Planning Your Decorative Concrete Driveway

“Ho-hum.” Those words are practically synonymous with a plain grey concrete driveway. But at Unique Concrete, we’ve got the perfect prescription for turning your driveway from drab to fab. Not that you would you expect any less from us. Today’s decorative concrete driveway options are great for adding instant curb appeal to your property.

BASIC DIMENSIONS

• Length - The standard measure for driveway length allowance is 18-20’ for each car or truck. Full size pickups with extended cabs and over-sized mini-vans should have an extra allowance of 22-24’. Adding a clearance of 3-5’ t the bottom of the drive is preferable if you have the space. 
  
  
• Width - A minimum of 10’ per vehicle is the standard, but wider spacing allows for easier passage and loading between vehicles - and is best to help avoid accidental scratching of your vehicle’s finish when the kids’ bikes get a little too close.
  
  

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• SINGLE VEHICLE - 20’x10’ minimum, 20’x12’ preferred
• DOUBLE VEHICLE - 20’x20’ minimum, 20’x24’ preferred
• TRIPLE VEHICLE - 20’x30’ minimum

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SPECIAL FEATURES

• The Turnaround - A longer driveway tends to necessitate a turnaround area. This allows room to back a vehicle into the turnaround and drive forward out the drive. The size:
• 10’x12-14’; more for extended cabs
  
  
• Edge Bands - Adding 1-2’ wide bands along driveway sides improves ease of mobility, and keep you out of that awkward and even dangerous place where minimal driveway width allowances (common among many builders) let you down with everyday loading and unloading, and send you stumbling into the lawn. They also increase possible design options and ultimately, aesthetic interest. As a virtual “decorative frame”, edge bands give a driveway extra panache that adds dramatically to curb appeal.

• Comfortable Entry Walkways - A walkway from the driveway to the front entry should be placed at the vehicle door exit rather than at the front of the drive. A wider landing where the walkway meets the driveway allows for easier transition from open vehicle doors, and is especially helpful in unloading groceries and larger items. In addition, making sure your walkways are 4-5’ wide rather than the minimum 3’ will make a world of difference in personal comfort and stability over the course of the years.

• Conduits Tunnel - Have you thought about the out placement of conduits for utilities, main water lines, electrical lines, low-voltage lighting, sprinkler pipes, speaker wires, etc.? Planning for an extra 3” pvc pipe 12-18” below the driveway for access under the drive at a later time as needed is very wise. However, don’t forget to cap the pipe to prevent it filling with debris in the waiting.

• A “Fancy” Apron - Many designers recommend enhancing the base of the drive, or “apron”, to create a stunning first impression, and a welcoming appearance. The apron is a great place to make a statement for visitors and passersby.

• Pitch Perfect - Proper grading and drainage to reduce the pitch of the drive at the final approach helps minimize the likelihood of your vehicle scraping against the surface of the driveway. Adding curbing or small retaining walls along the sides of the driveway most always eliminates this problem.

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Want more information about creating a special, one-of-a-kind look for your driveway? Contact Unique-Crete Designs today at 615-881-6694 or click HERE to get a free estimate. We look forward to helping you!

5 Tips for a Stunning Decorative Concrete Driveway

Have you been dreaming about a stunning, one-of-a-kind design for your driveway that beautifully sets your home apart from all the others? Decorative Concrete is being used by homeowners everywhere to create the perfect pièce de résistance for their home. At Unique-Crete Designs, we love helping our clients make their design dreams come true. Take a look at the five tips we’ve provided below:

1. USE A MIX OF PATTERNS OR FINISHES

Employ variation by using two different patterns or finishes in your custom concrete driveway design to create dramatic interest.

2. CHOOSE BOLD COLOR

Color is a powerful towel in generating visual appeal. If coloring the entire driveway is more than you can manage, select specific spots to highlight.

3. DIRECT THE EYE WITH A FOCAL POINT

Choose your focal point, and craft your design to clearly direct the eye. You can incorporate the intersecting points of your driveway to effectively achieve this. Favorite designs for your focal point include the compass rose, logos, monograms, family crests, address numbers, or shapes with varying stamped patterns.

4. PLAY WITH PATTERNS

There are so many different patterns to choose from! You can incorporate bold geometric shapes to make a statement, or select something a bit demure for a casual look. While  you’re at it, why not finish off your design with an attractive bordered edge?

5. INTEGRATE YOUR DESIGN INTO THE CONTROL JOINTS

In this picture, typically square control joints are instead created in an interesting pattern of geometric shapes that make up the featured design of this driveway.

This is just a small sampling of what can be accomplished with decorative concrete. For more ideas about how to create a stunning custom concrete driveway of your own without the high-end price tag, contact  Unique-Crete Designs at 615-881-6694 today, or click HERE to get a free estimate!

Celebrate Pool Party Season with a Custom Concrete Patio!

It’s that time again: pool party! That’s right, you know when the heat hits, there’s no better place to beat the heat than your refreshing inground pool. If you’re like most Middle Tennesseans, you spend as much time as possible with friends and family enjoying it, not to mention the countless  hours maintaining your pool to keep it fresh and beautiful. But what about your patio surround? Whether it’s been awhile since you’ve invested any tlc in your patio and you crave a fresh, new custom look, or you need a brand new patio installation, Unique Crete can help!

