Concrete Driveways Tampa
A new concrete driveway is one of the first things that come to mind when homeowners are looking for various ways to update and improve the exterior of their homes. Although concrete can be seen almost everywhere these days, people tend to doubt the material’s performance. This especially applies to Tampa driveways since there are a plethora of materials that can be used for your driveway. Therefore, before we dive any deeper, let us first determine the advantages that made concrete an important part of the construction:
Benefits Of Concrete
Versatility And Beauty With Design
The light gray surface itself already fits in with most designs for houses or landscapes, but concrete can still do more than that. Concrete parkways aren’t limited to only a flat finish and a grey slab, as some people may think. If you prefer to be more quirky and unique with your driveway, there are colored concrete in which you may try out different, and various colors to the concrete driveways.
In addition, some people may also prefer adding some different textures to the concrete pavement, to that, the answer is stamped Tampa concrete. Stamped concrete surfaces add a pleasing texture that often blends beautifully with a home’s architectural design. You may consult your concrete Tampa contractors for the specifics since they would most likely have a collection of images or examples that they could give your Tampa pavement. Consulting them may also give you the opportunity to ask for a specific estimate after adding the additional charges for the Florida project.
Strength And Endurance
Another thing concrete is known for is its practical strength and endurance. Out of all Tampa materials, concrete is known to last relatively long, after all, it is said that concrete gets stronger the older it gets. Therefore, if you want to achieve long-term structural strength and integrity, concrete is the best option. The service life of a concrete Florida parkway is, on average, about 50-60 percent longer than its asphalt counterpart.
In addition to this since concrete is rigid, it means that concrete is also capable of handling heavier loads than asphalt. On the other hand, asphalt flexes, therefore trucks, or other heavy loads may cause rutting or other damage.
Ideal Tampa Investment
Installing a concrete driveway in Tampa could also increase the property value, therefore making a reasonable price if you ever decide to resale your property. A Tampa driveway may also make it easier to sell your home in the future, and as said, you’ll likely recover a portion of your investment when you do. You can freely use these concrete Fl pavements for more than thirty years as much as you like, and they will take fewer maintenance services charges.
Low Maintenance Cost And Requirements
Speaking of maintenance, most people in Tampa likely stress maintenance expenses, not just for their Fl driveways, but for other parts of the Tampa property too. Even with the initial cost of getting the concrete Tampa parkways installed and for construction, you would definitely still save money in the long term since concrete driveways have low maintenance costs. It is also possible to reduce Fl concrete maintenance services costs through the use of concrete contraction joints as well as penetrating sealers.
De-icers are protected against clear sealers as well as moisture absorption. There are also contraction joints that isolate cracking that occurs as concrete shrinks. Since the embodied energy costs of a concrete driveway are lower, it is a more environmentally friendly paving solution. That is, it requires less energy overall to both produce and place concrete.
If you come across stains, you would only need a simple soap and water solution, and you can mildly scrub the stains. There’s no need to spend much effort or time just to keep the concrete pavement well maintained. You would also need to make sure that you only handle the task to the professionals experienced in handling this job. When you consider the experience of the construction specialist, you need to look at the quality of Fl concrete work provided in past projects and the reviews of their previous clients from their services.
Florida Material Reaction
The concrete pavements are also cooler compared to some other materials such as Tampa asphalt since they absorb less UV radiation than their asphalt counterparts. This comparison is easily determined by walking barefoot on both types of driveways. Asphalt, on the other hand, has its own advantage during the winter, but you would then again, be countered in the hot Tampa Fl summer days.
There is also concrete’s advantage with light. Even with just the normal light reflection of concrete, it is still able to reduce some light requirements, saving energy or electricity for lighting especially in Tampa. In contrast, asphalt absorbs so much light, which may then require about a third more lighting than one made of concrete. At first glance, this may not be all that necessary, but the costs for energy and electricity stacks up and accumulate over time.
Properties And Characteristics
When it comes to sustainability and conserving the environment, concrete as driveway paving materials are most likely the most effective choice. As an example, when an asphalt driveway is first installed, it releases evaporative oils that can get on the soles of shoes. There are also sometimes some sticky, oily material in your home or vehicle due to an oily or corrosive compound that gets on the asphalt surface. This characteristic especially applies during hot Tampa seasons.
Any of that ready-mix suppliers are also able to make the concrete for your driveway using waste byproducts, this results in the reduction of the consumption of raw Tampa materials, which also keeps waste out of landfills. Power plants, steel mills, and other industrial processes may sometimes create byproducts such as fly ash, ground blast furnace slag, and silica fume, which can then be recycled and used as partial cement replacements.
Concrete may also be made with renewable resources since concrete is made from abundant, sustainable resources including water, natural rock and sand, and cement. On the other hand, other materials including asphalt, are made with nonrenewable petroleum supplies. In addition, the predominant raw material for cement in concrete is limestone, which is one of the most abundant drainage minerals on earth.
