10 Ways to Go Crazy for Concrete

For 75 years now, QUIKRETE® has supplied homeowners with high-quality concrete mixes for a staggering variety of projects. Some things don't change, and concrete remains do-it-yourselfers' go-to durable surface for such areas as the driveways, walkway, and patio. What's different? It’s not about functionality anymore; it’s more and more about design. Today, more and more homeowners are choosing concrete for smaller, often decorative indoor-oriented projects—furniture, for example, and home accents. To celebrate the QUIKRETE® anniversary, click through to see only some of the countless ways you can work with concrete to create a home you love.

By Oliver Harriett | Updated Jul 29, 2017 01:15 PM

75 Years of Durability and Versatility

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75 Years of Durability and Versatility

Everyone knows concrete can be used for plenty more than surfacing parking lots and highways. That may be what do-it-yourselfers love most about the material—its seemingly boundless versatility. For decades, QUIKRETE® has been homeowners' (and pro contractors') source for the concrete used in countless projects, both around and, increasingly, inside the home. This year, as QUIKRETE® marks its 75th anniversary, we celebrate by exploring some of the many ways you can work with concrete to make your everyday life more convenient, more enjoyable, and yes, even more beautiful.

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Walk This Way

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Walk This Way

Though popular, stone and brick walkways can be pricey and often call for pro installation. For an affordable, DIY-friendly path that sacrifices nothing in style, consider concrete. The Walkmaker from QUIKRETE® simplifies what can be an arduous job, reducing it to three breezy steps. Mix the concrete, fill the Walkmaker form, then lift it away to reveal the finished design. See the Walkmaker in action—and learn more about creating your own concrete walk—right here!

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Find Your Purpose

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Find Your Purpose

As versatile as concrete itself, a project like this one can serve more than one purpose. If you like gardening, make it a planter, setting your choice of flora into the trough. Prefer entertaining? Then skip the plants and instead, throw in ice cubes and beverages. Either way, the integrated spigot plays a valuable role in providing an escape route for excess moisture. Meanwhile, the caster wheels on the bottom mean hassle-free portability. Check out the video instructions!

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Get the Edge

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Get the Edge

Edging simultaneously defines, places organization upon, and adds visual interest to the planting beds on a property. Other materials are attractive here but may not match the affordability or permanence of concrete. Within an afternoon, you can install landscape borders yourself, without a contractor, using QUIKRETE® crack-resistant concrete mix and, for a seamless look, liquid concrete color. Follow the directions detailed in this step-by-step guide from QUIKRETE®.

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Rise to the Top

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Rise to the Top

Unexpected—and unexpectedly beautiful—a DIY concrete table top takes less time and talent to make than you may have previously believed. Don't miss the QUIKRETE® video that demonstrates how straightforward the project can be.In stores, trendy concrete-top furniture costs several hundred dollars. But with QUIKRETE® countertop mix, you can do it yourself, creating something equally minimalist, modern, and impressive for a much, much lower cost.

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Enjoy Patio Season

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Enjoy Patio Season

Want to create outdoor living space while boosting your home's resale value? Pour a patio! Compared to brick or stone, concrete has long been the budget-friendly favorite. But gone are the days when a concrete patio had to mean a drab, gray-color slab. Working with QUIKRETE® concrete stains, liquid cement colors, and aggregates—or by using concrete as the base for a paver installation—you can create an eye-catching patio no matter your skill level. Click now to see how easy it can be!

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Turn the Tables

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Turn the Tables

These nesting side tables are durable enough to spend the summer outdoors as patio furniture, stylish enough to come inside when the weather cools. Notice the circular indentations along the top and side edges? Those were left by the Legos. That's right! By arranging Legos in strategic way to create a dual-layer form, the two tables were cast at once. Want your own pair? Grab a bag of QUIKRETE® countertop mix, and click through now for a video demonstration.

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Revive Your Drive

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Revive Your Drive

For much less than it would cost to replace it, you can revitalize your driveway, undoing the unsightly wear and tear that inevitably results from day-to-day use and prolonged exposure to the elements. To get the job done yourself, without needing to hire jackhammer-toting contractors, you can rely on QUIKRETE® concrete resurfacer. See how the product works to renew discolored, flaking, or worn concrete driveways in the instructional video right here.

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Break the Mold

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Break the Mold

Surprise visitors with an eye-catching juxtaposition: Displaying fresh flowers from the garden, not in a glass vessel, but in a tabletop vase made of concrete. Guest never would have anticipated seeing delicate flora combined with such a rugged material. If you've never worked with concrete before, a set of vases makes for a painless introductory project, particularly as it involves supplies you probably have already. Click here to view the QUIKRETE® project right now!

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Go to the Wall

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Go to the Wall

Empires aren't built in day, but sometimes garden walls are! While there are many reasons to undertake a wall-building project—backyard privacy, for instance, or home security—only concrete can help you get the job done yourself, on a modest budget, and within a short timeframe. To see what can be accomplished simply by joining rock-hard cinder blocks with tight-bonding QUIKRETE® QUIKWALL Surface Bonding Cement, click through for a comprehensive video that breaks it all down.

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See Your Way

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See Your Way

Have you gone shopping for light fixtures recently? They're seriously expensive, particularly if you want something a little stylish. Rather than spend a small fortune, do this: Use QUIKRETE® concrete mix, a couple of empty plastic bottles, and a corded socket to create an unforgettable pendant that costs next to nothing. The hardest part of the project? Mustering the patience to wait for the concrete to dry! Don't believe it's so easy? Watch it come together.

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