Concrete Design and Build Advice - David Reid Homes

The use of exposed concrete flooring has become an increasingly common choice in today’s homes. Concrete is often chosen for its aesthetic and architectural features as well as to benefit from increased thermal mass being exposed to the sun. 

Some key things to consider when thinking of incorporating concrete into your new build:

• Colour – The options to have additives or oxides added to your concrete changes its colour and will transform the space that it is used in.  
• Aggregate – Options to have specific aggregates added, likely to be ground to create a specific look for your floor. These could be anything from coloured or specific sized stones to glass. 
• Finish – You will likely be considering having the surface ground and/or sealed. You can choose to have a very light exposure for a more natural look to a medium or full exposure to bring out the natural beauty of the aggregate. 

Concrete, by its very nature is a natural product. The finish can be influenced by a number of external factors including site location, climate and conditions on the day of the pour. So what can be expected in regards to variations?

Common areas you need to be aware of: 

Colour 
• A number of variables will mean that no two decorative slabs look the same, specifically: concrete is made from natural materials – weather and site conditions at time of placing – placing and curing methods, will all have an effect on the final outcome. 
• Decorative slabs will often exhibit uneven shading of aggregates and/or oxide, giving a look which is sometimes referred to as ‘mottled’ or ‘aged’. This is the expected finish with decorative concrete and should be considered part of its character. 
• Sample discs on coloured concrete sample boards are small and have been cast in controlled conditions, not poured on site like floor slabs, therefore the uneven colouration effect referred to above cannot be truly replicated in the samples you may have seen. 
• All samples, brochure illustrations and photographs should be used as an indication, not as a direct comparison. 

Finish 
• All concrete slabs may at some time exhibit cracking in some form. Whilst there are several procedures which should be practiced to lessen the likelihood of cracking, a crack free slab cannot be guaranteed. 
• The appearance of a decorative concrete slab will change significantly once acid washed and finished. 
• Trowel marks and screed marks may sometimes be visible in a finished slab. 
• A decorative concrete slab spanning from an internal area to an external area will appear different inside than out due to the differing light. 

We strongly recommend that due to the nature of concrete you view all of these points (from an aesthetic perspective) as positive characteristics and not faults. If you have concerns, we encourage you to talk to us about these well before we commence with the construction of your home. 

For concrete design ideas, inspiration or concerns and queries, get in touch with the David Reid Homes team today!