Concrete Options for Landscaping

Construction professionals and landscapers in Minnesota know that concrete as the material to create an outdoor living space is a great option. It’s durable, it can handle the freezing Midwest winter temperatures, and it can be easily maintained with just a powerwasher and soap (in most cases). Another reason that exterior concrete is so popular is that it’s affordable and it’s more “green” than wood or natural stone tile. But many homeowners want their landscaping to be impressive, not boring. Well, a basic concrete slab on your outdoor patio doesn’t have to be boring anymore. It can be quite stunning when you hire a decorative concrete profession, one who is experienced in stamping, staining, or stenciling.

Color:
For instance, coloring or dying a concrete slab can really brighten up a patio or courtyard. It can bring out the hues in the foliage that surrounds your decking area. A decorative concrete contractor who knows what he is going can simply add a pigment into a cement mix before it’s poured so that you can have a concrete patio in virtually any color. Another option to add color onto your concrete is to pour the concrete mix first, then add a penetrating stain on top of it. This is a much more involved decorative concrete technique, so make sure whoever you hire has references and a portfolio of concrete projects to show you.

Textures:
Besides coloring a concrete slab to liven up your landscaped area, you can also try textures. A simple textured effect, when applied by a decorative concrete pro, can give the appearance of a richer, more striking concrete surface. Deeper texturing techniques can make concrete look just like brick, wood, or tile. And the benefits of choosing concrete over other building materials are vast: it’s cheaper and easy to clean, for starters.

NOTE: Make sure that you do your research before hiring a concrete contractor for your outdoor living project. Ask for references and look at photos of prior work. A botched concrete job can be costly and time consuming to fix.

To learn more about decorating with concrete, view It’s Concrete’s professional featured profile.