What are the steps involved in the concreting process?

Concreting process starts with the Batching procedure, wherein different concrete components are measured. The next step, which is the Mixing stage, involves combining materials with the needed ratios. Concrete is delivered to the location after it has finished mixing. To get the concrete into tight spaces, it is poured into the formwork in the Transportation step. The Compaction procedure occurs after the concrete has been poured into the formwork evenly. Depending on the weather, the last step of Curing maintains the concrete’s ideal moisture level for a predetermined time.

Why You Need Professional Concreters

Your concrete needs to be perfectly set. Any little crack can quickly get larger because of moisture and temperature. Hiring a professional ensures that your concrete will be skillfully poured and will withstand the test of time. Concrete work requires a lot of specialized equipment, and the cost of purchasing and producing a modest quantity of concrete might also be high. It will be far less effective without the necessary expertise or specialized equipment. Overall, professional concreting provides durability, style, quality, and affordability. A concreting specialist can help you if you want to enhance your property’s durability or aesthetics.

How Long Does Concrete Take to Cure?

Although concrete needs about a month to fully cure, it usually is ready to use in a short duration. Due to variations in the weather, concrete mix, placement, and finishing methods, each project will change significantly. After between 24 and 48 hours, your concrete should be sturdy enough to walk on without leaving any traces. Your concrete should have reached at least 70% of its full strength after seven days of curing. It should be safe to drive over, but you might want to wait before rolling large pieces of machinery over it. You can treat your concrete as fully hardened after 28 days.

Can You Pour Concrete in the Rain?

The answer is yes—concrete can be mixed in the rain. However, concrete must be allowed to cure for at least 4 to 8 hours before it becomes sufficiently strong and hard. Concrete that is still fresh during a rainstorm must be covered with plastic to avoid wetness. Fresh concrete cannot withstand rain if the pouring is finished before 2-4 hours. Although concrete has water as a vital ingredient, water in the form of a driving rain can damage the structure. It can weaken freshly mixed concrete after it has been put, increasing the propensity for dusting and scaling to develop.

How Much Does Concreting Cost?

In Australia, the price of concrete per cubic meter ranges from $150 to $300. Concrete prices vary from $50 to $150 per square meter. The type of concrete you require and your location will all affect the exact pricing of the material. Although hourly wages for concreters vary widely around the nation, the average wage is about $68. For spray-on concrete, costs range from $50 to $75 per square meter. A square meter of plain concrete costs between $60 and $85, and coloured concrete costs between $100 and $150. Costs range from $100 to $150 per square meter for decorative stencilled finish or exposed aggregate.

How long does a new driveway installation take to complete?

The preliminary work significantly impacts the time needed to install a new driveway. Most driveways may be installed within two days once the land has been prepared. Your concrete driveway needs time to set completely for it to be durable. The thickness of the slab, the foundation used, and environmental factors affect how long it takes for the concrete to be fully set. However, you can walk on your driveway after 2 days. After seven days, you can use regular vehicles on the driveway, but you should avoid using heavier ones. Your driveway should be fully set and suitable for use after 30 days.

Pros and Cons of Exposed Aggregate Driveways

You are reading this article probably because you think exposed aggregate form of concrete is the best option for your driveway. Well, if you consider it as a fabulous material to enhance the beauty of your house’s exterior, chances are that you saw this kind of driveway in your friend’s house and are super impressed. Still in two minds? Obviously, it’s natural to weigh your options before taking a decision —after all, anything concerning your home is a long-term investment with far-reaching consequences.

Understanding the good and flip sides of exposed aggregate concrete.

Concrete is the most common material used for driveways across the world. Its different variants like stipple finish concrete, slate forms, stencilled types, and exposed types make it more enticing even for bespoke designer homes. But so far, the exposed aggregates are in trend for areas like driveways.

Pros of installing exposed aggregate in driveways –

Exposed aggregate driveways in Melbourne via Cure Concrete are considered the best option for your exteriors because of their expertise in carrying out the job perfectly. Their incredible knowledge and experience in dealing with all kinds of concrete make them the best company to hire for this job. But yes, there are other great benefits of going for this floor as well.

The decorative touch

— When the upper layer of the concrete is exposed to show off the fine stones and materials imbibed inside, it actually creates a very nice and impressive effect on your driveway. So, the plus point of installing this kind of flooring in your house’s exterior is the increased curb appeal of the place.

Quick and easy installation

— Though the task of exposing the aggregate of the concrete might seem a tough one, it’s actually a very quick and easy procedure. If you call a great team to do the job, it happens within a day or two.

Not much maintenance either

—It is understandable that since it’s the home’s exterior you are worried about the constant dust and dirt. But don’t worry, you can just pressure wash your driveway if you install the exposed aggregate and it would seem clean and gleaming like new.

Anti-skid and non-slippery

— Rest assured that when you are installing the exposed form of aggregate in your driveway, it is entirely non-skid and non-slippery. So, your driveway shall not be prone to accidents.

Cons of exposed aggregate in your driveway

—Though there are few, but yes, it has some downsides as well. The following are some of the disadvantages of exposed aggregate concrete:

Cannot bear much heavy load

— Once you install the exposed aggregate in your driveway, remember that heavy load can damage exposed aggregate concrete.

Not easy to mend

— Basic concrete is easy to repair by just patching up the damaged area. But with exposed aggregate, you’ll see that chipped stones start getting damaged further once there is even a small issue and repairing it is a tough job.

Dust settling in the gaps

—The exposed form of concrete driveway can prove a little bit tricky to clean because the dust that gets settled in the fine gaps of the exposed side.

Exposed aggregate concrete pros and cons have been clearly mentioned in the article above. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that the pros outweigh the cons. Exposed aggregate driveways are visually appealing, durable, slip-resistant, and low maintenance. Moreover, it can be customised based on your preferences. What else do you want from a driveway, right? Moreover, at Cura Concrete, you have experts dealing with such surfaces for years. So, if we are saying aggregate concrete is a smart choice for your driveway, it is backed by experience and research.

Now when you have read both the plus and minus points of having exposed aggregate in your driveway, we hope the decision to finally install it or not would be a conscious one. Overall, we would suggest it as a wise, long lasting, and practical option — but of course, it depends on how you use and care for it.