Concrete

Landscaping and Concrete
Concrete can be stamped or colored.  Some contractors can put old beer bottles and dishes in the concrete to give it a unique look.  For most people, concrete is just a basic gray that isn’t overly exciting to look at.  If you are set on concrete, consider stamping and coloring it to make it more attractive.

Concrete Border
What should I do?  The builder left me with this tiny patio. Some people tear out the small patio and make a new one.  However, a good option to consider is to make a colored and stamped concrete edge.  You will be surprised how outstanding it can look.  Your patio will be larger and you don’t need to spend the extra money ripping out and replacing what is already there. 

Concrete Curbing
Slant style curbing is the most popular nowadays.  Curbing is mostly popular in the west and Midwest.  People from the east coast may never have even seen it.  People like it or hate it.  Curbing does a really good job of keeping grass from growing in the flower beds.  From a design point of view, curbing looks the best if it blends in with the landscape.  The plants are the items to showcase, not the concrete.

Concrete Strength and Thickness
Thicker concrete is much stronger than thin concrete.  The standard thickness for a slab of concrete is 4 inches.  Four inches is definitely enough for a patio, but for a driveway it depends on what you are driving onto it.  If you park heavy vehicles, you may want to ask your contractor for a six inch thick slab and/or add wire mesh to the concrete.  Mesh makes the concrete much less prone to cracking.  There is also a fiberglass mesh that works well in concrete that needs to be strong. 

Concrete Slope 
For every foot, the concrete needs between 1/8 to ¼ of an inch of slope.  Water that accumulates on the concrete can turn to ice and that is very bad.  Who wants puddles on their patio, anyway?

Curing 
Concrete that dries out quickly is not as strong as concrete that dries slowly.  For this reason, you may wish to spray down the concrete as it cures.  Some people will put plastic or wet burlap over the concrete to slow down the drying process.

Sealant
If water goes into the concretes microscopic pores and freezes, it can break up the concrete.  Concrete should be sealed with a product that has silanes and siloxanes for best results  Silicone sealers leave a messy film on the concrete and should be avoided.

Flagstone
You should always consider natural items like flagstone before installing concrete.  Natural items almost always feel better and look better.