Improving The Look Of Concrete

If you want to have flower bed borders that are both sturdy and decorative, a stonelike material is the best way to go. That can be actual stone, pavers, or concrete. Each has benefits, of course, but stamped concrete is really the way to go if you want a flower bed border. The way the border is made and how it fits in make stamped concrete an economical and efficient choice.

They're Faster

Stamped concrete is relatively fast to install. The concrete is poured into the desired shape and then stamped with a pattern before it fully dries. Pavers and stones need to be individually placed and then sealed, with sand pushed into the grooves between pavers. It can take a while to complete all of the borders. You do need to keep children and animals away from the concrete as it dries, and you have to be careful of how you coordinate the concrete installation with the weather. But overall, adding stamped concrete gives you fast flower bed borders.

They're Cheaper

Stamped concrete borders are usually cheaper than other types, partly due to lower material costs and partly due to the speed at which the contractors can work. They don't have to sit there, adding stone after stone or paver after paver. The concrete isn't cut to particular dimensions, either -- it's simply poured in place.

They're Harder to Kick out of Place

A stamped concrete border will be harder to accidentally kick out of place. That's not to say it can't be done, of course, but you will have a tougher time moving the entire border if you hit it. Compare that to pavers, which can become uneven (and some can break or pop up) if part of the border is pushed around. Stamped concrete borders are typically pretty long and heavy, which means they're anchored in the ground fairly well.

The One Consideration

The one issue you do have to face if you get a stamped concrete border is that, should the concrete chip or crack, you may have to replace a larger portion of the concrete border. With pavers, if one cracks, you can replace that one paver. With stamped concrete, patching is a lot harder, though the stamped pattern does help hide signs of repair work.

Talk to landscapers and concrete contractors who work with stamped concrete to find out how the material might work out in your yard. Because the concrete is poured, it can take on almost any shape you need. For more information, visit sites like http://www.unitstepjoliet.com.