Sydney's A1 Concretors is your concreting specialist

The pathway that leads visitors to your home from the main entrance to your front door should be attractive as it will be lasting impressions. You may have had to wait for months for the plants on the sidewalk to bloom so that the pathway or the sidewalks would become one of the most beautiful looking in your neighbourhood. However, normal decorative coating just offers colours that may fade out with time and weather. This spoils the look of the pathways and the sidewalks making you apply the decorative concrete coating again to the entire pathway. This means spending money almost every year on the pathways and sidewalks.

Potential Problems with Pathways and How to Avoid Them.

The pathway stands to bear all the climate changes such as heat fluctuations as well as rainy weather. These elements cause your pathway concrete to crack or get misplaced as the base settles down. If the base of the concrete pathway settles down, the possible problems that may arise are cracks in the pathway concrete tiles and uneven positioning of the tiles. Over time, the tiles may become slippery making it dangerous for the visitors walking on the pathways or the sidewalks of your front garden.

Obviously, you do not want this to happen. The best method is to use a coating that helps in fighting these problems. As you use decorative concrete coatings on the pathways or the sidewalks, you can opt for decorative coatings that also offer safety against these problems. This may be a bit hard to believe but there are certain decorative coatings that guarantee safety against these problems. This means no more uneven or cracked tiles or faded pathways.

Talk to Alan at A1 Concretors, the concreter specialists,  to ensure that your investment in your new pathway is a good one.

Concrete is the material of choice for driveways, pathways, patios and slabs.  It is relatively inexpensive to install and provides an attractive, durable surface that is easy to maintain. Proper attention to the standard practices and procedures for constructing exterior or interior concrete can result in a concrete surface that will provide long-lasting, superior performance.

Concrete slab construction presents many variables that must be considered before a concrete pour begins. Because of concrete’s setting time, a slab pour requires efficient planning so that all of the elements required to place a good slab are done in time and done correctly. Some of the issues to consider include:

• proper subgrade preparation for concrete slabs,
• calculating proper water-to-cement ratio in the concrete mix,
• placing control joints,
• allowing proper curing time,
• and much more.

Contact Alan at A1 Concretors to help you evaluate all of the elements associated with pouring high quality concrete slabs.

Concrete patios are all about shapes and sizes and it’s important to take into consideration factors regarding shape and layout.

Designing the perfect concrete patio can pose many challenges to homeowners one of the biggest being shape and layout consideration. Alan at A1 Concretors can assist with the common questions and considerations that may arise from starting such a project.

When designing a patio, it’s important to choose between one large patio or several smaller ones depending on the size of the property and the patio’s intended use. Designing a good patio consists of incorporating the existing home and landscape and creating an extension of these areas for entertaining year around.

Landscape designers agree that the best way to create a unique and functional backyard patio is to design the patio in separate areas. Rather than placing one large slab at the back of the house, it is better to create outdoor rooms with several smaller or separated slabs. This is largely dependent on how the patio area will be used, including typical number guests to be entertained, type of desired surface (i.e. patterned, coloured, etc.) and many other factors outlined on the site.

Homeowners are also challenged to think beyond the typical square or rectangular patio shape. Incorporating curves can give your patio some uniqueness and enhance the overall atmosphere. Contact Alan at A1 Concretors 0407 401 249 for some patio design ideas.

A1 Concretors is dedicated to helping homeowners get started in asking the right questions and learning about what the possibilities are when it comes to building a functional and appealing patio.

Consumers interested in a installing a new concrete driveway should do adequate research before hiring a concrete contractor.  Some of the pressing questions to have answered are on sealing, cracks, decorative options and more.

Consumers looking to install a new concrete driveway surface that is both durable, and long lasting, are exploring the many benefits that concrete has to offer. Here is a list of six of the most frequently asked consumer questions and answers regarding concrete driveways:
1.    How do I find the right contractor to install my driveway?
2.    Do I need to seal my new driveway?
3.    What do I do if the driveway cracks?
4.    What if the colour isn’t what I expected?
5.    What are typical costs of installing a stamped concrete driveway?
6.    Can I get a warranty for my new driveway?

Covering each question in detail, A1 Concretors provides consumers with the adequate answers, because of their superior knowledge and experience in concreting industry.

