A recent Maryland Curbscape project brought us to a single-family house in Arnold, just outside of Annapolis, Maryland. The current owners of the house were preparing to put their home on the market, and their realtor had recommended replacing the two-car driveway as it was in disrepair and creating quite an eyesore. Visitors would be sure to notice its current condition and the owners sought to make the right impression when potential homebuyers arrived for a showing.
A guaranteed way to add curb appeal and, as an additional bonus, a nicety that doubled as a new feature for the listing, we chose to update the driveway with standard brush-finished concrete. Brush-finished concrete is typically used for driveways, patios, or walkways/pathways – any concrete surface you could find outside, really, and that is highly trafficked by vehicles or foot. Whereas the more commonly used smooth finish is often preferred for aesthetics, one benefit to using a brush finish is that the concrete becomes safer to walk on when it’s wet or slick. Standard brushing provides traction and a durable, non-slip surface, and, depending on application, this type of finish can still be artfully done, incorporating light texture lines or patterns. Options for brushed concrete can include:
- Textures or directional brush designs,
- Different colors, and
- Softened or sharpened edges.
As in this case, your Maryland Curbscape concrete specialist works with the existing environment to ensure proper leveling and other considerations for eliminating standing water or trapped condensation. Standing water can be detrimental to the integrity of concrete and our goal is to remove this structural and safety hazard in each of our projects.
Installation was completed in a day, which included updating the walkway to the front steps. We spent the first half of that day jackhammering out the old concrete and using the second portion of the day to pour the new concrete. As with all of our projects, we removed the old concrete so it could be taken back to be crushed and recycled as an aggregate for other types of construction.
When we finished, the outcome was an understated, safe parking area and path for the home. We were pleased to have partnered with this client to present their house in an updated, appealing fashion that would be enduring for both their tenure there and for the next owner of the home.
For more information on brushed-finish concrete or other finishes, or what other options may be suitable for your home or business needs, please contact us.
