Concrete is and has been one of the most used construction material for centuries. For the longest time, it was only used in a utilitarian nature in which the only visual variation was what size aggregate was contained within it. Basically it came down to how big the rocks were in the mix. In addition to foundations and buildings, commercial paving contractors use concrete for sidewalks, entryways, and full blown parking lots.

The first decorative concrete installations could be considered when textures were added to the surface instead of the normal smooth or brushed look. Realistically, it was just putting ridges in it and that was that. It wasn’t done for decoration at the time, it had a purpose of providing more protection from slippage. Commercial paving and construction didn’t have much use for any other decorative iterations until it was found that concrete can be treated like any other artistic medium where a person’s creativity is the only limiting factor.

Today, you’ll see commercial paving contractors offering decorative concrete solutions that can add a great deal of aesthetic value to a location while still providing the structural advantages of concrete. It can be dyed a large variety of colors and polished to a very smooth finish. You can even get concrete counters now that have more color variety and are cheaper than other stone counter options. Commercial paving contractors offering decorative concrete services can texture concrete with almost any design imaginable. They can make it look like natural rock and stone, wood boards, bricks, and even marble using a combination of dyes and templates that are pressed into the surface to create almost any conceivable texture.

Concrete wasn’t going anywhere, but it did find some new ways to be relevant in the 21^st century when appearances can have a big impact. Talk to your commercial paving contractor about your concrete inspirations today.