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Hairline or Construction cracks can appear on concrete surface for various reasons.
These cracks, although small, can eventually become lager, causing problems with the entire concrete structure.
One of the reasons for hairlines to appear is when the concrete mixture is too dry while pouring (not enough water was added when mixture was being prepared).
Concrete mixture that is too dry is further harmed when poured in hot temperature (water content is evaporating too fast).
Concrete must be allowed to dry and cure at slow rate to prevent this problem. In such situation watering the fresh poured concrete might help to prevent cracks forming.
If the concrete is poured on the windy day the top surface dries quicker then at the core and that too can cause hairline cracks forming.
The cracks can also appear on the concrete surface if the ground is not prepared properly (uneven, not compacted).
Steel reinforcement not sitting properly on the plastic chairs can also cause concrete cracks. Steel should be sited 35mm from the top of the surface for the reinforcement to work properly.
Another reason for concrete cracks to appear is when the construction joints are not deep enough and not placed properly. Construction joints should be at least 25mm deep and on intervals 25 to 30 times the depth of the concrete.

Adding water on -side to concrete mixtures such as exposed aggregate concrete and pattern paving concrete has been a controversial topic for as long as concrete has been used as a construction material.

The addition of water is clearly covered in Australian standard for Ready Mix Concrete. The standard does allow to add the water on side to make concrete workable.

Although the general rule is that water on side can be used to adjust the slump of the concrete as long as the maximum specified water -cement ratio is not exceeded. You can allow use from 5 to 10 l of water for cubic meter. A small addition of water can be beneficial to the quality of the hardened concrete.

Up until the mid 1980’s, exterior concrete driveways and patios were grey slabs with a plain stipple or broom finish. Come the mid 80’s the ready-mix concrete industry in Australia began to offer concrete with a wide range of colours and textures ( ex. Exposed Aggregate Concrete). Of these, the most popular has been patterned paving such as exposed aggregate concrete. ASP Unique Paving offers other finishes such as slate impression concrete, stenciled concrete .

The finish of exposed aggregate concrete is slip resistant, durable and decorative.

Exposed aggregate can be used with two or more colour combinations on your driveway or patio, or incorporated as a border for your paving area. The colour and texture of the finished surface of exposed aggregate concrete will depend on the colour, shape and size of the stones.

The standard stone size is 7 mm-15 mm. The concrete mix should be at least 25 and 30 mpa for polished concrete, and a maximum slump of 80. The 30 mpa will give you a higher cement content and the lower slump will prevent segregation, honeycombing and flow lines.

Applying ASP Unique Paving clear concrete sealer to an exposed aggregate surface can improve both its performance and appearance. These sealers-typically film-forming acrylic resins-can help protect against spilling, dusting, efflorescence, stains, deicing salts, and abrasion. A sealer will also enhance the color of the aggregate, accentuating its depth and richness.

The clear sealer ASP Unique Paving use  is non-yellowing and UV resistant, repels oil, grease, water, stains and is  recoatable,

It will also give the surface a high-gloss “wet look” that deepens and enriches the color of the aggregate.

When applied professionally will protect your investment and keep it looking amazing for many years to come.

ASP UNIQUE PAVING concrete sealer is suitable for residential applications, concrete countertops, fireplace surrounds, shower panels, floor tiles, wall panels, driveways, garage floors, patios, walkways, pool decks, stucco, and concrete block.  It also creates commercial grade abrasion resistance.

ASP Unique Paving is one of the top concrete contractors in Melbourne. For over 25 years , we’ve provided affordable, high quality workmanship across the city. In that time, we’ve also acquired a wealth of information and experience that has made us the leader in concreting industry, here in Melbourne.

ASP UNIQUE PAVING will offer you the services of building your exposed aggregate concrete driveways, colored concrete, slate impression concrete, stenciled concrete and any other decorative concrete.

Known for the excellent finish of our driveways Asp Unique Paving is the best company on the market for exposed aggregate concrete and other concreting services and is far ahead of our competition. Using only the best ingredients for our mix, we know what it takes to build you the driveway you will be proud of.

ASP Unique Paving employs only the best qualified exposed aggregate concrete driveway experts. With us you can rest assured that the quality of the aggregate concrete driveway we build will guarantee that you will not need to resurface your driveways for many years to come. We will build the driveway of your dreams and by that add value to your home.

The quality of your finished project is directly related to the workmanship that goes into completing it.

So, before you hire a concrete contractor, do your homework and shop around

• ask your family and friends if they are able to recommend anyone
• ask the contractor for the addresses of driveways they have built. Go and have a look at their previous jobs
• ask if they are insured
• ask if they are a member of Master Builder or Housing Industry Association
• ask for explanation – what exactly needs to be done, how it will be done, what materials will be used
• be specific when asking
• don’t be afraid to ask whatever is bothering you

Exposed Aggregate Concrete is a style of concrete used in Melbourne, Victoria and Australia wide mainly for driveways but can be used for sidewalks, patios and swimming pool areas as well.

The unique appeal of exposed aggregate concrete is in its finish – exposing the small stones (pebbles) that are part of concrete mixture. This creates random patterns and a variety of colors.

Exposed aggregate concrete driveways are a type of driveway where the concrete finish is a little different from your traditional, plain concrete driveways.

Such driveways are built by washing off the skin of surface once the concrete has hardened. This washing off then exposes the main aggregates of the concrete mix that are used to build the driveways.

Exposed aggregate concrete is pre-mixed with the pebbles already in it. Once the concrete has been poured and allowed to settle, the concreters need to skillfully remove the upper layer from the top to reveal the stones. The pebbles (called aggregates, hence the name exposed aggregate concrete) are of varying sizes and colors to create a natural effect and give the driveway special depth of color and texture.

Building a driveway with exposed aggregate concrete is a skilled job, especially if the desired finish is to be achieved and future cracks avoided. We strongly recommend using an experienced professional for all work with exposed aggregate concrete.

All works carried out by ASP Unique Paving meets Australian building standards regulations. We only use Exposed aggregate concrete that is deigned to withstand heavy traffic and extreme Australian weather conditions.

Our exposed aggregate concrete driveways are exceptionally long-lasting. Additional advantages of exposed aggregate concrete include slip resistance and good look that will improve the value of your home significantly.

Concrete is the most used man-made material in the world, so common that it is easy to overlook the long history of innovation behind the modern material.

The manufacturing of modern Portland cement can be traced to 1824, when Joseph Aspdin of England patented a method of burning a mixture of limestone and clay and grinding the product into a fine powder. The name “Portland” simply refers to the color, which resembled building stones from Portland, England. While it would be many years before the standard compositions of modern Portland cements were finalized, the work of Joseph Aspdin marked the beginning of modern concrete.

The addition of steel bars to concrete compensates for concrete’s weakness in tension, and makes concrete a highly versatile building material.  There were many pioneering applications, including concrete rowboats reinforced with iron bars and mesh (Jean-Louis Lambert, France, 1848). The first reinforced concrete building is often credited to William B. Wilkinson of England in 1854, although other sources credit Francois Coignet of France in 1853. The advanced use of reinforcement is generally credited to Joseph Monier of France and the principles behind his 1867 patent for a system of reinforcing flower pots. Monier would continue to develop reinforcing systems which were applied to a great variety of structures.