CD Designs Blog
Concrete Imprinted With Wood Patterns
Decking is becoming an increasingly regular sight in peoples’ gardens. We can install traditional wooden decking as part of our services. A lot of our customers like to combine wooden decking with a pattern imprinted concrete patio. This creates a two-level area that’s perfect for BBQs and garden parties.
We’re fans of wooden decking, and we think it’s a really good addition to most back garden projects. However, for those who are interested in the look of decking but would prefer to stick with one material, there is an answer.
You see, the patterns we can imprint into concrete aren’t limited to classic stone surfacing patterns like Ashlar Slate and Herringbone Brick. We can also imprint concrete to look like wood. The combination or pattern and colour means that you can have an area of concrete which looks like decking, but has the unique properties of concrete.
Pattern imprinted concrete will age differently to wooden decking, but well installed decking should last for a long time. It’s a matter of taste really, and may also depend on the specifications of the job. It’s something you should discuss with your contractor. If you’re interested in discussing this or any other pattern imprinted concrete ideas, remember that we offer free, no obligation quotes, and are easy to contact.
Post Date: | 30th December 2010 |
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Tags: | decking, domestic concrete driveway, pattern imprinted concrete, pattern imprinted concrete driveway, wood pattern |
Tree Roots And Driveways
Trees bring a lot to a property, and having some nice mature trees in your front or back garden can even increase the resale property of your home. But as lovely as trees may be to look t, they can cause a few problems.
Tree roots can cause issues with driveways, as they can cause ground movement leading to cracking. They can also make excavations difficult. So it’s important to take into account any potential issues with mature or maturing trees if you’re thinking of having a pattern imprinted concrete driveway installed.
If you have any concerns about tree roots, talk to your contractor. If they’re on the ball, they’ll be able to pick up on any tree root issues (or any other issues) that you aren’t in a position to recognise. They should be able to advise you on any necessary steps to deal with tree roots.
If you’ve got deciduous trees instead of evergreen, you’ll be well aware that, around this time of year, clearing up leaves can become a real chore. Cleaning dropped leaves off pattern imprinted concrete is considerably easier than raking them up on a lawn or a loose driveway like gravel or slate chippings.
Post Date: | 28th December 2010 |
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Tags: | driveways and tree roots, pattern imprinted concrete, pattern imprinted concrete driveway, Pattern Imprinted Concrete Driveway Installation, pattern imprinted concrete driveway maintenance |
Live Near A School?
If you live near a school, parking may be a problem for you during those congested hours at the beginning and end of school days. At these times, the roads around schools can get completely ridiculous.
It can make it very difficult if you’re regularly leaving or returning to your property at the same time as parents are dropping off or picking up their children. For people who live on school roads, parking is at a premium. And having off-road parking, in the form of, for example, a pattern imprinted concrete driveway, can be a massive benefit.
Having your own pattern imprinted concrete driveway means that you can keep your vehicle well out of the way of those school-run cars. By removing your vehicle from the street, you make more room for others to manoeuvre. You also make your vehicle safer. Your car is much less likely to be scratched, lose mirrors, or even be crashed into, if it’s parked safely on your driveway.
Adding a driveway to your property doesn’t need to be prohibitively expensive. Talk to a good contractor, like CD Designs, and you might be surprised at the quality and value of the driveways available to you. And remember, we offer free, no-obligation quotations.
Post Date: | 23rd December 2010 |
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Tags: | busy roads, living near a school, parking issues, pattern imprinted concrete, pattern imprinted concrete driveway |
Fancy Interior Floors
Pattern imprinted concrete driveways are becoming increasingly popular. But concrete doesn’t have to stay outside. It’s a versatile flooring material as well. Previously on this blog we’ve written about incorporating a pattern imprinted concrete garage floor into a driveway installation. This could also be done with conservatories, depending on design and build factors.
But we’ve come across some examples of interior concrete flooring that are a little bit more exotic than simple garage floors. These floors are fancy. They utilise the fact that coloured concrete can be poured in bands and fields, meaning that a massive variety of different shapes and effects are possible. They also make full use of the extensive palette of colours available to concrete contractors.
There are some excellent examples of different concrete finishes on that page. Polished concrete, or concrete which has been treated with other admixtures, can look miles different from traditional grey concrete. We’re particularly impressed by the Ferrari logo on that page, which shows exactly how much detail it’s possible to get when you’re using concrete. It’s also an example of how commercial customers are embracing concrete as a high impact interior product as well as an excellent utilitarian construction material. And, hey, if it’s good enough for Ferrari, it’s good enough for us!
Post Date: | 21st December 2010 |
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Tags: | coloured concrete, commercial concrete, domestic concrete, fancy floors, interior concrete floors, Stained Concrete |
Feng Shui Driveways
There are a lot of things you need to take into account when you’re planning your driveway. That’s why at CD Designs we do as much as possible to help you with the planning of your pattern imprinted concrete driveway. We’re spot on when it comes to practical issues like necessary excavation depths, driveway drainage, crack control joints and so on.
But when it comes to more, um, exotic design ideas, we’re not as well versed. Which is why we thought we’d do a bit of research into the correct way to Feng Shui your driveway. Just in case you were wondering!
Here are a couple of Feng Shui tips we discovered:
Apparently, curving designs are best if you’re going for a pattern imprinted concrete pathway leading to your front door. A curved path will make positive energy “meander” to your doorway. Thankfully, curved designs are easy to accomplish using pattern imprinted concrete.
However, if a curved route is impossible, placing plants on either side of the pathway should help. It’s very important for good Feng Shui that plants and grass outside your house are healthy. And, although we wouldn’t necessarily recommend surfacing over your lawn just to ensure better Feng Shui, pattern imprinted concrete is much easier to keep in shape than plants and grass. Just remember to re-seal!
Post Date: | 16th December 2010 |
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Tags: | Driveway Design, feng shui, pattern imprinted concrete, pattern imprinted concrete driveway, Pattern Imprinted Concrete Driveway Installation |