Concrete – Stamped / Pervious Concrete

Concrete is a mixture of Portland cement, aggregate, sand and possibly some other materials, purposely proportioned to meet the requirements of the job on hand. Think of concrete as liquid stone – it has dry ingredients that are mixed with water to make it fluid and then the material cures into a hard, stone-like substance.

Most of us are familiar with concrete used for basements, patios, driveways and other areas. Sadly, many people also think of concrete only as a dull, boring, gray surface. This is not so. Concrete can be colored, shaped, stamped, polished, stained, and many other things to give it a very appealing look as well as an excellent finished surface.

One of the more popular finishes outdoors is Stamped Concrete. For this, concrete is placed in the same way it normally would, but the surface is stamped to induce a desired texture. Color is added both integrally to the concrete and again to the surface to give it the desired look. Stamped concrete can mimic the look of flagstone, slate or other surfaces for a much more competitive price than the real material, while still providing the benefit of concrete.

Another option for interior floors is a hard trowelled surface done over a radiant floor heating systems and then acid stained. This allows an area to have a smooth durable surface that is very aesthetically pleasing and provides a fantastic medium for the radiant heating system.

Finally, Hyde Concrete is proud to be one of the few contractors knowledgeable in Pervious Concrete. This concrete, also known as ‘no fines’ concrete, produces a concrete that is heavily voided and allows water to percolate through to the sub-surface in order to reduce impervious surface coverage. The greatly enhances the green building concept that is gaining momentum in the US. Call today for more information or check out www.perviouspavement.org/ for more information.