You probably already know that concrete’s durability and design versatility makes it an excellent material choice for patios. It’s also extremely low maintenance. Looking to liven up your existing patio? We can grind your floor, score and stain it, and you'll have an attractive upgrade in no time flat. If your existing concrete patio is cracked or stained, it can be resurfaced. Concrete resurfacing will make your patio look like new! There are many stunning, creative designs that can be achieved with a coloring and stamping a resurfaced concrete patio.

Want a great concrete patio style tip? Many are choosing to integrate plants into the places where expansion joints would otherwise be located. These help to create a more permeable surface and break up the expansive paving with green. And, they give your custom patio a lush, rich, designer look that you and your guests will love!

If you’re looking for high quality cutting edge style for your patio without the high-end price tag, poured or resurfaced concrete is just the ticket for all of your needs!  Unique-Crete uses safe, naturally occurring materials to enhance the strength of the concrete. Want to learn more about creating your own special concrete patio project with Unique-Crete Designs? Call 615-881-6694 or click HERE to get a free estimate!

Stamped Concrete Trends for 2015

Looking for an affordable but attractive option for the patio area of your home or business?  Stamped concrete bring you the best of both worlds, with the added  bonus of being extremely low maintenance! Stamped concrete offers a for a wide variety of patterns, textures and color options, perfect for adding your own unique signature to your Middle Tennessee patio makeover! Of course, trends do come and go. At Unique Concrete, our expert staff will walk you through the many different looks you can achieve with stamped concrete, and help you choose the style that is best for your project. We want you to love your look, without fear of quickly becoming dated and unappealing.

4 Favorite Stamped Concrete Trends for 2015:

1) Seamless textures

With the ability to virtually eliminate grout lines and seams that are notorious for collecting dirt and growing weeds is a great advantage over traditional mortared stonework and grouted tile. The seamless textures offered by stamped concrete give the illusion of natural stone without all the drawbacks of tile.

2) Earth tones and natural coloration: Although stamped concrete does allow for virtually limitless color options including reds, oranges and greens, the latest trends are to create a more natural appearance and mimic natural materials like stone, brick, slate and even wood.

3) Satin sealer: Glossy sealers can create a plastic appearance that takes away from the natural shades and hues associated with natural elements. A satin or matte sealer will still provide a protective finish for your concrete but provide a more earthy look.

4) Borders: Borders like brick, flagstone and even pebble are increasing in popularity. The border will highlight the field area and can create a nice contrast to break up large spaces. A new and emerging trend is the create a pool coping edge stamped in concrete. The pool coping edge can be cantilevered and match the rest of the pool deck or be distinctive and contrasting the rest of the patio.

If you’re looking for high quality cutting edge style without the high-end price tag, stamped concrete is just the ticket for all of your hardscaping needs!  Unique-Crete uses safe, naturally occurring materials to enhance the strength of the concrete. Want to learn more about creating your own special stamped concrete patio project with Unique-Crete Designs? Call 615-881-6694 or click HERE to get a free estimate!

The History of Concrete

Concrete is a stone-like man-made material composed of cement with aggregate (small pebbles) and sufficient water. When these ingredients are mixed together, they achieve a fluidity that is easily molded into shape. Concrete is normally reinforced with the use of rods (like rebar) or steel mesh before it is poured into molds. Over time, the cement hardens, binding the rest of the ingredients together into a durable stone-like material with many uses.

The history of concrete dates back to Rome 2000 years ago. Concrete was widely used in the Roman Empire. The Colosseum in Rome was built largely of concrete, and the concrete dome of the Pantheon is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. Concrete was essentially used in aqueducts and roadway construction in Rome.

   

The Romans used a primitive mix for their concrete consisting of small gravel and coarse sand mixed with hot lime, and water, and sometimes added pozzolanic ash, and even animal fat, milk, and blood. To trim down shrinkage, they are known to have used horsehair.

Early Romans built some 5,300 miles of roads using concrete.

Modern structural concrete differs from Roman concrete in two important ways:.

• First, its mix consistency is fluid, allowing it to be poured into forms rather than requiring hand-layering together with the placement of aggregate, which, in Roman practice, often consisted of rubble.
• Second, integral reinforcing steel gives modern concrete assemblies great strength in tension, whereas Roman concrete could depend only upon the strength of the concrete bonding to resist tension.

The Assyrians and Babylonians used clay as the bonding substance or cement. The Egyptians used lime and gypsum cement. Lime mortars and gypsums were also used in building the world-acclaimed pyramids.   The use of concrete became rare after the Roman Empire collapsed, until the technology was re-pioneered in the mid-18th century.

The first modern concrete (hydraulic cement) was made by British engineer, John Smeaton In 1756, by adding pebbles as a coarse aggregate and mixing powdered brick into the cement. In 1793, he built the Eddystone Lighthouse in Cornwall, England with the use of hydraulic cement.

