Pumping Concrete: Top Tips

Exposed Aggregate Concrete: The Perfect Surface For Pub Beer Gardens

21 July 2022 by Hector Herrera

A well-appointed beer garden is a great addition to any pub with enough space to build one. Even a small beer garden can make your pub more inviting to customers, especially during the summer months. However, your pub's new beer garden will need to be built on some kind of hard-standing surface.

Exposed aggregate concrete is an ideal surface material for a new beer garden. This unique type of poured concrete has a number of advantages over other common surfacing choices, such as timber decking and flagstone patios. Here are three reasons to choose exposed aggregate concrete when constructing a pub beer garden:

Uniquely Attractive

Exposed aggregate concrete contains larger amounts of stone and rock aggregate than conventional concrete. When the concrete has been laid, the top layer of cement is removed, exposing the rocks and stones suspended within the concrete mix. This process creates a uniquely attractive surface, which can be customised to complement your pub's overall design scheme.

You can choose the amount, type and colour of aggregate used to create your beer garden, and the cement that supports the aggregates can be dyed in a variety of colours. For a truly unique look, you can also have other materials (such as glass beads and seashells) added to the mix, creating a beer garden as distinctive and attractive as the rest of your pub.

Durable And Low Maintenance

A busy beer garden can expect to accommodate thousands of patrons in any given year, so your new beer garden's surfacing will need to be durable and resistant to heavy foot traffic. Exposed aggregate concrete is as tough and hard-wearing as any poured concrete surface, and will withstand decades of use without pitting, cracking or crumbling.

Exposed aggregate concrete also requires very little maintenance over its long lifespan. An occasional blast with a pressure washer to remove impacted dirt and moss will keep exposed aggregate concrete looking new for years to come. You may choose to have the surface weather-sealed to improve wear and prevent drainage issues, but these sealants are very tough, and only need to be reapplied every few years.

Added Traction

Choosing surface materials that get slippery in wet weather will do your business more harm than good. Timber decking is notorious for becoming slippery when wet, especially if it is not cleaned regularly. Natural stone surfaces can also become treacherous.

Conventional concrete's permeable surface provides excellent traction, and allows standing water to drain away before it can become a trip hazard. Exposed aggregate concrete provides even surer footing, as the rough, rocky surface provides excellent traction underfoot. Exposed aggregate concrete will make your beer garden safe to traverse in any weather, and can be especially useful for elderly and/or disabled patrons.

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