Choosing the right aggregate for your new driveway can be a very tedious task. Endless searching through magazines to get an idea, sample sourcing and trips to the various suppliers. With so much variation and choice in aggregate colour, coming to a final decision will take time. We suggest that firstly you speak to your architect and try get your hands on a rendered drawing with the final external colour of your house. If possible also ask your architect to obtain a colour swatch of the houses external render colour, brick type or painted finish. If you are simply re-doing your driveway and the house already exists then get ahold of some photos that put the driveway in perspective to the house. Armed with these few tools call your local aggregate suppliers and arrange to visit them, taking with you the swatches and images and get as much advise from the experts as possible. The suppliers themselves are one of the best tools at your disposal when it comes to making a decision...
Read MoreExposed aggregate decorative concrete is an alternative to the plain smooth textured concrete that has commonly been used for driveways throughout Australia. Decorative exposed aggregate concrete is a way of dressing up your driveway, giving it texture, colour variation and life. Decorative concrete uses a mixture of natural stone and rock that is crushed into varying sized pebbles that get mixed with other stone variations to achieve a desired colour combination and size spread. For example the mixture of light and dark stones with an array of shades between, mixed together to achieve a custom shade as defined by you. The exposed aggregate mix used within the concrete to achieve a decorative finish is highly customizable and gives you the opportunity to mix your own colour variations and have it matched by the supplier for a unique finish. From earthy reds to your light quartz colours and bluestone finishes, they can all be done separately or mixed at varying quantities, different sizes and at varying levels of exposure. The colour of the concrete that provides the base layer for the aggregate finish can also be varied and chosen specifically to order too. The use of a light concrete with dark aggregate or dark concrete with light aggregate allows for many different finishes...
Read MoreWith exposed aggregate concrete becoming very widely used amongst modern houses in Australia there have become various methods for sealing the aggregate product and increasing the lifespan of your driveway. As a product the exposed aggregate concrete is very durable and if laid properly can last for many years and still resemble an as new look. There are some steps you can take to maintaining your exposed aggregate driveway even before the concrete has been laid. First of all find a good contractor, one that is highly recommended and that has done exposed aggregate jobs before. It is not the same process as any other concrete laying job so do not rely on a friend with some concrete laying experience or attempt to do it yourself. Air bubbles and water seepage as result of a poor laying process will cause the concrete to crack and void looking horrible and not serving its purpose as a stable driveway. After the exposed aggregate and concrete has set and finished it is essential that you have the aggregate sealed. Some aggregate suppliers will refer you to people they know and trust and who have usually been used with the majority of the suppliers jobs...
Read MoreIn order to achieve a desired level of exposure for your chosen aggregate mixture finish the concrete has to undergo one of a few on site processes. In this article we wish to provide you with a general overlook of how the finishes are achieved and what goes in to the process, as well as ways we can be environmentally friendly throughout the process to ensure minimal impact on the environment. From choosing the best aggregate mixture and a delivery date the next step is to then deliver the mix to the site via a process of combining the aggregate with concrete mixture in a liquid state ready to be spread and leveled. The mixture is delivered via a concrete mixing transport truck that aims to keep the concrete in a liquid state whilst thoroughly mixing through the aggregate within the concrete. This technique is used by the majority of aggregate concrete suppliers as it allows for such an even spread of aggregate to concrete whilst still able to be poured, spread and leveled for driveway jobs that are typically quite substantial. As soon as the trucks deliver the concrete on site in its liquid form it gets poured within the boundaries of the driveway whilst workers push the concrete within the defined area to ensure an even spread and level finish. At an appropriate time within the curing process the concrete gets either acid washed or blasted with air or sand to expose the aggregate accordingly. The blasting technique has been developed over the years and now employs the use of an environmentally friendly catching process that collects any waste created as the machines are used...
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