Concrete is a great, cost-effective, stylish, and sustainable choice for both indoor and outdoor use.
For years, people have used concrete as their outdoor material of choice because it is versatile, hard-wearing, easy to maintain, and can withstand the elements.
Concrete outperforms just about any other construction material and won’t overload you with unforeseen costs, repairs, and responsibilities. Keep reading to find out more about why concrete should be your outdoor material of choice.
Show Your Personality and Style
Concrete is a highly versatile material and is a great way to show off who you are and your home aesthetic and style. Concrete can be finished to be smooth, stamped, brushed, or scored depending on the design you’re going for. It can be color or tinted, epoxy coated for extra durability, decorated with inlays (think grass, sand, pebbles, or wood), or painted (you can learn more about painting your concrete floors yourself by heading here). If a “simple” slab is not for you, you don’t need to limit yourself to that. Look into using concrete pavers! They come in all different shapes, colors, and styles and can be installed yourself, and, depending on the size of the job, they can be completed in just an afternoon or over a couple of days!
Stands up to the Elements
Concrete is suitable for all types of weather. In extremely cold or freezing climates, an air-entraining agent is included. This additive creates teeny, tiny air bubbles that distribute evenly throughout the cement mixture. These small spaces allow for water to expand as it freezes. Concrete that is not air-entrained goes through a lot of wear and tear. It can lead to cracks and other damages. Concrete is also affected by sunshine and heat. It expands when it is heated up and contracts as it cools down. The joints and seams play a significant part in avoiding cracks and slab movement.
Durable and Long-Lasting
Concrete is built to last! Because it resists weathering, erosion, and other damages the elements can cause, it will retain its original form and quality when exposed to the environment. Concrete that is appropriately made, transported, poured and placed, and finished, and cured is capable of providing years and years of use with little maintenance.
Easy to Maintain
Concrete is excellent for outdoor use because it requires little maintenance. However, to extend the life of your driveway, patio, walkway, or other concrete slabs, there are a couple of things that you ought to do:
- Clean It – Cleaning your concrete not only helps it look good, but it keeps it from wearing down over time. There are several different ways and methods for cleaning concrete, so be sure to do some homework and do what fits best for your specific situation.
- Seal It – A sealed concrete lasts much longer and looks a lot better than unsealed concrete, as the elements can’t do their worst on seal concrete. This is a job better left to the pros.
- Repair It – As soon as you see an issue arise, like a moving slab or a crack in your concrete, contact a professional sooner than later. A small problem is much easier to fix than a significant problem!
Contact Hard Rock Concrete Coatings
If you are interested in installing concrete for outdoor use, don’t wait, instead, contact Hard Rock Concrete Coatings today. We are a family-owned company that takes pride in our concrete work, and we want to give you floors you can take pride in as well. Contact us today for a free quote. We serve Salt Lake County, Utah.
