Exposed Concrete
What is Exposed Aggregate Concrete?
Exposed concrete or exposed aggregate concrete can easily be compared to a piece of marble or granite that is transformed by polishing. In other words, when a plain, unremarkable surface is stripped away and the beautiful underneath lying layer is exposed, it is called exposed aggregate concrete.
Why Use Exposed Concrete?
If you want to choose the best material for your walkway, driveway, or patio that gives your place a stylish and decorative finish, you should choose the option of using exposed concrete.
In an exposed aggregate concrete, instead of boring, usual, and traditional finish, you get smooth and textured pebbles and small stones within the concrete.
The exposed concrete can be used anywhere, in fact, almost everywhere. It is attractive, gives a smooth finish to the floor, easy to maintain, and above all durable. When small stones and pebbles are exposed in the concrete, they create a visually appealing result as random patterns are formed with various colors. You can use it in almost any application because it contains all the characteristics that a concrete floor should have, and it is durable as well. The exposed stones in an exposed concrete make floor less slippery as compared to a typical concrete floor.
At Eternal Rock Construction Inc, we offer a wide variety of stones and pebbles of different sizes and colors to our customers to choose from. You can select the combination of colors, shapes, and sized according to the exterior of your home. You can also choose from exposed aggregate concrete pictures.
You may find some online tutorials to expose concrete as a DIY, but it is always recommended to get help from professional to get this job done. When aggregate is exposed by a profession, the finish is proper and even. Before exposing aggregate concrete, it is also important to lay a proper and strong foundation to prevent cracks or any other problems in future. It is important because when the exposed aggregate is damaged, it is costlier to repair it and consumes more time as it is difficult to find the matching patterns and colors that you have already installed.
Advantages of Exposed Concrete Installation:
There are some advantages to installing this type of concrete work. Let us discuss now:
- Suitable for All Designs – This type of concrete work is suitable for almost all designs and home exteriors. You have a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes to choose from. For aggregation, you can use limestone, granite, basalts, and quartz. Select anything that you think looks good for your home.
- Resistant – If you usually have busy evenings, and many people go in and come out of your house, exposed concrete is the best option for you to install. This flooring is resistant to heavy traffic, and there will be near to zero chances of any damage. As compared to wooden walkway or tiles, this floor contains stones and cement which are stronger than other materials.
- Durable – Exposed concrete is one of the strongest and long-lasting material as compared to the traditional concrete floor. Because of its resistance to weight and hard conditions, it can last for years. This makes it suitable for driveways, walkways, and garages of homes.
- Low-maintenance – It is a low-maintenance option compared to wood and other materials. If you have used wood, you need to polish it regularly to make it shine and look smooth. This type of concrete only requires sealing in almost 5 years. That is why many contractors are seeing it as a practical and cost-effective option to install at homes.
- Affordable – It is a cost-effective option as the material required is easily available from everywhere.
- Safe – Exposed aggregate concrete is easy to walk on as it is non-slippery.
- Customization – If you have decided to install exposed concrete, congratulations, you can now customize the design according to your desire and give it the effect you want to have. There is a wide range of options available in terms of sizes, shapes, and colors, and you can use your imagination to come up with something extraordinary.
As you decide to install exposed concrete, make sure you hire a reliable contractor for the job. If you are in Portland Oregon or Vancouver Washington, contact us. We have experts in our team who do their job smartly and efficiently. We also offer a FREE ESTIMATION to make the process of your decision easy for you.
Cost of Exposed Aggregate Concrete:
Installing exposed aggregate concrete is a becoming a popular approach to improve the functionality and appearance of traditional and boring concrete floors like walkways, patios, and driveways.
The cost of installation depends on the surface area where you want to install it, they type, size and colors of the stones, special preparation needs (if any), and labor cost.
Generally speaking, the cost of exposed concrete starts from $3/square foot and goes up as you choose different quality and sizes material. Please note that cost of labor is not included in this amount.
How to Make Exposed Aggregate Concrete?
If you want to know how to do exposed aggregate concrete, then continue reading.
There are several methods to expose concrete. Only the top layer of stones is exposed, whereas, others remain embedded in the concrete.
- Brushing and Washing – This is one of the oldest and the simplest method to expose concrete as it requires neither any chemical nor any special tool. You can simply do it by washing away a thin layer of surface mortal covering the aggregate by using a water spray and scrubbing it with a broom. Keep doing it until you get the desired depth. However, the timing of this job is crucial, therefore, this method is suitable for small jobs.
- Using a Surface Retarder – These days most of the contractors use this method. They spray a chemical called surface retarder onto the slab just after placing and finishing. This spray delays the setting of the surface and they can remove the cement later. This can be done by pressure washing or scrubbing.
There is another method of exposing concrete by using abrasive blasting. However, it is not usually recommended as it can fracture the surface.
Why Choose Us?
Eternal Rock Construction Inc provides the best service of exposing concrete in the area. We are experts in our field and have completed dozens of jobs with satisfied customers. Contact us now to get a free estimation for exposed concrete at your home.