Let’s say you’ve just finished doing some renovations to the landscaping in your front or backyard and you now have a bunch of broken concrete chunks lying around the premises. Should you have them hauled away or can you figure out a way to turn an eyesore into something attractive and/or useful? Having it hauled away may not be the most ecologically sound thing to do because you know where it’ll likely end up, yet getting a little creative with these excess chunks of urbanite (concrete from the city?) may add some flare and additional curb appeal to your home.
Broken Concrete and Flowerbeds
You may be surprised to find that broken concrete is being used to enhance the overall appearance of flowerbeds and walkways with a variety of decorative patterns. If you’ve got a green thumb, chances are you’ll want to allow your foliage arrangements to stand out by adding some pieces of broken concrete to the backdrop, thus giving it more of an attractive look with an array of decorative rock formations. When strategically placed within the greenery, you’d be amazed at how many different combinations can be used to solidify your garden. All it takes is a small shovel or trowel and a little bit of elbow grease to create a miniature oasis or two on your property. Many homeowners have also used broken pieces of concrete as a perimeter for their garden areas as well.
Broken Concrete and Clean Fill Projects
Clean fill is a term used in the world of concrete as an excellent type of filler for installing new driveways and backyard decks. Whether using asphalt or any other type of cement to pave your new driveway, pieces of broken concrete can be implemented as a solid filler while saving you some time, trouble, and money as well. And believe it or not, these chunks of concrete are solid foundation bonding agents, which can help to reduce the amount of cracking in your driveway over time. The same principle applies to backyard decks with raised foundations thus adding some sturdiness underneath the planks of wood.
Broken Concrete Walkways
One of the oldest and most battle-tested methods for using broken concrete is to build your very own walkway. Depending upon the overall landscape of your home, flagstone fragments are the most commonly used material for entry ways in the front yard, or encompassing backyard pools and flowerbeds. Although you may need to pour a little fresh concrete of your own, some amazing designs and patterns can be created. If you can possibly manage the time, collect all of your broken concrete slabs and envision how you want it to turn out. It’s a good idea to stake in some flexible wooden edgings and then place the concrete slab arrangement to your liking. You may need a rubber mallet, a few bags of fresh concrete and a wheelbarrow in order to complete the job, yet it’s a job well-worth completing, and it may turn out to be a lot of fun.
If none of these ideas sound like they’d be worth the time or the trouble, you can always call Junk King Marin or book an appointment online and we’ll be happy to pick up all of your broken concrete. You may also want to take comfort in the fact that we work very closely with a number of concrete recycling plants, meaning that your unwanted concrete will find a home and be used elsewhere, rather than cluttering up the nearest landfill. Either way, everybody wins!
