Types of Concrete Finishes to Consider for Your Home

Concrete is a highly popular construction and paving material, not just for its durability and cost effectiveness, but also for its versatility. If you plan to use concrete for your new patio, you’ll be pleased to know there are a variety of finishes you can choose from to add some personality and aesthetic value to your property.

Here are just a few examples of some of the most popular types of concrete finishes you might consider using for your patio in Racine, WI:

• Concrete stamping: Stamped finishes are created by pressing patterns into freshly poured and leveled concrete. The result is a textured appearance similar to slate, brick, tile or flagstone, and even wood in some cases. This is an option frequently used for patios, porches and sidewalks.
• Broom finish: A broom finish in concrete features rough, linear textures obtained by running a broom across the troweled concrete surface before it dries. This results in small ridges that offer greater traction and slip resistance. It can be ideal for driveways and private roads, and may be a good option for sidewalks and patios for seniors or people who are prone to falls.
• Color finished concrete: Colored finishes in concrete in Racine, WI are the result of adding pigments into the mix, or staining after the curing process. You can select from a wide range of colors that complement your home and your landscaping. If you’re looking for a more vibrant color, you’ll likely want to go with the staining option rather than the pigmentation during the mix, but you can achieve colors of all different hues and properties.
• Polished finish: Polished finishes for concrete are the result of mechanical grinding and polishing, as well as the use of a penetrating chemical. The result is the appearance of polished stone, and a semi-glossy layer at the top of the concrete.
• Exposed aggregate: The use of exposed concrete aggregate primarily happens when there is a desire to more evenly distribute the aggregate and prevent air voids within the concrete as much as possible. To achieve this finish, you’ll use a power floater or diamond polisher to polish the top layer of a partially-cured concrete surface. The machine removes a layer of just a few millimeters at the top to expose the aggregate, and then the workers apply a fine-grade protection layer to create a polished appearance over the top of the exposed layer.
• Salt finish: A salt finish in a concrete surface results from the insertion of coarse rock salt crystals into the concrete. Those crystals are applied with rollers on freshly poured and leveled concrete, and the surface then gets washed with water streams after the concrete sets in, resulting in a unique appearance.

These are just a few examples of the many options available for concrete finishes in Racine, WI. If you’re interested in learning more about the types of finishes that will give you the look and functionality you’re going for on your property, reach out to Langenfeld Masonry & Concrete today to speak with an experienced masonry contractor.

Categorised in: Concrete Contractor