Concrete is a sustainable and versatile building materials that finds multiple applications in indoor and outdoor construction. To ensure the durability and longevity of concrete structures, concrete finishes are often used. Concrete sidewalks finishes don’t just enhance the functionality of the structure, decorative concrete finishes can also enhance its aesthetic value.
Here are some of the common types of concrete finishes.
Troweled Concrete Finishes
Using a hand, power, or fresno trowel, you can create a smooth and fine concrete surface. Hand trowels feature a flat blade with a handle and are best for smaller building projects. For large-scale jobs involving concrete finishes outdoor, a power trowel is the ideal choice. They are available in walk-behind and riding models.
One type of troweled finish is the steel trowel finish. The process to create this involve using a trowel to close the exposed concrete surface. It entails a lot of time and manpower to complete a trowel finish concrete floor since the concrete needs to be hard enough to be worked on.
Broom Finish
Broom finish concrete involves leveling the concrete surface and then closing it by troweling or a comparable smoothing method. Next, a special broom will dragged across the surface. This method creates a rougher texture compared to just troweling.
If you are wondering which option is better between smooth or broom finish concrete, remember that the latter is preferable if you’re working on concrete surfaces that need to non-slip since the texture offers more traction.
Exposed Aggregate Concrete Finishes
Exposed concrete finishes images are meant to show off the aggregates that are mixed into the concrete. This means that the aggregates are first carefully chosen depending on how they look next to concrete. Some of the popular choices are colored glass, sea shells, granite, and attractive stones.
Salt Finish
Salt finish concrete is typically seen around swimming pools and other wet areas. To create this finish, rock salt is applied the surface of wet or uncured concrete. Ideally, you should use water softener rock salt crystals that are around 1/8″ to 3/8” in size.
A roller is then employed to press the rock salt onto the concrete. Once the rock salt has created small pits on the surface, it is washed away. What remains is a slip-resistant and finely textured concrete surface.
Stamped Concrete Finishes
Stamped concrete finish is at the top of most concrete finishes standards because it enables the creation of multiple, stunning designs on the concrete. You can use stamped concrete to mimic the look of other building materials such as brick, stone, tile, and a wide range of patterns.
To create a stamped finish, panels with the preferred design is placed onto the uncured concrete. The design is then transferred, giving the surface a textured look.
Stained Concrete
Stained concrete involves the addition of color after the concrete has been leveled and cured. Some of the most popular stains are subtler and more earthy hues. Nonetheless, there are other options to choose from if you want something more unconventional.
Ideally, these stains should be applied to new concrete since the color will look richer and last longer. However, you can also apply these stains to older concrete to give it a fresh, new look.