Exterior Design: 5 Good Reasons To Choose Deactivated Concrete

Have you heard of deactivated concrete? A must for outdoor design, this material is very popular for decking, pool surrounds and walkways. We have listed 5 good reasons to use it in your outdoor decoration.

1- This material adapts to all your desires

Deactivated concrete looks like conventional concrete, with one difference: it contains large gravels called granules and pebbles of different colors.

In the end, it constitutes a granular coating whose gravels are left visible on a terrace or in garden paths, for example.

It is very popular for the design of outdoor spaces because it is a material that can be colored according to your desires and you can choose the texture more or less granular.

For example, concrete incorporating more pebbles offers a soft surface, while concrete containing rough gravel is non-slip.

The first of the 5 good reasons to adopt deactivated concrete is that this coating adapts to your needs, for all your decoration or renovation projects around your home.

2- It offers a very aesthetic result

If deactivated concrete has become the star surfacing in gardens, it is also because it offers a particularly aesthetic solution for landscaping Pool surrounds, parking lots, garden paths and terraces.

This outdoor flooring allows you to create material effects, patterns and color combinations thanks to the tinted gravel that appears on its surface after drying.

Its appearance resembles a gravel driveway, but without the inconvenience of gravel scattering all over the place with use. This beautiful look is the second good reason to adopt it in your outdoor decoration.

3- It is practical and durable

Thanks to its granular appearance, deactivated concrete is therefore decorative... but not only!

This coating also has the other qualities of being :
- anti-slip
- shock resistant
- resistant to cold and heat
- easy to maintain
- durable for many years.

Its main disadvantage is its price per m², which is higher than that of ordinary concrete and varies according to the aggregates it contains.

The all-inclusive cost (preparation of the floor, concrete and installation) is on average 110 to 130 € / m2 for a surface of less than 50m2 and 70 to 110 € / m2 for a surface of more than 50m2.

4- It is easy to implement

Contrary to what you might fear, deactivated concrete is pretty easy to pour. As with any other concrete, all you need is a simple concrete mixer.

For one square meter of surface, count one volume of cement for 2 volumes of sand and 3 volumes of aggregates and/or pebbles.

Pour all the dry ingredients into the concrete mixer, adjusting the pigment, and then pour in water until you get the perfect consistency, which is not too thick and not too fluid.

Apply this mixture directly to the surface to be covered, using a shovel and rake. After leveling, even out the coating with a float.

To finish, you must :
- Apply a deactivating agent with a sprayer to remove surface concrete particles
- allow to dry for several hours
- clean the floor with a high pressure cleaner of 15 bars minimum, proceeding in a uniform way to avoid digging the concrete.

5- There are also ready-to-use tiles

If you don't have the time or skills to pour your own deactivated concrete, no worries! This trendy paving also comes in the form of ready-to-use deactivated concrete slabs.

Available in a variety of colors and finishes, these slabs are sold in DIY stores. They are aimed at anyone who doesn't want to get their hands dirty and make their own concrete.

They are even easier to lay around a pool, on a terrace and in all your outdoor spaces.