Imprinted Concrete

Pattern Imprinted Concrete Driveways Rotherham

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Pattern Concrete Rotherham

Imprinted concrete, which is often called stamped concrete or pattern concrete, is one more option in an expanding driveway choice and it's easy to see why. It is a fairly low maintenance driveway choice with a wide variety of colours as well as patterns offered.
The process of creating a patterned concrete driveway is reasonably uncomplicated and initially follows the process of a normal concrete driveway, where concrete is poured over an aggregate base which is deep enough to prevent movement. After pouring your chosen dye into the concrete it is then followed by a hardener - but prior to the concrete being able to set your pattern of choice is then impressed into the concrete. There is a huge selection of pattern layouts yet one of the most preferred are those which replicate an older driveway style such as brickwork, paving tiles cobbles. Typically concrete will poured in one or more sections where a larger area required section gaps will be left to allow concert expansion with the movement causing cracking and splitting of the driveway. As the hardener creates a seal on the concrete it is really resistant to water and as a result planning must be taken to address path of rain flow from the concrete, which may well call for extra water drainage runs to be installed, which certainly contributes to the overall expense.

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Patterned Concrete Driveway

With out question the primary reason people choose imprinted concrete driveways is the instantaneous kerb allure it gives a residential or commercial property. The finishing hardener creates a sheen which is really striking to those walking or even driving by. This contributes to creating a snowball effect where one person in a neighbourhood installs an imprinted concrete driveway, it triggers interest and then other neighbours begin to choose this option for a driveway upgrade having seen it close up and personal rather than from brochure or website
With so many colour alternatives and stamp imprints to choose from it allows you to iput your very own 'stamp' (notice the word play here) on your driveway as well as pick an appearance which helps reflect the period design of your residential property. However unlike more traditional driveways imprinted concrete has a low upkeep. Selecting a pattern style from irregular tiles to curved designs will easily allow you to follow the natural flow of your driveway if it is irregular and shaped through your front garden.

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Imprinted Concrete Driveway Cost

Just like all pricing for jobs there are a number of ariables affecting each driveway installation task such as ground incline, ground condition and access to the driveway for material distribution - which can impact on time, material quantities and labour time. However, in general terms with 'all points being equal' an expense of around ₤160 m2 would certainly offer a sensible start point for a little 40m2 imprinted concrete driveway with per meter rates coming down the bigger the driveway as certain costs can be effectively spread out over a larger scale. These are greater prices compared to concrete but there are the additional products and also processes entailed with imprinted concrete to consider that lead to finished patterned sheen appearance. Also when compared to paving or resin driveways the additional requirement for drainage to deal with rainwater run off due to its non porous characteristics will add to the general expenses. However, whilst this is one of most costly driveway choices it still continues to be a sound financial investment as it provides the high kerb appeal, reduced upkeep and these factors will definitely play a part in your overall home and gardens sale value.

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Imprinted Concrete Driveway

Apart from the appearances and the reduced maintenance is the various other key advantages of an imprinted concrete driveway which makes it popular. It is very easy to clean by brushing or pressure washing. To keep a sheen finish as well as carrying out the cleaning preventative measures, an application of a solvent-based acrylic sealer every four years is excellent practise.
The only zone where weeds have an opportunity to take root is where the expansion gaps have been placed. Nevertheless, if top quality mastic sealer is utilised this will dramatically reduce the development of weeds or seeds settling in the gap - as long as you do not permit the develop of dirt in the joints which will allow roots to take. Because silicone sealant are readily available in many colours, its particularly easy to find an excellent colour match with your stamped concrete driveway to ensure you preserve the aesthetics of your drive with a discrete joint gap.

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Pattern Imprinted Driveways

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Frequently Asked Pattern Imprinted Concrete Questions

  • Do you recommend imprinted concrete driveways?

    We try to steer away from making any one particular recommendation as each different type of driveway may have particular merits for you. Often budget is one of the most important criteria and sometimes you may have initially thought you wanted one particular driveway type but realised that it may not provide all the other practical benefits you wanted. We will try to get a good understanding of how you intend to use your driveway and what you really want to achieve and then provide balanced points to help you make a decision that is best for your particular circumstances and budget.

  • Is imprinted concrete permeable?

    A permeable driveway is one will which allow water to 'permeate' through it i.e. soak through and down rather than run across the surface.

    From an environmental and practical perspective, most councils don't want to see large amounts of water running down roads and towards drains, which can clog and cause localised flooding. As a result, councils will favour the installation of more permeable driveways such as block paving, cobbled and resin-bound.

    For tarmac and both standard concrete and patterned concrete, the requirement to install drains or 'soaks' to prevent this water from getting to public locations may end up adding to your installation costs. 

  • Is pattern imprinted concrete a low maintenance driveway?

    The maintenance a driveway will require will depend on how much you personally take pride in the visual appearance of your drive and the local of your driveway relative to other factors which can either speed up or slow down the rate at which your driveway needs reviving. 

    If your drive is in an open environment with few trees around and not next to a lawn or flower beds it will be less likely to be subjected to bird droppings, wet and rotting leaves and seeds falling on it which can take root or allow moss and algae to form. When new most driveways are low maintenance but after a year or two of being exposed to the elements you will notice a build-up of dirt and algae. A more regular maintenance routine can prevent major clean up but tarmac, resin and patterned concrete will be the easiest to keep clean. As long as block paving or cobbled driveways have a regular clean with an appropriate cleaner you can avoid pressure washer cleaning which can often accelerate the degradation of a driveway by dislodging jointing compounds and thereby creating environments for most and seeds to take hold.


  • Can imprinted concrete be laid on an existing base?

    This will depend on the state and quality of your base and how slabs have been fixed to the base. Generally, if you are looking to remove an existing patio the removal process will take an amount of the sub-base with it. At Driveways Rotherham we will inspect the state of the sub-base and more often than not a topping up and re-setting of the base will enable a new patio to be laid. This approach will end up saving you some money however if during the removal of your existing patio we discover that a poor or in some cases, no sub base has been laid this will require the same approach as installing a brand new patio where the ground needs to be dug to a required level, a proper base is installed before finally laying your paving.

  • What are the main differences between a resin driveway and imprinted concrete?

    A resin driveway - more specifically a resin-bound driveway and a pattern imprinted driveway will be very low maintenance options as weeds and algae will find it difficult to take hold. However, a resin bound driveway will be permeable and a crete print driveway will not which may mean the installation of an additional soak away

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