So You Want a Decorative Concrete Driveway?

So I hear that you have been dreaming of replacing that old, crumbling driveway of yours. Of course, concrete is the only way to go - you want to do it right, if you are going to spend the money, right? Concrete would be great, but plain elephant concrete just doesn't appeal to you. You want your place to stand out in the crowd. Make it part of the curb appeal. One up your neighbor, maybe? What are the options that can still fit into the budget, you wonder... I am so glad you asked!  The excellent staff at Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC in West Liberty, Ohio are here to help!

A welcoming entrance to your home

Let's talk concrete...Do you want to start fancy or plain? Plain? Ok, let's begin at the beginning with plain old concrete. Regular concrete, delivered by the ready mix plant, will generally be a gray to white color placed with a broom finish and often edged along the sides to give it a smooth finished look.  Control joints, most often placed as saw cuts, are strategically placed where the contractor believes cracking could occur. (Their purpose is to guide the crack to follow that cut. Then you never even know your concrete cracked.  It is hidden in the cut! Cracks don't always obey, so don't be angry with your contractor if a crack decides to take a different route.)

Ok, how can we dress up this plain Jane concrete?  What if we add a few extra saw cuts to give some pattern to your concrete.  Who said you only have to have two or three cuts?  What if you add a diamond pattern to your driveway?  Or maybe a curved pattern like this homeowner wanted.  

Regular concrete with decorative saw cuts

 One step up would be to add integral color to the concrete. The color is added at the ready mix plant and mixed in the large drum while traveling from the plant to your home or business. Color options include grays, tans, browns, terra cotta, reds, and even green. You can keep the broom finish for a less expensive finish (less labor) but still add an upscale touch. Add some decorative saw cuts and you really having something going!

Regular concrete with a keystone stenciled border and apron

Integral color, stenciled border and diamond saw cuts

Another option would be to add a decorative border or ribbons. The less expensive option would be to stamp a brick, slate or stone border around the outside edges of the driveway without adding color or adding just a highlighting release color. My preference would be to add a contrasting color to the border to make it really stand out.  A stenciled brick border is a great option, offered in four different styles (herringbone being my favorite) or there are bushrock, keystone (another favorite) or an 18" flagstone border which is great for that wider driveway.  Color hardener and a release color are added on the stencil to give a great vibrant color contrast to your regular concrete driveway.  "Ribbons" are the same as borders only they are placed horizontally across the driveway, often placed where a control joint would be cut.

Stamped patio with a stenciled border and Compass inlay

Shown next is an inlay that can spice up an otherwise basic look. Decorative inlays are stencils and come in a variety of sizes and can be round or diamond shaped.  The "Compass" is a great addition to the middle of your driveway or patio and makes a great conversation piece.  Just make sure your contractor knows which way is north before they lay the stencil down!  (That is a mistake a contractor will only make once and never forget - yes, we're talking from experience.)


Your next option would be to add a pattern and color to the entire concrete surface.  This could be stamped or stenciled with your base color (either integral or using color hardener) and using a release agent with color creating a contrasting and more realistic look to the pattern.  A variety of patterns and colors are available. Our friends at Deco-Crete Supply  in Columbus and Orville, Ohio have a great website to view photos of decorative concrete, and you can even find their catalog of stamps available. We, at Yoder Concrete Construction, have many of these patterns as well, and all of Deco-Crete's are available for us to use.  

Stamped patio with brick stenciled border

Use your creativity and imagination to add any of these elements to your design. Thrown in a border and inlay to a stamped patio. I would encourage you to browse online for ideas and then call your contractor to get a detailed proposal of how he or she can create your dream project. If you are in the Urbana/Bellefontaine area, be sure to visit our outdoor showroom of decorative concrete samples. We have over 100 options for you to see and touch. What better way to make a "concrete" decision for your project! (Pun intended.) 

8874 N US Hwy 68, West Liberty, OH

If we can be of assistance, let us know! We'd be glad to help in the planning and placement of your next concrete project.

Not Just Gray Concrete Anymore

Koi fish pond & fountain

Not your typical concrete: I was privileged to join a group of ladies to Hocking Hills, OH last weekend for a Weekend Retweat. No, I didn't stutter...we "tweet" about our retreat through various social media outlets.  Our stay was at The Glass House, one of the 4 Seasons Hideways in the beautiful Hocking Hills. This house was built in 2010 and was a 2010 award winner for Best of the Best Green Home Design by the Builders Industry Association. It is beautiful and energy efficient, but of course what caught my eye was their use of concrete countertops throughout the house. In the photo above, you'll see concrete seating around a Koi fish pond and fountain right in the middle of the house. This same concrete countertop was used throughout the house in the kitchen, bathrooms and in the laundry room.  I loved the polished finish that exposed the aggregate in the concrete. The concrete vessel sinks were great to see as well. 

