Concrete driveway simply refers to any driveway which is cast in concrete and decoratively designed with a colour or imprint or a patterned design to mirror the appearance of a brick, tile, cobblestone or other variations of patterns. It can also be made to have textured finishes of various kinds. We provide professional Imprinted concrete driveway, patio and pathways at an affordable price.
Concrete is a very popular building material which must not be confused with cement. Cement is only a component in concrete. Concrete is used for patios, pathways as well as driveways. Concretes are known to be very durable when maintained properly.
Concrete is composed of various types of stone aggregates held by a mixture of water and cement (lime-based binder). The intended use of the concrete determines the size of the stone aggregates in the mixture.
For instance, gravel-sized aggregates are used in concrete for structural construction while finer sands and small sized aggregates are used for smooth finishes and surfaces. In the case of imprinted concrete driveways or sidewalks and patios, the aggregate stone mixture ranges from gravel size to fine sand-sized particles.
There are many reasons why a homeowner should choose an imprinted concrete driveway. Concrete is an ideal driveway material because of its durability, low maintenance, elegance and also being able to accommodate various types of designs and patterns as opposed to traditional paving.
Longevity and Durability: Concrete driveways (imprinted concrete or patterned concrete) are durable and under the right installation and maintenance can last more than 50years.
Affordability: Concrete driveways may seem more expensive than block paving driveways, however they are cost effective especially looking at the durability of concrete.
Low Maintenance: Concrete driveway doesn’t need a lot of work to maintain the surface. Only a few cleanings periodically such as a quick sweep or using a hose will maintain the appearance of the driveway.
Versatility: As an essential part of landscaping and decorating the outdoor space, imprinted concrete driveways allow for incorporation of diverse colours, patterns and textures meaning that the demands of a homeowner are met. It can be made to have the appearance of a tile, slate, stone or brick.
Enhances Existing Property: Since a concrete driveway can be patterned into various forms or imprinted with diverse designs, it can be made to complement existing outdoor features including gardens, furniture or other existing colours.
A perfectly installed concrete driveway adds value, elegance and quality to a property.
Prevents Growth Of Weeds: When properly installed and maintained, there is no room for weeds or moss and also leaves no gaps for ants to operate.
Sealing: The avenue for sealing a concrete provides even more protection against stains, chemicals and weathering.
Reaction To Heat And Light: As opposed to the heat absorption of asphalt, imprinted concrete driveways reflect heat. This means that they are cooler on a sunny day since they absorb less UV radiation from the sun. Consequently, an asphalt driveway may require more lighting since it absorbs much light. Concrete driveways therefore help you save energy costs over time.
Surface Characteristics: Unlike the asphalt driveway, imprinted concrete driveways do not release evaporative oils when installed. Also, there is little chance of tracking a sticky oil material to your home if an oily compound gets on the concrete surface.
The first decision is deciding what type of concrete works best for your residential or commercial area. We provide different types of concrete driveway which we are using.
Poured concrete driveways come highly recommended because they are very durable. Although they may not be the most elegant of concrete finishes, they are very cost effective especially since they are very long-lasting and so are ideal when building permanent homes. It also requires little maintenance to keep it in top shape.
This concrete driveway is widely chosen because of its durable surface that requires very little maintenance and remains undamaged for many years. Various aggregates of several sizes such as stones, shells, pebbles and cobbles make up the exposed aggregate concrete. The concrete is then laced with a smooth finish to give off the fine texture of the incorporated materials enhancing its appearance and beauty.
Exposed aggregates complement natural elements perfectly and so are ideal for use around ponds, streams, gardens, aquariums, etc.
The Stamped concrete driveway is ideal for those who like durable concrete driveways but also desire other materials in addition.
This driveway allows you to use molds to create any desired finish mimicking the look of stone, brick, or tiles on a concrete base. It is very versatile and can be used for flooring rooms, offices, sidewalks, corridors, patios, garages and lots more. It is also economical and aesthetically appealing.
Stencil concrete driveways have a resemblance to the stamped concrete driveways with the difference being that they use stencils instead of stamps. It is more aesthetic than the stamped concrete driveway since it requires more precision and accuracy when installing.
It is durable as the base is filled with concrete and comes in various designs. It is anti-slip and so is a preferred choice in homes where there are little kids. They are also stain resistant and require little maintenance.
