Printed Concrete Driveways In Middleton
Like the look of stone without the joints for weeds to get into?
Pattern imprinted concrete in slate, cobble and flagstone textures for driveways and patios across Middleton and north Manchester
Printed concrete - imprinted, stamped, pattern-pressed, it goes by a few names - is one continuous slab of concrete poured, coloured and pressed with a texture mat while it is still soft, then sealed. Done well it looks like a stone or cobbled drive and has no joints at all, so there is nowhere for weeds to start. Done badly, and there is a lot of it done badly around Manchester, it cracks, the colour wears off and it looks like painted concrete within three winters. The difference is in the slab thickness, the reinforcement, the control joints and the sealer, and we get all four right.
No obligation
Free Printed Concrete Quote
Scott usually rings back the same working day.
Why printed concrete
Why choose printed concrete in Middleton
01
No joints, no weeds
One sealed slab from edge to edge. Nothing for seed to settle in, nothing for ants to dig out, nothing to re-sand.
02
The look of stone for less
A slate or flagstone texture in a two-tone colour gives the look of a natural stone drive at roughly two thirds of the price of laying the real thing.
03
Very strong once cured
A 100mm fibre-reinforced slab with mesh will carry anything you can park on a domestic drive, and it does not rut the way tarmac can.
04
Patterns and colours to suit
Ashlar slate, random stone, cobble, brick, wood plank - and a base colour plus a release colour that gives the depth of real stone. Samples come to the site visit.
05
Easy to keep clean
A sealed surface sheds oil, moss and leaf stain. A pressure wash and a fresh coat of sealer every few years keeps it looking new.
06
Drives and patios in one pour
The same slab can run from the front drive round the side path and onto the rear patio, so the whole plot matches.
20+
Years Laying Drives
Middleton and North Manchester
7
Surface Types
Resin to porcelain, one crew
Free
Site Visits & Quotes
Written, itemised, fixed
10 yr
Guarantee
In writing, terms and conditions apply
How we work
Seven steps to a printed concrete in Middleton that stays flat
Most of what goes wrong with a drive goes wrong in steps three to five, which is why they are the ones we spend the longest on.
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Site visit
Scott measures, checks the ground and the falls, and talks through patterns and colours with the sample boards. He also checks for anything under the drive that might need access later, because concrete does not lift.
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Written quote
Slab thickness, reinforcement, sub-base depth, pattern, base and release colours, sealer and drainage all itemised, with a fixed price.
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Excavation and sub-base
Old surface out, dig to depth, then 150mm of compacted MOT Type 1 - concrete needs a firm, even base or it will crack where the ground gives.
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Formwork and edges
Timber or steel forms set to the levels and falls, with block or kerb edging where it is part of the design. Drainage channels fixed in position before the pour.
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Reinforcement and pour
Steel mesh on chairs, fibre-reinforced concrete poured to 100mm minimum (125mm for heavy vehicles), screeded and floated flat with the falls built in.
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Colour, print and control joints
Colour hardener floated in, release agent applied, the texture mats pressed in a tight pattern while the concrete is still plastic. Control joints cut the next day so any shrinkage cracks happen where we decide.
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Wash, seal and handover
After curing the surface is washed to reveal the two-tone colour, then sealed with two coats. Foot traffic after 24 hours, cars after 5 to 7 days. Then the walk-round and the written guarantee.
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Want to see the steps on a real job? The projects page has every one of them photographed on the day we finished.
The guarantee
Every drive we lay in Middleton is put in writing
A driveway is a structure. The part you see - the block, the resin, the tarmac - is 50 to 60mm of the 250mm we build, and it is the 200mm underneath that decides whether it is still flat in ten years. So our guarantee is written around the bit that matters: the excavation depth, the compacted MOT Type 1 base, the edge restraints haunched in concrete and the falls that move water off the surface. If any of that lets you down inside the ten years, we come back and put it right at our cost. Terms and conditions apply, and you get them on paper before we start, not after.
- Sub-base depth and compaction stated on the quote, not left to chance
- Edging set in concrete so the surface cannot spread or rock
- Settlement, sinking or lifting caused by our work put right free
- Materials backed by the manufacturer on top of our own cover
20+
Years in the trade
The same name, the same phone number, the same man on site
10 yr
10-year guarantee on every job
Terms and conditions apply. Handed over in writing at the final walk-round, kept on file at our end too
Before you choose anyone
What to look for in a printed concrete installer
Ask about the thickness and the reinforcement. Concrete is only strong when it is thick enough and reinforced; a 75mm slab with no mesh cracks the first time a delivery van backs onto it. We pour 100mm as a minimum with steel mesh and fibres in the mix, and 125mm where heavy vehicles will use it. The quote should state both the thickness and the reinforcement, and if it does not, ask why.
Ask where the control joints will go. Concrete shrinks slightly as it cures, and if you do not give it somewhere to crack it will pick its own place - usually straight across the middle of the drive. Control joints are cut into the slab the day after the pour, in positions that follow the pattern so they disappear into the texture. An installer who does not mention them is one whose drives crack at random.
Ask about the sealer and the aftercare. The colour on printed concrete is in the top few millimetres and the sealer is what protects it. Two coats of a good acrylic sealer at installation, then a fresh coat every three to five years, and the drive will still look new at twenty. No sealer, or one thin coat, and it will look grey and tired in three. We tell you when it is due and we come back and do it if you want us to.
