Those of us who own a pool know that it is a wonderful place to gather family and friends and enjoy the warm summer weather. Even when the warmth of summer has faded, many pool owners continue to use the pool area to relax and entertain friends and family. The pool area is also the very first thing that people notice when they look at your backyard! For these reasons and many more, it is so important to have a well maintained and beautiful pool deck surrounding the pool. The best time to consult with a concrete contractor is well before pool season begins so that it will be cured and ready for use once that hot summer weather arrives. Even the best of concrete materials will need to be resurfaced at some point in order to extend the life of the concrete. Common signs that a pool deck needs to be resurfaced is discoloration, chipping and cracking. The good news is that maintaining your concrete pool deck doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive! 
For homeowners who have never had their pool deck resurfaced the process may sound a bit involved and pricey. So what exactly is concrete resurfacing? The resurfacing process involves repairing cracks in the concrete and then applying a new layer of concrete over the old concrete. The best news of all is that the design options are virtually endless so you can create a whole new look for your pool deck during the resurfacing process for a fraction of the time and cost associated with installing brand new pool decks. A professional concrete contractor experienced in resurfacing pool decks will be able to help you design the exact look and feel you are envisioning for your pool deck. 
Benefits of a resurfaced pool deck:

1. One of the main safety concerns of pool owners is slipping and falling on a wet pool deck. We tell the kids “no running” constantly but that only goes so far! Adding a slip-resistant material during the resurfacing process is a great way to create more traction on the pool deck, even when it is wet because let’s face it, the pool deck stays wet most of the time during pool season! 
2. Concrete resurfacing is often very budget-friendly for home owners because installation (and thus labor) time is shorter than a new installation because there is no need to remove all of the old concrete. Instead, contractors and repair cracks and only replace small portions of concrete when necessary. Resurfacing your concrete pool deck has both short-term and long-term benefits. Short-term benefits include a fresh new look to your pool area and increased safety with slip-resistant materials added to the concrete. Long-term benefits include cost savings over time since the health and durability of the concrete increase over time. 
3. Another added safety feature that you can ask your concrete contractor to add during the resurfacing process is heat resistant materials. These concrete additives can lower the amount of heat that is absorbed from the sun thus making your concrete pool deck much safer for bare feet during the hot summer months. 

If your pool deck is starting to show age signs or you would just like to change the aesthetics of your pool area, concrete resurfacing is an affordable option for many homeowners. In addition to making your pool deck area look fantastic the resurfacing process can also add years of life to your pool deck as well as increase the safety of the area with concrete add-ins like slip resistant and heat resistant additives.

Let’s face it; we live in a concrete jungle. We greatly value the daily usage of our concrete driveway, concrete sidewalk, and other concrete surfaces such as patios, pools, and decks. This means we also get to deal with the associated concrete damage that occurs as a result of seasonal temperature fluctuations, fire, bacterial corrosion, calcium leaching, and physical, as well as chemical damage.

Concrete surface repair is often required after floods and other drastic water situations. Concrete can soak up standing water like a sponge. The water then seeps into the cracks, fills in the pores, and causes corrosion within the concrete surface. The rebar then starts to rust and weaken. The nature of this type of concrete damage will eventually cause the failure of the concrete structure over time if concrete surface repair and maintenance are ignored or improperly finished.

A concrete sidewalk or concrete driveway will often become cracked and damaged over time after enduring weather changes and heavy usage. Concrete patios and decks also lose much of their visual appeal as the concrete damage becomes more visible. There are a host of issues that can cause distress to these types of concrete surfaces, including subgrade that is improperly compacted, or bad overall placement procedures.

Corpus Christi Concrete can help with any concrete surface is experiencing any cracking, spalling or scaling. In these scenarios, the best solution is to get it resurfaced with a concrete overlay. You can also use concrete engraving for minor cracks or small discolorations.

