Concrete Pathways

Concrete pathways are an easy way for people to stroll from one area to another, just by following the direction of the concrete paths. Paver and concrete pathways keep your feet dry while giving you a safe place to walk. They add architectural interest to a garden or property and sometimes lead the way to a spectacular view of a fountain and other points of interest.

Concrete is a mix of sand, gravel, crushed stone, additives and cement. Years ago, homeowners landscaping their property and putting in paths often choose bricks, stones and other materials for their pathways instead of concrete. Concrete was grey, plain, had no aesthetic appeal and did not blend in with a nature setting, such as gardens. With the advanced techniques and technology available today, this is no longer the case. There are a large variety of techniques, colors and decorative finishes available. For coloring concrete, they either dust a color on the surface when installing it or mix the color directly in before they pour the concrete. Using concrete forms, pathways have never looked so visually appealing.

The make many of the poured concrete paths and concrete path pavers with a stamped concrete finish. They do this by using a negative template to put a pattern into concrete while it is still wet. This technique produces an assortment of textures, forms, and shapes designed to look like stone, pavers, brick, wood, tile, flagstone and other pathway materials. When many homeowners start renovating concrete paths or installing new pathways, some choose a stamped concrete finish because it looks like brick, flagstone, or other natural products, but is less expensive for both the material and installation. Unlike bricks, flagstones, pavers and other materials that eventually heave and shift, stamped concrete pathways have stability. With ugly concrete paths, solutions include applying paint to concrete paths or replacing them with colored, etched concrete for a unique appearance. You can stain recycled concrete paths giving them a mottled, visually appealing effect. When covering concrete paths with paint or stain, be sure to buy products made specifically for cement.

Another popular landscape addition is concrete garden path pavers. They are available in a large variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. This gives the homeowner a huge selection to choose from, to complement and match other stone veneers and brick on their property. Some homeowners prefer a concrete acid stain stone path. For a do-it-yourselfer, concrete kit paths are a good choice. The key to beautiful concrete pathways is knowledge about the materials available and good planning.