What Is Exposed Aggregate Concrete?

What Is Exposed Aggregate Concrete?

 

Have you ever seen a piece of a driveway or sidewalk that had a decorative piece of stone? If so, you were looking at what they call exposed aggregate concrete. Exposed aggregate concrete is a style of decorative concrete. It is created after removing the upper layer of the cement paste. This type of concrete is extremely durable, slip-resistant, and lasts a long time. If you are looking to save cost, then one way is to add exposed aggregate concrete on your poolside areas. They are also a great choice for driveways, sidewalks, and patios. Since they are so durable and sturdy, exposed aggregate concrete are resistant from cracks and other kinds of physical damages. They also do not cost as much as stone so you can easily use them when improving your home.

Exposed aggregate concrete can just about be compared to a piece of granite or marble that is transformed by polishing. In other words, it is like an ordinary surface has been stripped away to show its true beauty underneath. When it comes to concrete, that beauty comes in the form of decorative aggregate, either natural or manufactured.

Benefits of Exposed Aggregate Concrete

Exposed aggregate concrete comes along with many benefits, including the following.

Easy to get decorative textures and effects at a decent price.
A simple procedure and anyone who deals with concrete can master the technique quite quickly. Exposed aggregate concrete can be installed in one or two days, and you can hire a professional to make sure the job is done right.
This type of concrete provides surfaces that are skid-resistant, strong, and able to survive severe weather and climatic conditions; therefore, they are not affected by moisture and they last a long time.
There are many different options for you to choose from when it comes to colors, designs, and textures.
Requires very little maintenance. All that needs to be done is to clean them occasionally with water.

Where Is It Used?

Due to the fact that it is durable and skid-resistant, exposed aggregate is perfect for most flatworks such as sidewalks, driveways, patios, pool decks, and plazas. Other possible places to use exposed aggregate finish are decorative retaining walls, sound barrier walls, and architectural building facades.

How to Choose Decorative Aggregate

The color palette that is used is mainly determined by the type of decorative stone that is used. The aggregate that you choose to use will have an impact on the total cost of the project. Keep in mind that it is not necessary to purchase expensive aggregate in order to achieve beautiful results.

When choosing aggregate, consider the following main factors:

  • Color
  • Hardness
  • Size and gradation
  • Shape
  • Method of exposure
  • Durability
  • Cost and availability

The most common decorative aggregates include richly colored natural stones, such as basalts, granite, quartz, or limestone. However, manufactured materials, such as recycled colored glass, is another option, as well as other interesting objects including seashells.

The size and shape of decorative aggregate also vary. The size determines the depth of exposure and the shape can affect the surface patter and texture. Aggregates that are round offer the best coverage and a smoother surface, whereas angular aggregates provide more texture and dimension. Try not to use flat or sliver-shaped pieces because they do not hold well during the exposure process and can come out easily.

It is important to not use aggregates that contain substances that can stain the concrete, such as iron oxides and iron pyrites.

Decorative aggregate concrete can add beauty to your driveway, sidewalks, and patios, as well as add an interesting piece to your landscape. When it comes to installing aggregate concrete, it is important to leave it to the professionals. The experts at Fritz Stonework and Retaining Walls have had a lot of experience incorporating decorative aggregate to a variety of landscape pieces. If you are thinking about adding decorative aggregate concrete, then call us today at (636) 861-1530 to discuss the different options we have to offer you.

Stone Surgery: Give Your Property A Facelift

Stone Surgery: Give Your Property A Facelift

The goal of most homeowners is to make their property look great and be a functional space for living, working, and enjoying time with family and friends. On the inside of the home, there are many easy and semi-permanent solutions such as painting the walls, installing new furniture, or remodeling the kitchen. Many people are not aware of the diversity of improvements to the outdoor element of the property that can be installed.