While we were there, we visited many of God's wonders including Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. Due to all of the rain we have had this spring, the falls were amazing. I heard people exclaim that they had never seen so much water coming over the falls! Again, the use of concrete caught my eye (I am trained well!) I was expecting dirt or mulch trails at a state park, but at Old Man's Cave, the trails were very well made with both natural and man made elements that gave the look and feel of having been there for years. Beware of those who are not in shape because if you want to see Old Man's Cave, you will need to traverse many steps. But it is well worth the effort! 


Ash Cave is ADA accessible with their concrete walkways back to the cave and waterfall. When making the walkways, they used colored concrete to match the natural dirt color of the area, and they did not use typical straight forms to form up the sides of the sidewalk. The result was a more natural flow blending in to the beauty of the area. 

I would encourage anyone looking for a getaway to go to Hocking Hills in southern Ohio.  You can have the ultra modern conveniences offered by 4 Seasons Hideaways, stay in one of the many cabins, or camp at a local campground. You can walk through the parks or zip line from above with Hocking Hills Canopy Tours.  I can't wait to take my family back to Hocking Hills.

Decorative sidewalk - another happy customer!

(Before photo)

When I first met with Pat and her husband at their home in Springfield,OH, their main problem was the three little steps to get into their front door. Everyone was always tripping, or falling off the edge when opening the door. The brick looked nice enough, but what was the contractor thinking placing the sidewalk at that awkward height? Not low enough for a comfortable concrete step, but too high to step directly into the house. Our solution? Slope the new sidewalk gradually so the end result would be to step directly into the house with a standard 7" step and widen it gradually so as to not step off the edge.

Pat also had a very valid concern about having a contractor at her home. She wanted to make sure there wasn't any damage to their new front door or the windows on the lower lever. She was assured that Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC, shows as much care for their customers as they would for their own homes. The crew placed plastic up to protect the house from any possible flying debris and from concrete splatters.

The customer chose a subtle light gray color hardener and a stone gray release agent for the concrete to compliment the siding. With the new red door as their focal point, they didn't want the walk to compete. And with a keystone stencil to add a little pattern, the results were outstanding. Their new sidewalk welcomes visitors to their home with a new ease of entry into the house.

Pat's comments were, "We are so happy with our sidewalk...Your crew did a great job and were pleasant to have working here."

Thank you to a great and happy customer in Springfield, OH. Enjoy your new concrete sidewalk from Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC. Have a safe July 4th weekend!

Re-sealing your concrete

Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day...Unfortunately I don't have an update on the skate park in Urbana. It has rained all week, and I never got out there. I am not sure they even poured much, although they might have gotten a pour in today. Hopefully I can get an updated video on here next week.

Today I want to talk about resealing your concrete. If you have decorative concrete and have had it for a few years, it would definitely improve the look of your concrete if you reseal it. It is an easy do-it-yourself project if you have the right equipment and use the right sealer. Here are the steps:

• Powerwash the concrete with 3500 psi or more to ensure all dirt and debris are removed.
• All the concrete to thoroughly dry
• Re-seal the concrete with a quality sealer using a sprayer or paint roller. We recommend using Super Diamond Clear by Euclid. You can typically find this product at your local concrete ready mix plant. You will not find it at your average hardware/lumber company. This sealer is not cheap, but it will also not yellow like some off the shelf brands.
• Tip - two thin coats of sealer are much better than one thick coat! Don't put it on too thick.
• We recommend you seal your driveway every couple of years to protect it from the road salts in the winter. Sidewalks, patios, and porches can be done every 2-4 years depending on their exposure to the elements.

For colored concrete, you will be amazed at the improvement once you reseal it. It may appear that the color is fading, but in most cases, that is not what has happened. Once the sealer is applied, the color will pop right back to where it had been when it was new.

I hope this gives you an easy project to spruce up your concrete for spring and summer. If you have any questions, or if you would prefer to get an estimate for us to come out and reseal it for you, give me a call or shoot me an email. I would also love to hear from you if this worked and improved your decorative concrete. Let me know how it turned out!

Need a concrete contractor?

Hi. Are you looking for a concrete contractor? Call me for an estimate! We specialize in concrete flatwork, such as driveways, barn and garage floors, basement floors, patios, etc. We focus our business to commercial, residential and agricultural customers. Visit our website for more information on our business. We would love to be your contractor.

Stop back by my blog for more information later on what to look for in a contractor. Don't just pick the lowest price - you will often times get what you pay for! We have ACI (American Concrete Institute) certified concrete technicians and finishers on our crews. They have been trained and have the experience to place the concrete correctly. You don't want to tear out your concrete three years after placement. Get the experts the first time! Call Yoder Concrete Construction, LLC! 866-466-8614

We serve the Champaign and Logan Counties and surrounding counties in Ohio.