when your notice that the concrete is absorbing water readily and it darkens as soon as it gets wet. Those signs are indicators that it is an appropriate time to reseal. Wash the area thoroughly and allow it to dry then apply a clear concrete sealer coat on it. This can be achieved by the use of a roller. This is preferred because it ensures consistency on application and it displaces the risk of over-spraying unwanted zones of the home.

 

Depending on how much traffic your patio gets, you should seal your concrete every two years. Driveways on the other hand could be receiving a lot of traffic and these may require application annually for the greatest protection.
This may not seem important but giving your stamped concrete the proper maintenance it deserves will go a long way in protecting the concrete, rejuvenate its looks and ensure that cleaning of stains or debris is made easier.

 

To get a quote for maintenance of your concrete driveway or patio from Vancouver Concrete Connection just give us a call and we will be happy to help.

(604) 757-2679

Stamped Concrete Maintenance Tips

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There are numerous different types of decorative concrete readily available that include a large selection of beautiful patterns, textures, and designs. Stamping concrete is presently one of the more popular choices. This is where the damp surface is stamped with a design or texture, frequently to look like stone, cobblestone, wood, or various other products that aren’t as practical for lining a driveway. The surface can then be stained using any variety of different techniques like acid or dye-based to accomplish a desired colour.

 

Most Vancouver home owners choose to extend the design of the driveway into a side walk or a patio. Blending and matching styles is recommended and can really add to overall design of your homes hardscapes. Nonetheless, there are some drawbacks to selecting decorative concrete. The primary issue is the additional care required to keep its appearance.

 

A little of regular upkeep is required to keep your concrete driveway or side walk in great condition for many years. But not to worry, it wont be time consuming or very expense. Stains should to be treated rapidly, as some concrete surfaces will absorb oils and dirt triggering discolouration. Excessive dirt or fallen leaves can accumulate in the corners and cracks and should be cleaned out quarterly. A low powered pressure washer will be suitable for this job. Be careful not to use too much pressure as you may damage the existing sealer. If you do not have access to a pressure washer use some dish detergent and a heavy brush to clean it.

 

The sealer that is put on your driveway or patio will also need to be reapplied every couple of years to ensure it is protecting your concrete. We recommend to do it in the spring every two years. A canister can be bought at many hardware shops and applied in an afternoon to avoid direct sunlight in the heat of the day. Concrete sealer is applied using either a sprayer or rolling on to the surface. For the average home owner we recommend purchasing a sealer that is applied using a roller as it is a little less technical and requires less tools.

 

If you would like some help restoring old concrete surfaces we would be happy to come give you an estimate. We will also be happy to give you some advice on how to do it yourself.

 

Visit our contact us page to find the best way to get a hold of us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_sealer

 

How much concrete do I need? Your own concrete calculator

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How to calculate the amount of concrete needed for a job. This article is written to help shed some light on how much concrete you will need to complete your patio or driveway.

Every job is different. Your driveway, patio or foundation will all require different amounts of concrete to be ordered. So how do I know how much concrete I need to complete the job? You will need to have a paper and a pencil and some basic math skills. (calculators are allowed for this exercise) So lets start off by determining the length and the width of my patio. Then we measure the depth. Take the depth in inches and divide it by 12. (twelve inches in a foot) We will get a calculation that looks something like this. 15ft long by 10 ft wide by 4 inches think. So our calculation looks like 15 x 10 x .33 = 49.5

Concrete is sold by the cubic yard. The equation looks like this 3ft x 3ft x 3ft = 27 cubic feet.

So if we need 49.4 cubic feet to fill our patio forms then we need to divide 49.4 by 27 to get our answer. 49.5/27=1.82

Remember it is always a good idea to order a bit more than you actually need to ensure that you have enough. Ordering a little more concrete to make up for a mistake can be costly.

If your confused just give us a call and we will come by and take measurements and let you know how much it will cost to get your patio or driveway replaced. It’s always a good idea to hire a professional to do your concrete work.