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Friday, January 13, 2017
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Resurfacing the Cracked Concrete vs Replacing with Pavers 

You love your home and everything about it. You take care of it and as something breaks, you repair it fast. However, you’ve stopped short when it comes to your cracked patio, drive, or walkway. Older patios, walkways, and even driveways can crack. When cracks appear, it’s not a lost cause—and you don’t have to start from scratch, why not replace or improve?

Many Options are available when dealing with ugly, cracked concrete:

Cracked concrete can cause issues. The good news is that you have options on how to fix it. While you may be thinking about discarding it and starting anew, there is a much better solution for Arizona homeowners. Concrete can easily be resurfaced and made to match any home façade. If you want a beautiful stone-look, you can resurface concrete with a stamped stone finish that blends beautifully with your home. If you prefer a tile or limestone look, you can get a stamped concrete pattern that matches that too. Although there are other options, you may want to weigh the pros and cons of a concrete driveway versus stone. With stone, pavers will shift and loosen over time. When this happens, you will need to replace the paver. Although, if stones start to sink, you may be looking at redoing the entire installation.

Safety Considerations of Cracked Concrete:

Cracked concrete is unsightly, and it can cause unsafe conditions as well. When concrete cracks, it can become hazardous allowing homeowners or guests to trip and fall if it gives way. However, stone pavers also have safety issues too. In fact, homeowners are more likely to trip and fall on a loose paver. There are other safety concerns too, some worry about concrete becoming slick when wet, but for Phoenix metro residents, that’s not really an issue. According to the U.S. Climate Data, the Phoenix metro areas, which include Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, and Mesa, only receive an average number of 15 days with rainfall. Plus, concrete can be resurfaced to include textures that keep from getting slick. Therefore, concrete is a great solution for the Phoenix region.

Cost Comparison of Concrete Resurfacing vs changing out to Pavers:

Resurfacing an older driveway or patio can save your wallet too. Resurfacing concrete offers a lot of options for a fraction of the price. A professionally high-end paver patio or driveway can run upwards of $30 to $40 per square foot installed. While concrete resurfacing will run anywhere from $4 to $10 per square foot finished product. If you choose to go with a stamped concrete pattern, you may pay a little more, but most likely you’ll still come out much cheaper than with a stone paver option. If you decide to get a bit creative, you can still save and achieve a great look. Try using a decorative stamp for the edges of your drive, patio, or walkway, this will still provide a great high-end look but without a lot of the cost.

Lower Maintenance than stone: Concrete is a durable product and virtually maintenance free.

Driveway AfterYour concrete professional can seal your newly resurfaced area and you’ll enjoy it for years to come. Plus, concrete can easily be washed with just soap and a hard brush to help restore the beauty. With stone pavers, you may be subject to adding sand between the pavers. Furthermore, if you try to wash it, you will most likely loosen the sand causing the pavers to move. Plus, if a paver comes loose, you will need to replace it.

Concrete Coatings Provide Prettier Options:

While cracks are just one reason to resurface, you may have other reasons too. Depending on your concrete area, you may have stains or discolored areas that need to be brought back to life. Discoloring happens from exposure to automobile leaks, chemicals, weather, or other equipment. Resurfacing your old concrete can give a completely new look. There are many different options such as epoxy coatings and stamped overlays which are very versatile and durable. Not only can you choose the look of stone, cobblestone, slate, or brick, but you can also choose wood patterns. Concrete is great product when it comes to colors too. Colors can be chosen based on a color palette and then darkened or lightened based on preference.

When looking to resurface a concrete area, talk to a licensed ROC concrete contactor. A professional concrete installer can tell you exactly how long the repair will take and give youa free estimate. Make certain to ask for references. A good concrete installer can resurface concrete and be able to give you suggestions on how to make your cracked concrete look just like new. Plus, a professional, like the Ultimate Concrete Coatings team, can revisit the pros and cons to a concrete driveway.