YOUR NEW PATIO:DECORATIVE CONCRETE VS. THE ALTERNATIVES

Source:www.stonediamondtool.com Date:2019/8/19 Read:340

So you’ve decided that you’d like to expand your outdoor living space by either installing a new patio or by expanding an existing patio. You certainly wouldn’t be alone in your desire to do so. Many homeowners have followed the trend and taken to the great outdoors in an effort to expand their usable living space, whether for entertaining friends and family in a cozy outdoor living area, an outdoor kitchen, or any one of the other functional patio options available to them.

But what material should you use for your patio? With a myriad of patio materials from which to choose, it’s important that you weigh all your options carefully and intentionally to determine what factors are most important to you. Few materials come close to matching all the benefits that decorative concrete offers at a mere fraction of the price.

Durability & Longevity

When it comes to something that will last a long time, you need go no further than decorative concrete. Whether it’s a freshly poured slab for a brand new patio or a decorative overlay poured over an existing concrete slab that’s in need of repair and renovation, decorative concrete is one of the longest-lasting materials you can use for an outdoor space. Not only can it withstand the rigors of Atlanta’s extremely hot summers, but its downright freezing winters, as well. In addition to the temperatures, it can also withstand the elements such as rain, snow, and ice, too. A properly installed concrete surface can last as many as 30 years or more, which is sure to outlast most any other material you could use for your patio.

Ease of Care

Unlike other materials, concrete doesn’t need the constant maintenance and upkeep to continue to perform at a high level and look great while doing it. While concrete can be resealed annually, it doesn’t need to be, necessarily. For example, to keep a wood deck in tip-top shape, you should reseal it or repaint it every few years. While another popular alternative for patios are stone or concrete pavers, they take longer to install and require constant maintenance to keep weeds and other greenery from sprouting up in between the joints.

Design Versatility

Because decorative concrete is stamped or embossed with a pattern or texture to resemble another material such as wood, brick, slate, flagstone, tile, stone, etc., it can be made to look like anything, giving you ultimate design flexibility to work within any decor or environment. In addition, decorative concrete can also be colored with base and accent colors to match any color palette accurately, whereas stone or concrete pavers cannot.