This concrete driveway uses a concrete base on which hard mats with the texture of slates are placed prior to setting to achieve its characteristic slated look. For a more exquisite finish, it is sealed with a glossy or shiny finish.
It also comes in a wide range of patterns which can suit your taste and complement existing features of your home. It is very durable and is less expensive when compared to other concrete driveways. It is recommended that sealing be done every 2 years to preserve its longevity.
Imprinted concrete driveway also known as stamped concrete is a type of concrete driveway involving pouring the concrete on a sub-base and when the concrete is wet the imprints are applied. There are a variety of imprints that can be made on an imprinted concrete driveway. These can be in the form of bricks, textured stones, tiles and various other patterns.
You can also make it a coloured concrete driveway by applying the desired colour after pouring, followed by a hardener.
For large projects, concrete driveway is not DIY friendly and so needs professional installation for best results.
Treatments and color-etching may wear off with time, thus the imprinted concrete may no longer appear as attractive and need more maintenance than plain concrete.
They can be susceptible to cracks due to earth movements or very cold temperatures which will require sealing. Depending on the extent of damage, the concrete slab may need to be entirely removed and resurfaced. Therefore, annual maintenance is required to increase the life span of the imprinted concrete driveway.
Decorative concrete finishes such as honed aggregates are very smooth and so can be very slippery when wet meaning that they could be a cause of home accidents.
Pattern imprinted concrete driveway (PIC) are hard wearing concrete driveways and can be a great choice for your home adding value to your property.
Whether residential or commercial building, pattern imprinted concrete is a conventional method of outdoor decoration and investment for your home. It is very versatile and so there are a lot of color and pattern combinations possible with the PIC.
Patterns range from olden brick, to cobblestones to rustic-slab effect patterns. This ensures that you would certainly find the colour combination, style and design suitable for your property and personality. They are also very durable.
Pattern Imprinted Concrete driveways are best maintained by washing annually with a powerful jet wash to get rid of surface dirt and stains. Thereafter, its surface is coated with a high-quality solid sealant.
The average cost for installing a PIC surface is about £5-7 per sqm. It also comes with a 12year warranty.
The following steps are taken to lay a concrete driveway;
Planning: Adequate and proper planning is needed to ensure that a quality concrete driveway is laid. Several factors are put into consideration during this stage. These include;
Size of the driveway: The driveway could be a single-car driveway or a double-car driveway. The recommended width for a single-car driveway is about 8ft-9ft while that of the double-car driveway should be 15ft-18ft wide. The driveway could also be designed such that the initial entry has a single-car width and then widens near the garage to accommodate the required number of car stalls. A turn-around area can also be included depending on the space available.
Thickness: The standard thickness for concrete driveway is 4inches for passenger car driveways and 5inches for heavier vehicles. It is also necessary that the driveways be sloped towards the street at a minimum of 1/8 inch per foot for proper drainage and to eliminate standing water on the surface.
Other factors that must be considered and planned for include;
Imprinting a pattern enhances the aesthetics and elegance of a concrete driveway. This is done by casting the driveway into concrete which has been coloured and imprinted with the choice pattern which can either be tile, brick, cobblestone or some other pattern.
The next stage after initial planning is to prepare the site for the concrete driveway installation. If the printed concrete driveway is to replace an already existing driveway, the existing layer of the old driveway is excavated and carried away.
The quality of the imprinted concrete driveway largely depends on the quality of concrete used in the installation. Ready mixed concrete is usually employed and should have the following recommended specifications to prevent frequent cracking and promote overall longevity of the driveway.
For less harsh climates, you can designate lesser air content and lesser comprehensive strength. It is important that you consult your ready-mixed concrete dealer for expert opinions on the appropriate concrete mix to use.
Ready mixed concrete should be delivered and discharged within 1 to 11/2 hours for best results.
The following is the sequence for installing and finishing a new concrete driveway.
Caution: It is advised that protective clothing be worn to minimize contact between wet concrete and the skin. Any area of skin contact should be washed off thoroughly with water.
This is a very important stage and essential for durability of the concrete. A poorly cured concrete is susceptible to cracks and will not last long.
Curing can last from between 3 to 7days. Methods of cement curing including; plastic sheets to cover the concrete; continuous sprinkling; or applying a special curing chemical.
Curing should commence immediately after finishing operations have been concluded. The procedures can be adjusted based on the temperature of the area. Your Resin driveway installer will have an expert opinion on this.
