Featured Driveway – “Sweeney Street – North Tonawanda”

Josh, Co-Owner of Real Help Custom Concrete, who specializes in concrete design, was called to this homeowners house to discuss their existing blacktop driveway and expressed their interest in a new concrete driveway. The homeowner was looking for a decorative finish to the concrete, but was also looking to be cost effective to stay on budget. Having experience with all types of driveway finishes, Josh, working with the homeowner, came up with the design of dark colored broom finished borders to accent the lighter colored checkerboard broom finished driveway. This driveway consisted of about 45 yards of colored concrete and took roughly a day and a half to complete. The border color is Solomon Leather and the driveway color is Solomon Trail Dust which complements the brick color of the house. A special technique is used to achieve the checkerboard appearance on the surface of the concrete and can be seen driving down the street. The Real Help Team is glad to have worked with this customer to give them the driveway they’ve been wanting for years!

What to Expect with a Real Help Driveway:

• All Driveways poured by Real Help are Standard at 4500 PSI
• Driveway – 4” Thick / Apron (Approach) 6” Thick (Unless Otherwise Specified
• Both Wire Mesh and Fiber Mesh are used as Reinforcing Agents
• Wire Mesh – Structural Support / Fiber Mesh – Aesthetic Support
• #1 Crusher Run Stone Base – Vibratory Tamped for Compaction
• Expansion and Control Joints Placed Where Necessary
• Sprayed with Cure and Seal Compound for Integrity and Protection

Why Choose Concrete?

Concrete, when installed by professionals, using the correct materials, will outlast any other material that is commonly used for driveway construction. Besides the unmatched strength and durability of a concrete driveway, the versatility and aesthetics of concrete also outweigh any other material choice. With the inclusion of Wire Mesh for structural support, Fiber Mesh for aesthetic soundness and pouring your driveway at 4500 PSI, your concrete driveway is given the best chance to stand the test of time and traffic it will endure for years to come.

Appearance – The addition of a concrete driveway, whether it be broom finished, colored, pattern stamped, or exposed finish, will dramatically change the appearance of not only your front yard, but your entire property. Most homeowners find the various finishes for concrete to me more attractive than the dark appearance of asphalt and the maintenance associated with pavers.

Structure – Unlike asphalt, concrete is solid, hard and strong and will retain those qualities during weather extremes. Asphalt can sometimes soften during hot summer days causing it to become pliable and allows for potential damage from vehicles. Concrete, unlike pavers, is one solid structure and shifts together, allowing for the surface to stay intact, versus pavers which move individually causing the homeowner to complete maintenance annually to keep surface level.

Maintenance – Maintenance for a concrete driveway is minimal when compared to other paving materials. With the constant resealing and patchwork necessary for asphalt, and the upkeep of having pavers with annual weeding and resetting of individual pavers, a concrete driveway is your money and time saver!

Driveway Finishes

	Broom Finish Driveways Concrete finishers have been broom finishing concrete for about as long as there has been concrete. Broom finished concrete is the industry standard for exterior surfaces allowing for slip resistance and traction for walking.
	Checkerboard Broom Finish Driveways The checkerboard broom finish is a new technique that is becoming more popular with residential driveways to increase the aesthetic appeal without significantly increasing the price of the project. The checkerboard broom finish allows for the same slip resistance and traction as broom finished driveways, but shows different shades of the concrete to mimic a checkerboard when exposed to sunlight.
	Pattern Stamp Driveways With pattern stamped concrete reaching an all-time high in recent years, pattern stamped driveways have become more and more popular. With the advances in concrete technology and techniques, the options are endless when it comes to decorative concrete. Pattern stamped concrete is placed no differently than regular broom finished concrete, and is just as durable. Whether it be stone or brick, your driveway can be made to look like a multitude of natural materials and at a fraction of the price! (Picture for this will be labeled – “Pattern Stamped Driveway 1”)
	Exposed Aggregate Driveways Exposed aggregate is an ageless finish for concrete. Exposed aggregate is meant to look the same from the day of completion to 30 years after it was poured. Exposed aggregate concrete is laid and finished just like regular or pattern stamped concrete, but when we are done finishing the concrete, we use a special chemical to keep the top surface from getting hard. Then we come back a few hours later and wash away the top surface of the concrete, which then exposes the special colored stone we order in our mix. Once the top surface is washed away, you are left with various colored stones that when sealed, the colors “pop” to make for a beautiful finish for your residential driveway. (Picture for this will be labeled – “Exposed Aggregate Driveway 1”)