When it comes time to redesign your driveway or even to pave a driveway for the very first time, concrete is a great option to go with. Concrete is a great option since it usually requires less maintenance than asphalt or other types of materials. Also, it tends to be more versatile than some other materials. There are several different kinds of concrete; each kind has many different advantages you can use.
Plain Concrete
Plain concrete is the most utilitarian type of concrete you will find for your driveway. Typically, concrete is made of a few elements: sand, pulverised stone, a binder, and water. Plain concrete is typically made of a very fine grade of sand and very fine pulverised stone. They’re held together with a strong cement. The concrete is considered plain since it makes a very smooth surface due to the fine grade of sand and stone. It doesn’t have many pieces sticking out or protruding from the surface. Plain concrete is very popular for those who simply need affordable concrete driveways in Mount Waverley. If you want something a little more unique, there are options for that as well.
Exposed Aggregate
As mentioned earlier, concrete is partially composed of pulverised stones. Most of those stones are pulverised into a fine powder; however, you can get your concrete with exposed aggregate. That means some of the stones are not completely grounded up into a fine powder before being added to the mixture. There are still chips and chunks of rock that protrude from the surface of the concrete. This serves an aesthetic as well as a functional purpose. Aesthetically, aggregate is great because it offers many different types of stone. Those different types of stones will come in many different colours and many different shapes, which is what makes it a great-looking surface for your driveway.
Also, aggregate is useful because it is not as smooth as plain concrete. It contains chips and chunks of stone that will provide you with some traction when you are walking on it, especially on a rainy day.
Coloured Concrete
Coloured concrete is usually a mixture of concrete that is essentially the same as plain concrete. However, the difference is that the concrete is dyed a certain colour when the concrete is still liquid. The liquid is dyed all the way through the concrete, which means that it will not fade or chip over time. If the surface of the concrete is chipped, it will still be the same colour below the surface. Coloured concrete can also have exposed aggregate or can be cut into different designs.
Oftentimes, plain or coloured concrete is cut into squares or rectangles that look like paving stones. These are just a few of the options for your driveway concrete.