Before starting any concrete repair project, you must first determine the exact cause of the damage. This is the only way to ensure that you can find the best solution for the repair. Improperly installed concrete surfaces are not structurally sound and can cost much more than a repair if you end up having to rip out the entire job and start over.

Your concrete surface can also experience discoloration due to oil stains, weathering or prolonged exposure to sunlight. Improper mix proportioning in the application of the surface color also causes many issues to arise throughout the continued use of the surface.

It is very important to choose an experienced concrete repair contractor who will get the job done exactly the way it needs to be done. A concrete contractor in Corpus Christi such as the Corpus Christi Concrete Pros will ensure that your concrete repair gets completed in a professional manner with top quality results.

​If you are looking for a way to update your patio without spending an arm or a leg but in a way that is completely unique to your home alone, then you may want to look into getting a stamped concrete patio. A stamped concrete patio is laid out by contractors like those at Corpus Christi Concrete Contractors and they do it much the same way that they would do a regular patio. Before pouring the new decorative concrete patios on the ground, they will tint the concrete so that it is one uniform color of your choosing. Once the concrete patio is poured, they will then have a design that you helped to design and will stamp the concrete. The end result can look like stones, garden tiles, or anything you can come up with. The contractors, like those at Corpus Christi Concrete Contractors, make sure that you have an end result that looks natural, beautiful, and tailored to fit your design and your lifestyle. Below are just a few reasons why stamped patios are becoming such a rage.

1.) You have a wide range of patterns and colors to pick from
These types of patios are poured at your home and not somewhere else off-site which means it can be changed to many options that suit your fancy. It can be colored to match the outside of your house, or a different color to be an accent or anything else you wish for it to be. This way it looks like it was meant to be there all along. You can also be stamped with any design you can come up with so your creative juices can shine with these types of patios.

2.) Incredibly durable and long-lasting
Decorative concrete patios are very durable and will last for many many years. They do not sink like some patios have a tendency to do over time, and they can withstand whatever you put it through. If you have a lot of patio furniture or plan to have people outside in your new space more often then not, then this concrete patio option will not let you down. It is guaranteed to last and not give you much hassle to keep up with.

3.) They are quick to install
These patios are incredibly fast to install. It is poured out in a single slab instead of laid down stone by stone. Instead of a few weeks, it takes a couple of days tops to get it laid and dried so you can be out enjoying your new yard space in no time.

4.) They are an affordable option.
These patios are much more affordable than other options like stone pavers or natural stones. It does not require much labor to get it installed and the concrete cost less than other materials out there meaning you can have a stylish outdoor area without breaking the bank!

Stamped patios allow you to get a custom look tailored just to your style that you can enjoy year after year without having to pay an enormous amount! Enjoy the outdoor life in style once again!

Your driveway is the first thing you see and pull into as you arrive at home. It is sometimes considered the welcome mat to your property. Coming home one day, you pull into your driveway and park your car in the garage. Getting out of your car and walking towards the door, you notice that there are cracks all over the driveway. At first, you think about fixing it yourself but haven't really tried tackling a project like that before. "Better leave it to the professionals." You say to yourself. Although concrete cracks are inevitable and your driveway will eventually need repairing, the quantity and significance of cracks should definitely concern you if your driveway is fairly new. A properly cared for concrete driveway should at least have a 15-year lifespan. Here are a couple of reasons why your driveway has cracks and why hiring professionals to repair your driveway is a better option instead of a DIY fix.

Sun

While the sun is great for the plants and flowers in the garden, your driveway isn't really too happy about it. Through time, extreme heat from sun exposure can cause your driveway to crack. This is one of the leading natural causes of cracked concrete driveways. Extreme heat from the sun causes the concrete to expand. When the sun begins to set, your concrete driveway begins to cool and contract. This is why cracks appear, rather, cracks happen. The constant expanding and contracting of the concrete as a result of extreme heat from sun exposure will eventually lead you to repair your driveway.