Compared
Printed concrete against the alternatives
Where imprinted concrete sits against block, resin and tarmac on cost, lifespan and upkeep.
| Printed Concrete | Block Paving | Resin Bound | Tarmac | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expected lifespan | 20 years plus with resealing | 25 years plus | 15 to 25 years | 15 to 20 years |
| Drainage | Falls to a channel or soakaway | Through the joints | Porous | Falls to a channel |
| Weeds and moss | None | Some in joints | None | Rare |
| Repairs | Hard - a patch shows | Lift and relay blocks | Patch shows | Patch shows |
| Cost per m² installed | £65 to £90 | £60 to £90 | £70 to £100 | £45 to £65 |
| Planning permission | Not needed with drainage to your land | Not needed | Not needed | Not needed with drainage |
Design and finish
Patterns, colours and borders
The pattern mats give the texture, the base colour gives the body and the release colour settles in the low points to give the shadows that make it read as stone. Ashlar slate in a grey with charcoal release is the most popular around Middleton because it sits well with brick and slate roofs. Cobble in a brown with a dark release suits older houses. A contrasting border - a running bond brick pattern is the usual - frames the drive.
- Ashlar slate, random stone, cobble, brick, plank and fan patterns
- Base colours from light buff to charcoal, with a contrasting release
- Borders in a running bond or soldier pattern
- Matt or satin sealer, with anti-slip additive on slopes
“The printed concrete drives we are asked to repair are almost never ones that were sealed properly - most had one thin coat or none at all.”
Based on enquiries and jobs handled by S P Groundworks & Driveways.
Cost
What printed concrete costs in Middleton
Printed concrete starts from around £65 per square metre including excavation, sub-base, reinforcement, the pour, colour, printing and two coats of sealer, and runs to about £90 with borders and complex patterns. A two-car drive of 45m² usually lands between £3,000 and £4,000. What moves the price:
- +A 125mm slab for vans and heavy vehicles
- +Contrasting borders and inset patterns
- +Steps, paths and patios poured in the same visit
- +Drainage channels and a soakaway
- +Difficult access for the concrete wagon or a pump
Starting from
£65/m²
Including excavation, sub-base, edging and the finished surface. Fixed on a free site visit.
Get A Fixed QuoteFAQ
Printed Concrete questions
Does printed concrete crack?
All concrete shrinks slightly as it cures. A properly built slab has control joints cut in the day after the pour so the shrinkage happens neatly along a line hidden in the pattern. What cracks at random is thin concrete with no reinforcement on a poor base. Ours is 100mm minimum with mesh and fibres on a compacted Type 1 sub-base, with joints cut in the right places.
How long before I can use it?
Walk on it after 24 hours, park on it after five to seven days depending on the weather. The sealer needs a couple of days to harden fully after that. We put tape across the entrance so nobody drives on it early.
Does the colour fade?
The colour is in the concrete itself, not painted on, so it does not wear away. What can happen is that the sealer wears and the surface looks dull; a fresh coat of sealer every three to five years brings it back. We recommend it and we can do it for you.
Is it slippery when wet?
It can be if it is sealed with a glossy sealer on a slope. We use a satin sealer as standard and add an anti-slip grit to it on any drive or path with a fall, and on steps.
Do I need planning permission for printed concrete in Middleton?
Not if the water is dealt with on your land. Concrete is not porous, so we build in a drainage channel or gully feeding a soakaway or a lawn, which meets the national rules Rochdale Borough Council works to. Listed buildings and conservation areas are the exception.
Can you do printed concrete patios as well as drives?
Yes, and it works well for patios because it can be poured to any shape and the surface stays clean. Drive, side path and patio can all be done as one job in the same pattern.
Our work
Printed Concrete and other recent work
Filter the full set by surface on the projects page.
Reviews
What customers around Middleton say
“Scott and his lads did my driveway this week and did a brilliant job. They turned up when they said they would and finished the job on time. No messing and no BS. The lads liked their tea and were friendly. Great job, great price and great team.”
Michael I.
New driveway · Google review
“Scott gave us good honest advice from the first visit. The completed job was exactly what we wanted with a high quality finish and lots of comments from friends and family. Definitely went above and beyond, and for a very reasonable price.”
Sarah
Middleton · Block paved driveway
“Brilliant work done by the team. Completed the work in a timely manner, very neat and professional. Would highly recommend.”
Sajida R.
Manchester · New driveway · Google review
“Scott has amazing team and so quick really excellent work.”
Jacqueline O.
Google review
“Scott and his team arrived early, worked through and finished the whole drive by Sunday. Excellent workmanship at a competitive price - we could not be happier.”
Lesley
Heywood · Resin driveway
“Ian at SP created a driveway for us that surpassed our expectations. A fantastic, clean, exact job. He is a credit to the company.”
Laurie
Chadderton · Tarmac and block driveway
Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 4 reviews on Google. Read more on our reviews page or the Facebook page.
Other surfaces
Not sure printed concrete is the one?
Where we lay it
Printed Concrete across north Manchester
Printed concrete that still looks new at twenty
Thick, reinforced, jointed and sealed. Book a free site visit and see the pattern boards against your own house.