Ditch Plain Concrete: The Alternative That'll Add Texture To Your Exterior Finish

As durable and widely used as concrete is in home construction, it's hard to get away from the fact that an expanse of plain concrete lacks character and can appear cold, forbidding, and even prison-like. That's why you may want to consider a concrete product that levels up your home's aesthetics and makes a memorable impression by providing concrete panels with the texture of wood. Board-formed concrete panels are listed among trending exterior finishes that add curb appeal.

These panels are created by pouring concrete into wood-lined molds. As it cures, the concrete casts a perfect imprint of the wood, capturing every grain, knot, and texture to give the finished panels a natural, wood-grained appearance. The result is a durable, sustainable product you can use as your exterior finish, as well as unique outdoor features, like benches, retaining walls, and planters. Deploying board-formed concrete panels on your exterior can even be one of the ways to help protect your home against fires.

Board-formed concrete is not new; it dates back to the mid-1850s when reinforced concrete construction was first patented. The addition of the aesthetic aspect to board-formed concrete came just under a century later, in the early 1950s, when it was associated with the Brutalist style that included raw, exposed concrete.

Intrigued by a board-formed concrete home exterior? You'll want to consider what kind of woodgrain you'd like. Some users who DIY their own board-formed concrete panels choose spruce or Douglas fir. Rather than choosing a specific type of wood, you may prefer to select between the finished look of a smoother grain or the more rustic look of a rough-grained wood. Do you want the boards to run horizontally so the space they're on looks longer, or vertically, to give the illusion of extra height?

You also have color options and can choose to leave the concrete its natural color, tint it with pigment during the mixing process, or stain it after it's cured. If you're wondering whether staining concrete is a good idea or a big mistake, rest assured that it provides a durable finish that protects the concrete and enhances the look of the woodgrain. Painting is not recommended as the paint may obscure the woodgrain and other natural wood features.

We mentioned folks who DIY their own board-formed concrete panels, and it's certainly possible to do it yourself. It's a big undertaking, though, for a beginner and requires significant precision. So think about purchasing ready-made board-formed concrete panels and hiring an experienced installer.