How To Install Stamped And Stained Concrete
It used to be that stamped and stained concrete in Houston was a rarity. In the past extensive commercial jobs looked fine, but individual home jobs looked fake. With the availability of new products and methods, the trend of stamped patios, driveways, and sidewalks has ignited in the community.
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What is stamped concrete?
Concrete pours involve the same multi-step process with a few modifications for putting patterns into your walkways or driveways. The textures are pressed onto the still-wet mixture after additional prep, possibly including color, which is known as staining the concrete.
It used to be that the stamps just replicated the same pattern over and over, looking a little like wallpaper. Everyone’s patterned sidewalk looked about the same. It also didn’t hold up to the wear and tear of Texas sun and flood.
Enter dynamic textures to imitate pavers, seashells, cobblestone or brick. Add to that long-lasting colored pigment and it may take a second glance to realize it isn’t actually a brick drive or cobblestone walk. Gratefully, technology has advanced so we can now give you a much more beautiful, durable finished product.
It used to be that the stamps just replicated the same pattern over and over, looking a little like wallpaper. Everyone’s patterned sidewalk looked about the same. It also didn’t hold up to the wear and tear of Texas sun and flood.
Enter dynamic textures to imitate pavers, seashells, cobblestone or brick. Add to that long-lasting colored pigment and it may take a second glance to realize it isn’t actually a brick drive or cobblestone walk. Gratefully, technology has advanced so we can now give you a much more beautiful, durable finished product.
What is wrong with just using brick or cobblestone?
Cobbles, brick or pavers can look great. The pieces often fit together like a puzzle and the labor costs for a quality installer are high. However, they are susceptible to moving with the underlying soil, so they quickly look uneven. The interlocking pieces can leave gaps in which grass, weeds, or even small trees can grow between giving them an unkempt appearance.
Appropriately installed stamped concrete doesn’t have actual “cracks”, just impressions that only go part way through the concrete. The surface is a solid, continuous whole that is up to 7 times stronger than pavers.
Stamped concrete has a customized look of colors and patterns which allow you thousands of possible combinations.
The bottom line is with the proper maintenance for cobbles, brick or pavers of yearly re-sanding, & re-leveling the life expectancy of your patio is about 5-10 years. Stamped concrete doesn’t have a yearly maintenance required. Stained concrete should be resealed every few years and then has life expectancy of 15-30+ years.
Appropriately installed stamped concrete doesn’t have actual “cracks”, just impressions that only go part way through the concrete. The surface is a solid, continuous whole that is up to 7 times stronger than pavers.
Stamped concrete has a customized look of colors and patterns which allow you thousands of possible combinations.
The bottom line is with the proper maintenance for cobbles, brick or pavers of yearly re-sanding, & re-leveling the life expectancy of your patio is about 5-10 years. Stamped concrete doesn’t have a yearly maintenance required. Stained concrete should be resealed every few years and then has life expectancy of 15-30+ years.
Does it look as good as brick, concrete pavers, and cobbles?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There are people who don’t think it does. Even with them, it comes a close second. We can give you a patio with the look of an exterior wood floor. It won’t be mistaken for the original wood material, but it will also hold up for years after such a floor would need replaced. And, make no mistake, our designs are beautiful.
Can I do stamped concrete myself?
As much as there’s a standard process for laying stamped concrete, it’s also an art. You want to end up with a lovely patio, not a pile of rubble. If done right a sidewalk or driveway can last for decades. Proper finish off methods gives a slab a terrific appearance for a time, but the right ground prep for our Houston conditions keep it looking fresh and new throughout its lifetime. The experience of our contractors is a benefit that can’t easily be tossed out. The specialized tools, and frustration of time and effort make it difficult for the average do it yourselfer. We send an experienced crew to make sure the job is done right, looks great, and lasts.
How is stamped concrete done?
- Our Houston soil are formed of well-drained clay that “have very high shrink-swell potential “ according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. It “formed in alkaline clays and chalk of the Blackland Prairies.” Because of this, proper soil preparation is vital to concrete durability. We’ll analyze your soils for whatever amendments must be made to prep the ground for your pour.
- As with all concrete applications, the ground is prepped, then leveled, and evenly tamped.
- Forms are built on site and usually, intersecting rebar must be laid.
- Depending on the specific job, what will be parked on it, etc. a base must be poured. We can advise you on the strongest, least expensive materials that will work best for your location.
- Concrete must be carefully mixed and poured to a thickness no less than 4”.
- Integral coloring is adding the color in the mixer before pouring. Broadcast coloring, sometimes called surface coloring, consists of distributing dry color evenly to the top of the concrete.
- Before the texturizing mats can be laid, a releasing agent will have to be applied. This makes sure the concrete doesn’t come up with the mat.
- The mats are laid, taken up, and relaid according to the customer’s specifications. We want you thrilled with your textured patio.
- 24 hours to cure and the release agent needs washed off the surface.
- Then we seal the top surface with a clear sealant to show off your new stamped and stained concrete driveway or patio.