Expert Paving Services
Pattern imprinted concrete
Pattern imprinted concrete is an excellent way of adding massive kerb appeal. Imprinted concrete allows for an almost unlimited numbers of patterns with numerous range of colours to ensure your home stands out from your neighbours. It comes with a host of benefits ranging from an extremely low maintenance surface that can last for in excess of 20 years adding value to your home. Weeds are a thing of the past unlike block pavers.
How long does it take to install imprinted concrete?
The time it takes to install patterned imprinted concrete depends on the driveway size and the complexity of the pattern. Typically, this will be 4 – 6 days for installation plus 1 – 3 days for the concrete to dry.
What are the factors affecting imprinted concrete costs?
1. The timescale of installing imprinted concrete is a factor as patterned imprinted concrete can only be installed my experts.
2. The cost of imprinted concrete is affected by a number of important factors. We only use a high compression P300 polymer fiber concrete, ensuring the finished concrete is between 25-30% stronger than standard. Please be aware that there are loads of installers using cheaper and unsuitable types of concrete which contain more sand and less cement all guaranteed to crack and fail.
3. With a huge number of patterns to choose from (such as cobblestone, herringbone and wood plank), your personalised imprinted concrete driveway cost will vary. The more complex the pattern the greater the total price for the job will be.
4. Not all driveways or paths are straightforward squares or rectangles, some are winding, circular or even completely random and the more unusual the shape of the area, the higher the labour costs will be.
Our Process For Installing a imprinted Concrete Path or Driveways
Stage 1: Preparation
All projects have to be properly prepared before any concrete can be poured. This entails excavating the existing surface to an average depth of around 200mm(8ins). Excavation machines are used where required. The old surface material and any debris will be neatly stacked and removed by “grab wagon”. We use grab wagons in all cases so we are able to remove the debris from site the same day.
The required amount of hardcore, dependent upon the sub base we find on excavation will be delivered to site and spread across the area before being compacted with a heavy motorised roller or vibroplating machine. This will form a level, solid base on which to pour the concrete to an average depth of around 100mm (4ins).
All shuttering, steps, flat top edges, drainage, gulley tops, manhole covers, etc. are installed during this preparation process. We also apply wall gel to any walls and doors, etc. to protect them from concrete splashes.
Stage 2: Installing and Imprinting the Concrete
We use a fibre enmeshed, P300 concrete which, on completion, is 25-30% stronger than a standard concrete. The fibres in the concrete mesh together whilst the concrete cures; using a P300 concrete is where the additional strength in the concrete comes from. The air entrainment chemical protects the concrete from any future frost damage.
The concrete is barrowed or pumped in from the concrete delivery vehicle, "levelled" with rakes and floated. Once the concrete has been floated, a colour surface hardener is spread over the concrete in powder form and floated into the surface of the concrete.
This is the primary colour and is what permanently colours your concrete driveway. Once the colour has been floated in, it is a case of waiting for the concrete to "go off" to the correct consistency for imprinting the pattern.
Once ready, a second colour powder, called a release agent, is spread over the surface of the concrete.
This release agent allows us to place the texture mats on the concrete for imprinting the chosen pattern without the concrete sticking to the bottom of the texture mats while printing. Once the concrete has been imprinted with the chosen pattern, we set up red and white hazard tape around the perimeter of the job to stop people from walking on it.
Stage 3: Cutting and Cleaning
Concrete contracts and expands, depending on the temperature conditions, which is why we will call back to site either the following day, or the day after that, to install expansion cuts into the concrete slab. The entire concrete slab and surrounds are then power washed clean.
We use wall gel to enable us to clean walls down thoroughly.. A chemical wash is also used on the concrete to give a thoroughly clean and dust free surface.
The Imprinted concrete driveway is now ready for sealing, but we have to wait for the weather! We need at least two dry days before we call back to site to apply the sealant.
Stage 4: Sealing
Before we seal the pattern imprinted concrete, we will blow any loose debris from the surface and dry any damp areas, as necessary.
We will then add an anti-slip agent to the acrylic based sealant and apply the seal with brushes.
On completion of the sealing, we will once again tape the area off, so no-one walks or drives on it.
We recommend you keep your cars off the concrete for a period of 4-5 days after sealing to allow the sealants to set hard and bond properly with the concrete.
- Fabulous Imprinted Concrete Driveways
- Brockholes Lane, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire HD9 7EB, United Kingdom
- FREE PHONE 0800 4332246
- Monday - Friday: 9am - 7pm
- Saturday - Sunday: By 9am - 2pm