Concrete continues to deliver the most options for consumers wanting a totally customisable surface. For detailed answers to these questions and more information on choosing concrete as a driveway material, contact Alan on 0407 401 249.

With over 70 years combined experience, A1 Concretors educates consumers on popular decorative techniques and applications. These include stamped concrete, stained concrete, patterned and decorative concrete, and much more.

Like your house, a wooden storage shed must sit on a foundation. Of the two most common types of foundations, that being the concrete slab and the wooden skid foundation, the slab is somewhat more elaborate. The concrete slab foundation for shed is also known as a slab-on-grade foundation. The slab foundation will be discussed in this article.

The concrete slab, when used as the floor of a storage shed, will be 3.5 to 4.5 inches thick with a perimeter or footing of 8 to 12 inches thick. The depth of slab, the type of metal reinforcement, the amount and type of gravel used for the sub-base and also the type of moisture barrier used can vary depending on local building codes. Generally the entire slab foundation can be poured all at one time using a wood form. When used in cold weather climates slab-on-grade foundations can only be used for detached sheds. The foundation, because it sits above ground is susceptible to frost heave in cold weather. If the building was attached the frost heave could cause damage to the attached building.

The concrete floor slab of the shed requires quite a bit of concrete so it is beneficial to have it delivered by cement truck to the backyard work site by a local ready-mix company. Most ready-mix companies have a one yard limit before they will deliver. Air-entrained concrete wears best for an exterior slab and the ready-mix company will mix it for you if you inform them of how it is being used. If you are pouring a smaller slab you can rent a concrete trailer from a rental store or landscaping company. The concrete trailer is towed by car or truck with one yard of cement already mixed and you pour it yourself.

Finishing a large slab can be quite tricky if you have not worked with concrete before so you may require some assistance.  Call Alan, your concrete specialist for a quote on 0407 401 249 .

The required tools for laying a concrete slab foundation are:

• Circular Saw
• Drill
• Mason Line
• Sledge Hammer
• Line Level
• Framing Square
• Shovel
• Wheelbarrow
• Rented Plate Compactor
• Bolt Cutters
• Bull Float
• Hand Held Concrete Float
• Concrete Edger

In planning your exterior residential decorative concrete driveway project, the architectural style of your home should be your primary design consideration. Below are some ideas for using concrete to enhance a variety of popular home types.  Although decorative concrete is meant to dazzle, it should never be a distraction. For maximum curb appeal and resale value, keep your projects in harmony with your home’s colour scheme, historical character and surroundings.

See the top 5 patterns for your driveway. Find easy ways to decorate your driveway. Contact concrete designer Alan Wood to discuss  added colour and patterns to existing driveways.  We service Kellyville surroundings and the greater Sydney and Richmond, NSW areas.

Here are some patio ideas for you to browse through:

• Outdoor Living: Bringing the Inside Out
• Outdoor Living Starts with Concrete Patios

Contact your Designer Concrete Contractor, Alan to discuss your patio requirements.

The patio has become so essential to our backyard retreats that it was among the top 10 features ranked “very important” by home buyers.  And more than half are willing to pay a premium for a patio. With concrete, however, you don’t need to pay a premium price to get a premium product. Here are 10 reasons why concrete is the perfect patio material.

• Staining and sealing a wood deck every year can be a lot of work!
• Concrete can be stamped, engraved, stenciled or textured to resemble pricier stone or brick pavers—and often at a fraction of the cost.
• With the uses of stains and other coloring methods, you can achieve just about any hue imaginable, whether you want to match the stone facade of your house or blend in with the natural landscape.
• Concrete is easily formed into any shape to accommodate backyard space restrictions.
• Unlike paving stones, you won’t have sand-filled joints between units where grass and weeds can sprout.
• Concrete is durable and can stand up to a range of weather conditions found across the country.
• Thanks to the design versatility of concrete, your patio will never look just like your neighbor’s.
• The aesthetic appeal and durability of decorative concrete will boost the resale value of your home.
• Your concrete patio won’t be vulnerable to termite infestation, wood rot or splintering.
• Concrete is environmentally friendly. Installing a concrete patio rather than a wood deck saves lumber and eliminates the need for regular maintenance with solvent-based wood stains and sealers.

Get concrete patio ideas for your home and yard. Contact designer/ contractor Alan from A1 Concretors that has  several patios ideas for different patio styles. Check this video that explains colour choices and tips for your patio.