What is a Patterned Concrete Driveway?

A patterned concrete driveway, also known as a pattern imprinted concrete driveway is simple a driveway that allows for unique design options. You can get your driveway poured so that it has almost any design that you could you possibly want. This gives you a lot of options when it comes to the look of your driveway which is what makes this option so appealing.

Most driveways are made of either asphalt or concrete and while they may be very functional they are not exactly the most attractive of options. In the past if you wanted to use more elaborate design you had to go with bricks or paving stones. This approach allowed you to design the driveway that you want but it did come at the expense of durability, driveways made out of bricks or paving stones generally don’t last very long. A patterned concrete driveway allows you to get the look of stone with the durability of concrete.

The way that patterned concrete works is that it is poured in the same way as any other concrete would be. However there are coloring agents that can be applied to the concrete while it is drying. This allows you to have certain parts of the driveway a certain color which gives you a great many design options. Several different colors can be used so that that you can have some very elaborate designs.

The next step in the process of building a patterned concrete driveway is to apply a release agent. This is done so that the concrete will not stick to the imprint mats. However in many cases there is also a dye that is mixed with the release agents. This allows for additional color tones to be included in the design of the driveway.

Once the release agent has been applied the next step is to put the imprint mats on the driveway. This is what will actually create the desired design in the concrete. The mats are basically moulds that have the desired shape in them. They are placed on the surface and then tapped down so that they are firmly in place. The concrete will take about three or four days to dry at which point the mats will be removed.

After the mats have been removed the concrete is given a good wash down and then a sealant is applied to protect the surface. This is really all there is to creating a patterned driveway. While the process is simple in theory in practice it takes a great deal of skill to do, especially if you are looking for an elaborate design.

A patterned concrete driveway is not really something that you can do yourself. The skills involved take some real effort to learn. In addition the imprint mats are very expensive; they are not worth buying for a one time job. Therefore even though it may be possible to do a simple design on your own you will almost have to hire a professional to pour your patterned concrete driveway.