How to Make the Most of a Site That Is Covered in Concrete

Feeling discouraged by a site that has a huge defect? Here are some ways to approach a site that, at first, seems unpromising because it is covered in concrete.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Jackhammer And Saw To Remove Concrete
• Pots And Planters
• Sculptures
• Trellises
• Driveway Pavers
• Power Washers
• concrete stain, sealer or paint

1. Remove the concrete. It may be an expensive proposition (and back-breaking!), but it opens up possibilities for your property. It also allows rainwater to seep back into the ground, which is good for the environment.
2. Cut back some of the concrete surface to allow planting around the edges or in pockets. Dig up the compacted gravel base that supported any concrete you remove. Be sure to loosen the soil to make it hospitable to plant growth.
3. Plant a container garden.
4. Use paint, stain or a sealer to improve the looks of the concrete. All of these can be used on existing concrete with varying degrees of success. If you don't expect to make old, cracked concrete look new, you can create funky designs and patterns with these products.
5. Try sandblasting, water blasting or steam cleaning to perk up the old concrete.
6. Create patterns on a sandblasted concrete surface by masking out stripes or a checkerboard and re-sandblasting the rest of the surface.
7. Use an existing concrete slab as a base for another type of paving material such as brick, stone or tile.
8. Choose plants, sculptures and shade structures that cast interesting shadows. This will make the hard surface more interesting.

Who Can Help:

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