Getting a Driveway in Melbourne

Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria in Australia, is always referred to as the “cultural capital of Australia”.  This place also ranked number 1 as the world’s most livable city in the “World's Most Livable Cities survey” rated by the Economist Group's Intelligence Unit in 2011. This city is well known for its ever-changing weather conditions. It is colder here than in any other place on the entire mainland in Australia during winter. Though snowfalls are rare it often experiences frosts and fog, while in summer there are notable instances when Melbourne has had days of extreme heat; it also has low rainfall.

Considering the kind of climate and the sudden change of weather here, one must understand that choosing the right kind of driveway matters a lot. It will not only help you save money, but it will also assure you of your own safety. A concrete driveway is certainly advantageous in a place like this.

There are different kinds of concrete driveways in Melbourne: Exposed Aggregate Concrete, Plain Concrete and Colored Concrete. Depending on your budget and preference, you may be assured that getting any of these will be suitable for your homes.

Exposed Aggregate Concrete driveways is the most popular and fashionable decorative finish. It is not entirely smooth since the aggregate is exposed and revealed. This makes the texture rough, causing it to be non-skid, though the exposed aggregates are still fine enough to make it comfortable to walk on with bare feet.

Plain Concrete is the most ordinary looking since it is the standard cement mixture. It has a finish called “stipple” which creates a roughish texture without aggregates showing. This kind of texture is intended, since making it smooth and polished would create slippery and hazardous surfaces. This is also considered to be the cheapest option.

Colored Concrete is similar to Plain Concrete. However, you will need to add coloring pigments to the cement mixture to create a permanent color for the pavement, and it is still finished with a “stipple” texture to avoid slip hazards.

There are lots of contractors in Melbourne that can help you decide on the best driveway for you. Depending on your budget and tastes, they will be able to assist you in deciding which suits your house best.

They can provide you with a quotation and tell you more about the advantages of each type of driveway. They also offer driveway services such as broadening, repairing, and renovating so that you can renew its appearance and enjoy it for many years to come.

Getting the perfect style concrete driveway for your home is easy and affordable. Contact one of the contractors above so that you can achieve the best driveway you could ever dream of!

The Best Kinds of Concrete Driveway Finishes

In Australia, homeowners can choose from one of the four popular types of concrete driveway finishes.  These include decorative, polished, resurfaced (or stencilled) and acid- stained concrete finishes. A driveway plays an important role in the overall look and appeal of a home. In the past, people often dismissed a driveway as an insignificant part of their homes, but, today, more and more property owners have realized their importance in increasing the property’s worth. Driveways are, in fact, considered as important as the garden and other landscaping aspects of the property. As far as decorative styles are concerned; concrete driveways are very popular in the country.

An important style in concrete driveway Melbourne finishes is the spray-on finish. While most homeowners feel that this style simply means a painted driveway; it is not so. It actually consists of pigment-mixed-in-cement layer that is applied onto the existing driveway in form of a spray. This is one of the latest methods of driveway finishing and has been used to create many stylish driveways in the country. A special apparatus is used to spray the pigmented cement compound. The paint itself forms a very thin layer in the entire mix; as a result, the concrete finish and texture of the driveway is maintained. The paint is durable and forms the topmost layer of the concrete. It protects the driveway from environmental factors like rain, snow and sun. This form of textured finish is hence popular for its durability as well as affordability.

For faded and worn out driveways, one can use the resurfaced-spray-on finish for getting an entirely new look without having to go in for completely new concrete driveway finishes.  The concrete slab does not have to be replaced and one only needs to apply the spray onto the driveway. This is a suitable option for homeowners looking for revamping the looks of their driveways without having to spend a whole lot of money. Even properties with stamped concrete driveway finishes  can get faded overtime, and these too can be sprayed with such sprays for a new lease of life. 

Spray-on Concrete finishes can impart a whole new look to the driveway that is sure to make every homeowner satisfied with the end-result. This technique is easy and non-time consuming. You can even choose to do this project by yourself instead of getting it done by professionals; you only need your creativity and imagination to create stylish spray designs on the existing surface. Every time you feel the colour of the driveway has faded, you only need to apply a fresh coat of spray to bring the driveway back to life. Owners must ensure cleaning off dirt and debris prior to applying the spray. And they may even apply primers into cracks for superior concrete driveway finishes.