"Concrete doesn't have to be gray!"

Do you want to add instant curb appeal to your home? Do you want to add instant value to your most expensive investment? Then the first construction material you should be thinking about is concrete. Concrete is a versatile construction material, made from cement, aggregate, sand and water, and can be formed into any shape; it is all up to your imagination. If you watch HGTV or DIY networks, most backyard projects that are showcased, all have concrete as one of the major construction materials used. Concrete can be used for just about anything, patios, walkways, driveways, countertops, and furniture, to name a few.

There used to be three truths with concrete: concrete will get hard, concrete will crack and concrete is gray. Well, not anymore, concrete still gets hard, concrete still cracks; however, "Concrete doesn't have to be gray!" Potomac Construction Industries, Inc. (PCI) introduced Potomac Palette last fall and now offers over 38 different earth tone colors in various shades of brown, gray, orange, red and yellow. Also, with the use of a Davis Color software program, PCI can match up shades of colors that can be special ordered.

PCI is the first concrete company in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to offer a liquid integral color system for adding color to concrete. PCI teamed up with Grace Products and Davis Color to bring this value added product to our customers. The liquid color is added to the mix at our Martinsburg concrete plant before coming to your jobsite. This is a benefit to those who have ordered color concrete in the past, and have added the color onsite and have waited until the color is thoroughly mixed (approximately 10-15 minutes per truck). This saves the contractor money because 4 workers standing around while the color mixes is one full man-hour of labor. Also, the contractor does not have to deal with purchasing and handling the color powder, or disposing of the containers that the powder comes in.

Along with color, concrete can be molded into any variety of shapes. Also, there are now concrete stamps in various patterns ranging from brick to wooden planks, random slate to London cobblestone. The use of release agents for the stamps allows for additional color effects that can enhance the beauty of the final product. Practically, anything that can be done with block pavers can be done with concrete and in a more cost-effective manner. Also, with concrete, the prep time, the construction time and the actual placement time is greatly reduced. A typical block paver job takes approximately 3 weeks from start to finish. This same project in concrete can be done in approximately 3 days. This allows you to start enjoying your new project sooner.

If you are thinking about a new patio, walkway or driveway, you should consider concrete as your construction material. Call PCI today and talk to one of our customer service representatives to find out how we can help you with your project.