How to Pick the Best Colour for Your New Driveway
If you are in the process of redesigning your driveway, you may be wondering what colour concrete to choose to best suit your property. With such a wide range of colours available, it can be tricky to make a decision; the problem is, get it wrong and the chances are the driveway will be so distracting that no one will even notice the lovely house and garden, as they'll be relegated to the background.
Read on for some tips and tricks on finding the right colour that will work to complement your own style aesthetic and to best offset your house and landscaping.
Base it on your house colour
It's important not to choose a driveway the same colour as your house; the lack of contrast will not help your driveway stand out at all, and the house and driveway will blend into one. Instead, pick a complementary colour, which will be sure to add visual contrast to your property.
Avoid dark colours
With the amount of sunshine that Australia gets, it's best to choose a light colour for your driveway. Dark colours absorb heat, and an opaque driveway will be like a furnace in the scorching summer months.
Avoiding dark colours could also save you money and do the environment a massive favour, according to a 2007 study carried out by researchers from the California Energy Commission and the U.S. government's Heat Island Group. They discovered that with roofs and pavements accounting for 60% of urban surfaces, cities become hotter and effectively bake 6-7 degrees hotter than nearby areas with fewer buildings. Going for a light surface will help prevent increasing the global temperature and also mean that you don't pay out extra in electricity bills after jacking-up the air-conditioning when it gets hot.
Mix it up if your driveway is long
If you have a large driveway, consider using more than one colour in your driveway design. Having just one uniform colour can give the impression of a never-ending, dull stretch of concrete. Consider, instead, using a few different colours to break up the expanse of concrete and add some definition.
You could also add a border in a different, complementary colour if you prefer the concrete to be one colour.
Jazz it up with exposed aggregate
If you like the idea of a little variation in colour, consider going for an exposed aggregate finish for your driveway. Due to its texture, exposed aggregate is multicoloured (this is down to the natural colour variation of the aggregate material) and has a natural look. With its differences in texture and colour, it can be a nice alternative to the more bland finish of regular concrete.
Take these tips into consideration, and you'll end up with a driveway that looks classy and offsets your property beautifully.