Concrete Uses Around the Home | Our Home Tools

For many homeowners in this current economic climate, you?re probably looking for ways to save money on your home improvement projects. Although you might not consider concrete to be a great choice when it comes to various areas of your home such as the kitchen or bathroom, you might be pleasantly surprised. Concrete has emerged as a very viable option that is less expensive than natural stone or other materials when it comes to flooring, countertops and other possible uses for concrete.

Advancements in the production of concrete have enabled an incredible range of styles and colors so you can easily customize your concrete well beyond the standard flat gray color you may be thinking of. Concrete can be readily stamped, stenciled, engraved or even shaped into pavers.

Stamped Concrete: This involves pressing a pattern into a freshly-laid slab of concrete, allowing for the concrete to resemble cobblestones or even hardwood flooring.

Stenciled Concrete is another option which utilizes a stencil pattern pressed into the concrete and combined with a stain to apply a pattern or design to the concrete, such as making the concrete resemble red bricks.

Engraved Concrete: A technique which permits a custom design of your choosing to be cut directly into the surface of the concrete and combined with a stain if desired.

Concrete Pavers: Pavers cast in concrete are an ideal substitute for brick pavers since concrete can be cast in any shape you like and is much stronger than brick

Concrete also readily takes a stain which is designed to penetrate into the concrete and produce a deep color that will not fade or chip away like paint. A wide range of colors from greens to reds is available and colored concrete can be combined with a pattern as necessary, allowing for an almost infinite variety of choices in your concrete. Any of these options can be readily adapted for use on a new concrete driveway or patio at your home, plus concrete is also an outstanding option for the interior of your home as well.

While concrete wasn?t normally thought of as an interior material for homes, it is finding greater acceptance due to its customizability that allows it to resemble natural stone flooring. Concrete flooring is an excellent option for wet areas such as the bathroom and kitchen since it is very resistant to moisture damage or scratching and can be textured to provide a non-slip surface. In addition to flooring, concrete can also be utilized as a replacement for natural stone countertops as it can easily mimic the look of marble or other stones, yet provides greater resistance to moisture and impacts that may crack stone.

Beyond flooring and countertops for your home, concrete finds a surprising number of other uses. Outdoor and indoor fireplace surrounds can be cast in concrete as it is both highly resistant to fire and will hold heat extremely well, allowing the fireplace to radiate heat for quite some time even after the flames die down. Concrete is also finding use as a material for casting sinks and furniture such as tables since a lightweight yet strong mix can be produced.

Justin Krutz blogs on various home improvement topics including bathroom remodeling and kitchen remodeling for Palatin Remodeling, a Southern California-based home improvement company.

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