Driveways & Patios FAQ

Pattern imprinted concrete is long-lasting and hard wearing when installed correctly, with a lifespan of between 20 and 30 years (including a reseal every now and again).

There are several factors that will affect how long pattern imprinted concrete will last, including the quality of the concrete, installation, how the concrete is maintained over the years, the presence of a suitable water drainage system and the climate where you live.

Our concrete is reinforced with polypropylene fibre, making it incredibly strong and hard too (more so than average concrete by up to 33%).

We call this type of concrete ‘MOT Type 1 hardcore’, just what you need for your installation.

We know the cost is going to be an important factor when deciding pattern imprinted concrete is for you, but it’s also not a question with a straightforward answer. We don’t have any set prices, and it depends on what you’re wanting as to what the cost will be. Things we need to take into consideration include what the area for installation looks like (including the surface, area to be covered and drainage present) along with where you’re based.

We start from £70 per m², although we do have a minimum charge and often smaller areas can be more costly too. Our pricing is extremely competitive, and we would never operate by stating a price with the aim of starting negotiations, or cut back on materials to ensure a cheaper price either - this is more problematic than it’s worth!

No they aren’t. However features like coloured boarders and circles do tend to cost more.

When compared to block paving and tarmac, pattern imprinted concrete (when properly installed) is not necessarily more expensive, no.

Pattern imprinted concrete is a better product with lots of advantages over and above other similar types of paving.

Here at Cambrian Driveways we want to make sure your installation is done correctly and with minimal disruption to you and your neighbours.

We will always clean up after ourselves and try to keep noise levels down too. In cases where our machinery is used for digging or residual powder is leftover, we’ll make sure we tidy up so that your house is left just as we found it.

This will depend on the area being worked on and we’ll advise you of what we recommend before carrying out the job.

The conditions of the sub-base (what we would find under the ground after removing what was there before) will affect what depth of concrete needs to be poured. A standard imprinted concrete slab is around 100-125mm thick which is what would generally be used for an average driveway.

This means that under normal circumstances concrete would need to be poured to a minimum depth of 100mm, although sometimes a depth of 150mm is required.

This will depend on the type of job to be carried out.

To give you a rough idea, the whole procedure tends to take between 7 and 10 working days. Excavating and preparing the site for installation takes between 1 and 2 days, with washing/cleaning of the area takes 1 day. The prepared area then needs to dry before the sealant can be applied.

The weather will affect how long the process takes, and unfortunately that’s the one thing out of our control!

We always need to take the weather into consideration when we’re planning your installation.

When it’s raining the finish of the concrete could be adversely affected, whilst if it’s freezing outside this could impact on the strength of the concrete.

It won’t be long until you’re able to use your pattern imprinted concrete.

Walking on it can start again the next morning, with cars between 2 and 5 days and heavier vehicles between 3 and 7 days after concrete has been laid. We will let you know what we advise once the installation has taken place.

Don’t worry! When we’re getting things ready for your installation, we always make sure that we take this kind of thing into account.

We’ve got lots of ways to help ensure access including using planks (set up safely) or even fence removal if required. The concrete can be walked on the next day in any case, with any disruption kept as minimal as possible.

Yes, they are. When we install concrete we also add in ‘crack control joints’ throughout the section being worked on which help to deal with any natural movement that occurs.

These joints mean that if any cracks start to appear they move along the joint, making them more difficult to see. Joints are around a quarter of the slab depth and filled with mastic, but don’t worry - they won’t interfere with the overall look of your pattern imprinted concrete.

There’s always a possibility of cracking occurring in concrete.

In saying this, we tend to find that cracks are not always obvious and can be fixed via a concrete injection if required.

The textured finish of our concrete helps to reduce the potential for you to slip on the surface.

However there is an option to add an anti-slip compound known as rhino grip which can help. There is an additional cost for this, please get in touch to find out more.

Yes. We issue a 5 year warranty following the installation of our pattern imprinted concrete. This will cover the materials used and the installation too although does not include wear and tear of the surface sealant.

Natural movement and accidental damage causing hairline fractures/cracks to appear are not covered by our warranty either.

Finally, salt damage caused by use during the winter is also not covered by our warranty - we would always advise never to use salt on pattern imprinted concrete. Please note that we suggest that pattern imprinted concrete areas are resealed on a regular basis.

We recommend a reseal every 2 to 5 years to avoid fading, although this will vary depending on how much you use your surface and where it’s located.

This is a service that we offer, please send us a message if you’d like to know more.

Yes, they are. The pigments used will not fade, and the sealant used provides UV protection to help protect concrete from the sun.

We advise regular reseals as wear and tear can cause the sealant to become worn down, thus resulting in a faded appearance. A reseal will help to get your concrete back to looking as good as new.

Yes. We recommend using a power washer when cleaning without risk of damaging either your chosen pattern or colour.

If there’s been a spillage use some washing up liquid (including if there’s been an oil spill) as soon as possible.

No, it isn’t. We can create a new section that can then be installed.

Followed up with a clean and a reseal will then create a finished look where old and new is virtually indistinguishable.

Yes. Just ask us to show you our portfolio of recently completed jobs, or you can take a look at our Instagram or Facebook pages for lots more pictures and pattern imprinted concrete inspiration!