Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Concrete -- Less than Meets the Eye

When you are in the process of installing a concrete driveway you will find that it tends to look a bit drab. The white surface might be functional, but it is not aesthetically pleasing by any stretch of the imagination. That being the case, you need to ensure you try a stencil concrete surface before you totally give up on the material. What is stencil concrete melbourne exactly? What makes it so much better than regular concrete? There are a few things, actually.

First of all, stencil concrete can make a plain concrete surface look like virtually anything. You have seen stencil in action quite a few times, though you might not have fully realized it. For example, many sidewalks in high income neighborhoods use stencil, and patio bricks are often stenciled to provide a better aesthetic. You can do this to your driveway so long as you have the right materials. If you want, you can even make your plain walkway look like a cobblestone walkway, and no one would be the wiser!

The biggest decision you will have to make in stencil concrete, aside from the design itself is whether to use paper or plastic. These are two great stencil types, though most people would prefer plastic. Something to keep in mind however is that paper stencils are much cheaper than plastic. For example, a roll of paper stencil will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $250 while a single plastic sheet will cost about $80. If you are only planning to stencil your own driveway, then paper will work fine. If you are planning to do quite a bit of stenciling however, it would behoove you to invest in plastic. 

When you are placing stencil, you must place and work one strip at a time. Stencils are die cut and must be aligned in a specific manner unless you consider yourself a bit of a modern artist. In order to place the stencils you will need two people, and you will need to place them while the concrete is still wet, though free of leed water. One person will hold the stencil roll while the other holds the rolled end on the other side of the slab. Once the stencil is properly placed, it will be plastered to the surface using a stencil roller. 

After you pour the concrete, float and edge the slab in the usual manner and then place the stencils on the surface while the concrete is still wet but free of excessive bleed water. Placement requires two people, with one person holding the stencil roll while the other person holds the uncoiled end on the opposite side of the slab. Once the stencil is laid down atop the slab, it's plastered to the surface with a special stencil roller. If you find that there are any imperfections in the resulting pattern, you will be able to work them out using a trowel.

As you can see, stenciling concrete does not have to be difficult, and once you get it done, you will find that it provides for you an aesthetic unlike any you’ve ever seen. If you are planning to install a driveway, then you absolutely must consider stencil concrete as part of your project. You simply cannot exclude it!

Fore more information, click here: nupave.com.au

No comments:

Post a Comment