Portland Cement, which has remained the dominant cement used in concrete production, was invented in 1824 by English inventor Joseph Aspdin, who created the first true artificial cement by burning ground limestone and clay together in a lime kiln until the carbon dioxide evaporated, resulting in strong cement. The burning process changed the chemical properties of the materials and Joseph Aspdin created a stronger cement than using plain crushed limestone would produce.

   

The first test for the tensile and compressive strength of concrete was in Germany in 1836. Another main ingredient of concrete is aggregate and includes sand, crushed stone, clay, gravel, slag and shale. Concrete that uses embedded metal is called reinforced concrete or Ferroconcrete.

Joseph Monier first invented reinforced concrete in 1849. He was a gardener who made flower pots and tubs of reinforced concrete with the use of iron mesh. The reinforced concrete thus combined the tensile power of metal and the compression strength of concrete for tolerating heavy loads. He received a patent for this invention in the year 1867.

   

The first rotary kiln that made constant production of cement was introduced in England in 1891.

The first concrete street was made by George Bartholomew in Ohio. By 1920s, concrete found major usage in construction of roads and buildings.

The first concrete dams, the Hoover and the Grand Cooley were built  in 1936.

Concrete is the most widely used man-made material today (measured by tonnage).

There has been no looking back for concrete since its modern development. Today, new technologies continue to develop. In addition to it’s well deserved standing as the most popularly used building material, with the advent of new techniques such as Concrete Polishing and Staining, the status of modern concrete has been elevated to use as a decorative element.

At Unique Crete Designs, we provide our customers with the durability and affordability of concrete, with the added bonus of artistic techniques which render it a striking interior decor feature. At Unique Crete, creating beautiful customized artisan flooring and countertops is our specialty. Want to learn more about creating your own special polished concrete flooring project with Unique-Crete Designs?  Call 615-881-6694 or click HERE to get a free estimate!

Unique Crete Designs Introduces: The Retroplate System

At first sight, many find the beauty, shine and artistry of Unique-Crete's polished concrete floors hard to believe. Is it stone? Marble? Wood? Actually, it's the work of science, master artisans and design.  Unique Crete Designs is proud to use The RetroPlate Concrete Polishing System® to achieve our signature high-luster shine for all your concrete flooring projects.

Features of the Retroplate System:

• Up to 400% increase in abrasion resistance
• Up to 21% increase in impact resistance
• Up to 30% increase in light reflectivity
• Meets OSHA & ADA SCOF standards to 800 grit finish
• LEED Qualified (Leaders in Energy & Environmental Design) in Multiple Areas
• Spec: Section 03360 – Special Concrete Floor Finish

What is it?

The RetroPlate System Is the innovative combination of diamond grinding, polishing, and the RetroPlate® densifier for your concrete floors. Combining the effects of diamond grinding and polishing with a one-application densifying sealer delivers a highly abrasion resistant, dust-proof surface with increased impact resistance and reflectivity.  

Historically, concrete floor owners had few low cost options to protect and beautify their floors. Unique Crete Designs employs The RetroPlate System as an affordable and stunning solution to that problem. Developed to give owners the benefits of coating without ever having to reapply, The RetroPlate Concrete Polishing System is a patented means to permanently strengthen concrete floors. Say bye-bye to problem floors forever!

Get a FREE Estimate!

Whether your floors are old or new, industrial, commercial or architectural, Unique Crete has you covered! Want to see how beautiful your space can be? Our highly trained and experienced craftsmen know exactly how to create a stunning finishes, from a sophisticated matte to a highly reflective marble-like surface. We'll be happy to schedule an appointment for an estimate of our services. Call Unique-Crete Designs today to achieve the beautiful, custom decorative concrete flooring and countertops of your dreams!

Call 615-881-6694 or click HERE to get a free estimate and $100 off a job of $2000 or more!

Polished Concrete: Modern Artisan Flooring

It wasn’t that long ago that you never heard anyone say, “Ooooh, I love concrete floors!” These days, of course, that phrase is becoming more and more common - and with good reason.

In days past, concrete was the flooring material of choice only for utilitarian usage, where budget and durability were the primary considerations. Concrete was resigned to areas without a premium on aesthetics, like basements, garages, and factories.

Today, concrete has become a fine medium for modern flooring artisans! Whether your floors are old or soon to be poured, industrial, commercial or architectural, polished concrete is a beautiful, yet economical option that can be tailored to meet your unique specifications. It’s always an adventure to discover the beautiful patterns and materials that emerge when diamond grinding and polishing an existing slab of concrete. Our highly trained and experienced craftsmen know exactly how to create a stunning finishes, from a sophisticated matte to a highly reflective marble-like surface.

Once the concrete is sealed and polished, the finish will last for decades. Polishing also increases strength & abrasion resistance, water resistance, eliminates concrete dust, and dramatically lessens flooring maintenance needs. 

What could be better? Did we mention that polished concrete is LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified? Unique-Crete uses safe, naturally occurring materials to enhance the strength of the concrete. Want to learn more about creating your own special polished concrete flooring project with Unique-Crete Designs?  Call 615-881-6694 or click HERE to get a free estimate!