Stonework is not limited to rudimentary patios or unimpressive retaining walls- an experienced mason can accomplish great works of functional art that will leave a lasting impression on your property. Besides the personal and family benefits of installing stonework, another reason to consider making this investment in your outdoor space is curb appeal. This is how your home looks to others (neighbors or potential buyers) at first glance. Stonework will entice them to find out more about you and your property!

Stonework for All Properties

All stonework can be customized with materials, colors, and designs. It isn’t limited to simple rock pathways anymore. There are tons of materials that can make the job simpler and even weather resistant than actual stone in some cases. Pavers are a good example of this; they are pre-formed concrete blocks that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. The great thing about pavers is that they fit together perfectly, meaning your pathway, patio, or retaining wall will be free of irregular cracking and resist weather damage very effectively!

Stonework is certainly an investment that you may have to save up for, but there are many options that have been created specifically to save time and money while remaining of the highest quality to protect your investment. These projects also do not have to be huge; they can be as simple as an elegant patio or effective retaining wall that reduces erosion and keeps your soil in place. You could even have a fire pit installed for any future neighborhood and family events!

The Importance of Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is one of the biggest reasons to invest in stonework beyond its functionality and beauty- especially if you are selling your property or consider selling it in the future. Stonework is rather permanent and very resistant to weather damage making it age gracefully and remain strong even after years of use. Buyers and neighbors love to see beautiful homes, and those with a functional outdoor space are highly desired especially now that people are trying to get outside more.

Final Thoughts

Your next home improvement project can be elegantly set in stone, and there is no better time than now to get started planning for and designing your hardscape! Stonework is a lasting investment in your property whether the project is small or large, your outdoor space will greatly benefit from it, and you will love the ability to have more outdoor family time, a natural workspace, greater curb appeal, and the best spot in the neighborhood to hang out! With an experienced masonry team like Fritz Stonework, all your hardscape dreams can come to life! Call them today for more information at (636) 861-1530.

Enhance your Property Value with Stone Pathways

Enhance your Property Value with Stone Pathways

The value of your property is based on location, amount of property, and improvements on that property. When the majority of people consider the improvements on a property they consider the home or structures like storage sheds and buildings. They also think about amenities like pools and hot tubs because those items make a property more appealing to buyers, and thus the property becomes more valuable.

One of the things you can do to increase the value of your property is to create stone pathways from the major points of interest. When you leave out of the front door to walk to the driveway or to the street in front of the property you do not want to walk through the grass or across an unlevel ground.

If you create a pathway from the front door to the street by laying brick or stone pavers you will create a level walkway that allows you to not get your feet wet or dirty when you are traveling the path. Even if it has just rained outside you can travel the stone path and not get dirty doing so.

The benefits of a stone pathway

  •         The stone path is level and will allow you to walk safely and take fewer chances of falling, tripping, or turning an ankle.
  •         The inside of the home will stay cleaner because you are not walking through dirt or grass before you walk into the home. You track in less dirt          because your shoes pick up less dirt.
  •         The lawn looks better with a stone path than it would with a beaten-down trail that you make by traveling over the same area repeatedly.
  •         You can add interesting lighting and borders to stone paths to dress them up even more
  •         Your home instantly has increased curb appeal when you create the stone pathways

Stone pathways are alluring to prospective buyers because they can see all of the benefits of having these paths that are level, safer to navigate, and cleaner to travel.

Where to place stone pathways on your property

The obvious places for stone pathways are from your front door to the most frequently traveled places like the driveway or the street in front of the house. It there are flower beds, gazebos, or areas of particular interest in the front section of the lawn you can also create a stone path leading to those areas.

When you exit the back door of the home you will want a path that leads to any storage buildings you may have in the back section of the property. You also want a path leading to any outdoor attractions like pools, tennis courts, patios, outdoor kitchens, game areas, or particular places of interest that you might frequently travel.

To learn more about stone pathways and all of the options you have in making them contact the experts at Fritz Stoneworks at 636-861-1530. The friendly staff will be able to answer all of your questions and help you make the best choices according to your location, budget, and ideas.