DIY vs Pros: Driveway repair may sound or look easy, especially when watching DIY videos online. Sure, you could purchase the things you need at the local hardware store, but what if you don't repair it correctly or it doesn't work? You would risk wasting money and your time trying out products that didn't work out. Instead, hire professionals to do the concrete repair work for you. This ensures that the job will be done correctly through their knowledge and experience in repairing concrete driveways, saving you time and money.

Moisture

Another natural cause of driveway cracks is moisture (especially if you happen to live in the Corpus Christi area). Just like exposure to extreme heat from the sun, moisture affects the concrete driveway's surface and also beneath it. As moisture finds its way to the foundation of your driveway, it too, causes concrete to expand and contract through temperature changes. Cracks in concrete will appear as a result of this and repair work will need to be scheduled soon.

DIY vs Pros: Moisture is a natural occurrence but too much or too little will eventually cause cracks in your driveway. You can drive to the hardware store again and pick yourself up a product that promises to fix the cracks. But what if it comes back again next month? Don't tell me you'll run back to the hardware store every month to try to fix it again. Instead, hire a professional Corpus Christi concrete contractor to do the driveway repair for you. Hiring professionals will save you from being stressed out about repairing your driveway every month. Hiring professional contractors will also save you time and money.
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These are only to mention a couple of natural causes of concrete driveway cracks. As mentioned, driveways will eventually require repair, especially with unavoidable natural occurrences. When it is time to do so, remember to seek the aid of professional concrete contractors to repair your driveway for you. Save yourself the stress, save money, and save time by hiring a professional Corpus Christi concrete contractor for a concrete repair, today.

There’s no doubt that stamped concrete driveways are gorgeous but they are often a higher priced luxury that many of us can’t quite afford. If that is the case for you as well, you may want to consider a stained concrete driveway which can offer a similar look to stamped concrete. Staining concrete is an economical approach to creating a customized and unique driveway for your home. Stained concrete can instantly add curb appeal to either a new driveway or can also be applied to an existing driveway. Concrete stains come in a variety of color options and can be applied after the concrete sets which gives contractors and installers the ability to custom design colors for subtle hints or even bolder design accents. Some contractors are even skilled enough at this technique to create custom graphics and designs. The best part of stained concrete is that the color permeates deep into the concrete which produces a fade and stain-resistant color that won’t flake or peel away.

Design versatility is one of the benefits of going with a stained concrete driveway. Homeowners can choose from acid-based chemical stains or water-based stains. Both types of stains are excellent choices but depending on the look and design you are going for one may be better than the other for your unique project. Acid stains react with the concrete to create a chemical reaction and penetrate the concrete which creates natural color variations in the concrete. Many people prefer acid-based stains because of the character and unique mottling effects it adds to concrete. Acid-based stain colors are usually limited to earth tones such as browns, terra cottas, tans and soft blues and greens. If earth tones aren’t your jam, you may want to ask your concrete contractor about using water-based stains which are offered in a wide variety of color options. In addition to the already large number of color options, water-based stains can also be mixed much like water-based paints which even further enlarges color options.

​After making the hard choice about concrete stain colors using either acid-based or water-based stains it’s time to decide on a number of different design options. Concrete contractors can create endless design options for the homeowner using techniques like faux finishing, decorative saw cuts and stenciling.
The options truly are endless! Here are some design ideas to fuel your imagination!

• Combine stains with concrete dyes or integral color to create unique decorative effects.
• Use saw cuts and stain to create a faux tile look.
• Layer multiple colors of acid-based stain to mimic the look of natural stone. This techniques pairs well with saw cuts that mimic random stone patters.
• Utilize stencil patterns along with stain to create custom graphic designs.
• Add visual appeal to your driveway by staining the concrete border a contrasting yet complementing color.
• Get creative or keep it simple by using just one stain color in a hue that will complement your home or landscape. Even a simple approach can add instant curb appeal and value to your home.