Understanding the purpose of the walls you’re about to build will determine whether you should use real concrete or faux wall concrete panels. Each type has advantages and features and is useful for distinctly different purposes. Learning more about these differences will help determine which type of fence best suits your needs.
How Does Real Concrete Stand Out Compared to Faux Concrete?
When you need to incorporate concrete into your project’s infrastructure, real concrete will offer the traits you need, including greater structural integrity and durability that will last the structure’s lifetime. A contractor can pour real concrete on-site, creating seamless designs.
Alternatively, you can order precast concrete components. The manufacturer will pour and cure the concrete in their facility before delivering the components to your job site. Once they arrive, you can erect and assemble them to build your structure according to your plans and connect them via joists or posts.
Unlike faux concrete walls, real concrete comes from its mold with a sleek and smooth surface. You can alter the mold to create a pattern or design on the surface of the concrete, and you can choose colored concrete to meet your exterior or interior design needs.
What Should You Know About Faux Concrete Wall or Panel?
Manufacturers pour polyurethane into concrete molds to create wall panels for faux concrete walls. Once the polyurethane is removed from the mold, the manufacturer will paint its surfaces to make it look like real concrete.
You can tell that a wall surface is faux concrete in a couple of different ways.
It will feel softer to the touch, as real concrete is hard and firm. Second, the panels used for faux concrete walls connect via a tongue-and-groove system, which leaves small gaps where each concrete panel connects.
An advantage of using the material is that it only weighs one pound per square inch, thus making it considerably more lightweight and better for use in areas that lack proper foundational support.
However, though a faux concrete wall may look like concrete, the material lacks some of the same beneficial traits. For example, it’s not fireproof or water-resistant, which makes it a poor choice for bathrooms and other surfaces that are likely to get wet.
Which Type of Material is Best for Your Concrete or Faux Concrete Project?
The function of the wall or panel you’re building will determine which substance is best for your faux concrete wall DIY project. Real concrete is your best option if you’re building a retaining wall or panel or another structure that needs to provide support. It’s also best for building or renovating bathrooms, swimming pools, and fireplaces, as it is water-resistant and fireproof.
Faux concrete is a good alternative when you want the look of concrete without the expense. Use polyurethane panels for surfaces that only need to resemble concrete since they are easier and cheaper to install. As long as you do not depend on the wall or panels for support, faux concrete finished will do the job.
Learn About Precast Concrete Products
American Precast Concrete offers concrete components in various designs and configurations for precast concrete walls, and we’ll help you meet your concrete needs in completing any project on your residential or commercial property. To learn more about our faux concrete wall and other products, talk to one of our associates today.