So you have bought your first house or you are in the process of renovating your current abode. You want to have a home that’s unique and personal to you — something that reflects your style and exceptional taste. Little touches make a big different in a home. One way to make your home stand out is to add some decorative concrete touches to your space. What exactly is decorative concrete? Concrete that has been tinted or has patterned styles or a combination of decorative designs falls into the category of decorative concrete. Decorative concrete can take on many different forms, including stamped, stenciled, and tinted concrete, acid-washed concrete, concrete with decorative overlays, polished concrete, concrete countertops, and vertical concrete overlays.
Stamped concrete, an easy-to-create decorative concrete, mimics the look of stone, brick face, natural rock patterns, and different items found in natural settings, such as wood, fossils, or sea shells. This opens up a wide range of options for you to choose from that are durable and attractive.
To create stamped concrete, a contractor will imprint patterns into the concrete before it has settled. Tints of different shades can be added by using color hardeners, powder or liquid releases, or acid stains. Many different techniques may be utilized to end up with beautiful, different patterns. Stamped concrete may be used on driveways, gardens, patios, and even interior floors.
Stenciled concrete is when a roller with a stencil imprint on it is used to press a unique pattern into newly poured concrete. It can be made to resemble any type of pattern you choose or different tile work. Using an epoxy paint over the concrete can add extra protection to the concrete so that it stays in good shape for many years. The epoxy paint can be different colors so that you can match the interior or exterior of your house.
Decorative overlays are a perfect technique to use when you want to refresh and remodel older concrete. It’s like a face lift for your concrete! You do have to first make sure your concrete is in good enough shape for the overlays, but once you are ready to decide on your overlays, there are many different color and pattern options to choose from. You can even mimic the look of brick, marble, stone or even a granite-type surface. Another plus to indoor concrete surfaces is that they are great for people with allergies because although pet hair, dust and debris can get trapped in carpet fibers, they are easily cleaned off a concrete surface.
However you choose to create your perfect home space, decorative concrete is a great way to make your home a unique and show-worthy space.