Tampa Concrete Installation
If you have decided to install a concrete Tampa parkway, then it should have crossed your mind at least once, and thought about whether you are able to pour concrete on your own. Even though it may be possible, it is still a very hard job nonetheless. Since concrete quickly hardens when it is poured, you are mostly fighting against time. Tampa professionals have been doing these services for years and are able to perform certain tasks such as excavation, preparing forms, pouring concrete, and finishing the surface quickly.
A typical homeowner would without a doubt, take way more time with the project compared to a professional. This is critical since as mentioned earlier, time would not be on your side. A professional crew of concrete contractors is able to do the entire project in just a matter of a couple of days, meanwhile, a single typical homeowner would usually take a week or more for excavation and preparation alone, and another very long day for pouring and finishing.
If there are still homeowners that are wholly dedicated to pouring their own concrete, it is advisable to do it with a group of people that are willing and capable to help on the project. The installation process of concrete would first start with conditioning the site. This would include removing grass and other vegetation and ensuring a stable soil foundation.
There are also wood forms that are installed around the perimeter of the intended driveway. There would typically be a base of class-5 gravel at least 4 inches thick that is added, graded, and compacted. If possible and available, there could also be some reinforcement material added just above the packed gravel base. These reinforcement materials will consist of a steel wire grid or metal rebar laid in a criss-cross pattern across the area.
When all the previously mentioned requirements are met, the driveway should now be in condition for concrete pouring. The wet concrete hardens quickly so the next step would require a group of several people to swiftly fill the forms as it is delivered from a ready-mix vendor and then to quickly finish the surface.
The group responsible for the finishings has to make sure that there is a sufficient number of expansion joints, which grooves formed across the wet surface at prescribed intervals to allow the slab to shift and break at controlled places. If this requirement is not met properly, it may make the slab fragment randomly under the effect of natural settling and shifting.
Along with the finishing phase of pouring the concrete, there is a method called floating in which after the concrete is poured and smoothed, the finishing crew uses a variety of tools to work the surface of the concrete, drawing the cement and finer particles to the surface through capillary action to create an attractive, smoother surface. The smoothness of the surface will be determined primarily by the amount of floating.
There should also be a relative amount of craft done. Do keep in mind though that excessive floating will weaken the surface and cause it to flake, meanwhile, too little will leave the slab with a rough, industrial look. It may be hard to do with amateurs, but if you hired a professional crew, this is the time when they can impart decorative finishes and colors to the surface of the slab.
When everything above is done, the next step is one of the most important works, which is curing. Concrete drying out is a small misconception. Specifically, concrete undergoes a slow chemical process that hardens and strengthens the material. Curing is usually done when all of the best conditions are met. Firstly, is the weather. The ideal curing weather is about 70 degrees with a surface that is kept damp but not wet.
Curing usually takes longer than necessary when the weather is too cold, meanwhile, when the weather is hot, the surface should be dampened regularly with water to slow down the curing time. It is also best to first wait a week before driving on the new driveway, and at least a month before parking heavy vehicles on the driveway. Wait a month or two before you work on sealing the concrete floors.
Concrete Driveway FAQS
What To Do If The Driveway Cracks And Needs Repair?
Cracks are usually not a common problem if the concrete has already been jointed properly since these joints are something similar to planned cracks which allows concrete to expand and contract, minimizing any chance for random cracking. Even with joints controlling the cracks, cracks other than the jointed ones can still appear.
Although these cracks wouldn’t necessarily affect the long-term service and durability of your driveway, they may still affect its pristine appearance. If that is the case it is best spoken with your concrete contractor so that you are informed of the measures they will take to prevent it and read what their policy is about fixing any random cracking that does occur. If you have taken our services, please contact us for more details.
Is There Warranty For Tampa FL Concrete Driveways?
Naturally, there would be a hefty amount of contractors such as us that warrant their work. In fact, some may even offer an extended warranty.
Is A Seal Necessary For The New Pavement?
It is highly recommended to apply a high-quality sealer to all exterior concrete slabs that are exposed to freeze-thaw conditions. Concrete is regularly exposed to moisture absorption, exposure to chemicals, and grease and oil stains but a sealer would protect it from these. In some cases of colored concrete flooring, sealers may also help with enhancing the colors.
There are generally two types of sealers, one of which the penetrating sealers tend to offer the best protection from moisture absorption. Even with two types of sealers, it doesn’t necessarily matter which type you choose, just make sure to apply the sealer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
What If The Color Isn’t What I Expected?
The usual case is that your contractor wouldn’t be able to precisely match the color of your concrete driveway to a showroom gallery sample or a photo from a brochure. Even without coloring the concrete and sticking with the plain grey, it could still show a variation of colors. This especially applies when the project requires more than one load of concrete or if the concrete placements are made on different days. Although it wouldn’t completely match, they would still just be minor differences that would disappear in a matter of time.
How Much Would Be The Cost To Get It Stamped?
Your initial cost to install a stamped concrete driveway or a decorative concrete pavement can range anywhere from $6 per square foot for basic stamped concrete and simply using just one pattern and color, to $15 or more per square foot for elaborate multi-pattern designs with special coloring effects. You may contact us for more details.
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