Joints help to keep the location and spread of cracks under control and should be made to have a depth of 1 inch for a slab of 4inches thick. Joints should ideally be placed at no more than 10ft apart for a 4inch slab. They can be hand-tooled or saw cut and if the driveway is about 12ft wide or more, there will be a need to add a joint down the centre.
The panels should be square or at most the longer side should not be more than 1½ times longer than the shorter side. The process (hand grooved or sawed) used will determine when the jointing will begin.
Concrete is very durable and requires little maintenance. We recommend using a high-quality sealer on exterior concrete to help protect the concrete from absorbing moisture which will weaken the driveway and from being damaged by countless freeze/thaw cycles. Sealers provide lasting protection to the concrete from weather effects and climate changes as well as from oil stains.
We have in stock a wide range of high-quality imprinted concrete sealers for DIY imprinted concrete driveway and commercial use. They are manufactured to conform to best standards and widely used for driveways, patios and sidewalks by professionals around the UK.
We recommend the patterned concrete sealer for all printed, stamped and imprinted concrete surfaces while the patterned imprinted concrete sealer is suitable for a pressed concrete or stamped concrete driveway.
Application of the concrete sealer should be based on the manufacturer’s instructions. They can be applied using a brush roller or a low-pressure airless sprayer.
Below are coloured concrete pictures to show you what you can expect with a printed concrete;
London Cobble (platinum grey)
London Cobble (biscuit colour)
See some of our projects undertaken in Liverpool.
We provide some of the best concrete driveway services for clients in various parts of the UK. Here are some of our works for clients in Sheffield.
You may want to know how much a driveway costs. Well, the average driveway concrete price per m2 is about £50. The labour cost may be around £200 and £450 per day deepening on how complex the job is.
There are several factors that impact the cost of an imprinted concrete driveway. These include;
| Driveway size (m2 ) | Time Taken | Cost Of Material | Cost Of Labour | Total Cost |
| 5.75 | 1 to 2 days | £250 to £400 | £250 to £400 | £500 to £800 |
| 12.25 | 2 to 3 days | £700 to £800 | £600 to £700 | £1300 to £1500 |
| 25 | 3 to 4 days | £1,300 to £1,500 | £1000 to £1200 | £2300 to £2700 |
For a coloured or imprinted concrete driveway, the cost is higher than that of a simple concrete driveway.
| Driveway size (m2 ) | Time Taken | Cost Of Material | Cost Of Labour | Total Cost |
| 40 | 4 to 5 days | £1000 to £1200 | £2600 to £2700 | £3600 to £3900 |
| 60 | 5 to 6 days | £1,400 to £1,600 | £3,500 to £3,600 | £4,900 to £5,200 |
| 100 | 7 to 8 days | £2,300 to £2,500 | £5,400 to £5,600 | £7,700 to £8,100 |
When installed properly with the right mix and kept in good condition, imprinted concrete lasts above 10years. The key to its longevity is proper maintenance. It is also important that the concrete is not subjected to weights that are above its carrying capacity.
Usually, cracks are not likely to occur but they can happen as a result of various factors which include faulty installation, pour mix, weathering, ground movements or subjecting the concrete to excess load. When this happens, you need a trusted craftsman to seal the area and the surrounding.
Concrete driveways are long-lasting and durable. They are able to last for more than 30years and up to 50years as long as they are properly maintained. They are more durable than asphalt driveways and are less susceptible to disintegration on exposure to harsh elements.
On the average, a concrete driveway should be 4inches thick. This is for normal usage- cars and persons. However, if it is to be used by heavy-duty vehicles, then a thickness of 5 inches or above is recommended. To improve drainage and eliminate stagnant water on the surface, the driveway should be sloped towards the road at about 1/8inch per metre.
Yes. Concrete driveway in contrast to asphalt driveways will increase your property value. This is because it is very durable and so adds to the beauty of your home. Thus, you can have some of your investment money back if you want to sell your property.
On a general basis, a simple concrete driveway can cost about £50 per square metres.
However, the cost of a concrete print driveway depends on a number of factors which include the size of the driveway, thickness, drainage, driveway design, presence or absence of an existing driveway.
When these factors are considered, including costs of material and labour costs, you can have a 40 square metres single car driveway with a coloured pattern imprinted concrete at £4100 while a 100 Square metres multi-Car driveway can cost £9500.
