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Stamped Concrete Essay

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If you are looking at redoing your driveway or patio, you are probably considering patio pavers versus poured concrete. You may be thinking of going with stamped concrete with the idea that it is the best of both worlds in terms of having low upfront costs and more attractive designs than just plain concrete.

But, not so fast. Let's first compare the two options.

The Big Picture
For most people, their home represents half or more of their retirement savings. It is also a haven from the rest of the world. This puts a double burden on all home improvement decisions. They need to take good care of the occupants of the home and also make sense financially.

Since a pleasant home will have higher resale value, there is no straight forward …show more content…

As temperatures change and as water levels change regularly over time due to precipitation, the land moves a surprising amount.

Pavers can accommodate that movement. Concrete cannot.

In the face of these normal variations, concrete will develop cracks. It isn't a question of if. It is a question of when.

Some designs can help hide hairline cracks. Such small cracks are largely a matter of aesthetics, so hiding them is a good strategy. However, over time, they tend to get worse. As the cracks get larger and deeper, they are no longer a matter of aesthetics. They become a safety hazard and need to be repaired.

When concrete is repaired, it is nearly impossible to match the original finish and design. The patch tends to show. It also involves heavy equipment and is generally not a DIY job.

In contrast, replacing a damaged paver is easily handled as a DIY job. It can be done inexpensively and take only minutes to resolve. If you buy a few extra pavers when the job is first done, fixing any damaged pavers is a very minor nuisance that can be rapidly wrapped up on your day off as one of your jobs in the "Honey Do" jar.

Safety
Safety should be one of your highest concerns when considering driveway or patio designs. This is especially true if you have small kids, an elderly parent or are just not as young as you used to be.

Concrete tends to be slippery when

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