A 38,000 sq. ft. residential driveway in Stevens Point, Wis. received international recognition in the Decorative Concrete Council Awards Program. The Plover Heights Driveway Project utilized integrally colored ready-mix supplied by County Materials Corporation; stamping and staining were done by Alchemy Concrete Inc. of Nelsonville, Wis. The award program is organized by the American Society of Concrete Contractors and was created to enhance the decorative concrete industry by recognizing outstanding projects from around the world.
The Plover Heights Driveway Project won first place in the Cast-in-Place Stamped/Over 5,000 sq. ft. category at the January 17th, 2017 awards program held in Las Vegas, Nev. The judges acknowledged the project for its colors in relation to the surrounding environment and its consistent textures and color. Colors and textures featured in the driveway were selected to intentionally compliment trim on the house, along with the area’s natural limestone features.
In addition to the driveway’s aesthetics, it was built with an impressive underground hydronic heating system, installed by Klasinski Plumbing and Heating, to minimize snow and ice buildup in winter seasons. After excavating, grading and compacting the site, a bed was prepared using 6” road base, on which the heating system was installed. First, a two-inch layer of foam was added for thermal coverage. The hydronic tubing was stapled directly into the foam. Once the tubing was in place, forms for each section were added and steel mesh reinforcement was placed over the tubes for protection from crushing. Then, colored concrete was poured into each form. Alchemy Concrete used custom made stamps to create the limestone-like texture in the surface of the concrete and applied several layers of sealers during the curing process.
The homeowners are continually impressed with the look and performance of their driveway. After two winters of use, they have recently invited Alchemy Concrete back to do more ready-mix work on the property including constructing a pool. Alchemy Concrete has selected County Materials to supply the new project.