Does anyone have any pros/cons to stamped concrete? A customer woud like a stamped concrete patio. I’m concerned about durability and appearance after 5yrs, stuff like that.
If Stamped concrete is a poor choice in the opinion of someone here, then what alternatives would one recommend to achieve a similar look/feel?
If at first you don’t succeed, try using a hammer next time…everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Replies
I've seen stamped concrete (fake brick) sidewalks in our downtown that have held up quite well. This is in snow and ice country.
Hmmmm, that' one thing I was thinking of, like the use of salt or ice melt chemicals, wondered how it would affect the concrete.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Try this web site. This is where I purchase our material.
This material added to 3000 lb. concrete will make a slab, patio or driveway 6000 lbs. in strength. The finish product is impervious to gasoline, oil, etc.......Wipes right off with a rag. The only thing that will hurt the finish is brake fluid. Too numerouse stamps to list, possibilities are endless.
Semper Fi
If you go with stamped concrete, you definitely want to use someone who has a lot of experience doing this type of work; there are no opportunities for corrections - it's art.
Out here is the Bay Area, concrete pavers are about the same price, are more "authentic" looking, are more forgiving re: install and give you the ability to pull up and put back down any part you want now or in the future.
Advocate
I have ~1000 sq ft stamped concrete around our in-ground pool, and I also have stamped concrete installed in some of the houses I build.
Pros: Not extremly expensive and quick to install. Looks nice, and if cared for properly, it will look good for years.
Cons: it must be re-sealed at least every 2 years. The sealed surface is not that scratch resistant.
When building new homes, once the concrete is sealed, I have to treat it like a hardwood floor, as far as foot traffic, etc, so I wait as long as I can before installing and sealing it. Re the re-sealing process, if it is not done in a timely fashon, the surface gets minor cosmetic damage that can't be easily repaired. This would include scratches and possibly some flaking of the surface color. When I say surface color, what I mean is that the color of the concrete comes from two sources: 1) the concrete is normally ordered with some kind of dye mixed in. This coloring is there for the life of the slab. 2) a colored release powder is used with the rubber stamps to help keep them from sticking to the wet concrete. This colored release compound helps to give the finished concrete more depth in appearece because you no longer have a mono-tone colored surface. After the concrete is placed and has it's initial set, most of this surface coloring powder is washed off with a power washer, but some remains. The remaining color form the powder is impreginated into the top, maybe 1/16" of the slab. Then the job is sealed.
Re the cost of resealing, for example, for our pool deck, the materials for resealing cost about $300. This past time I hired someone to apply the sealer, which doubled the price. The sealer that most of the concrete guys sell around here is, what appears to me to be, a lacquer base. Or it least it smells like it.
Around here, (minneapolis,MN) well done colored and stampled concrete isn't much cheaper than well done pavers, and neither is cheap. Stamped concrete tend to run at best 20-25% less than pavers, depending on the particulars of the installation. There are a few situations where I might recommend concrete over pavers but not many, and well done pavers will outlast concrete, especially in frost country. If I was going to spend alot of money on a paved surface, why spend almost as much for something that doesn't look as good or last as long? Concrete still looks like concrete, with expansion joints, cut in control joints, etc.
There is a significant advantage for stamped concrete when dealing with, eg, a commercial sidewalk. To assure safety (against tripping/lawsuits), ordinary pavers over sand/rock cannot be used (at least not without frequent maintenance), and one must either use stamped concrete or pavers set on a concrete base. But pavers on a concrete base are an invitation for frost damage. Stamped concrete may spall, but it won't heave and create trip points.(Commercial sidewalks is where I see it most often. Paver driveways are not incredibly common but are done, and I've yet to see a stamped driveway -- though there are probably one or two around if I looked.)
Edited 9/26/2005 11:31 am ET by DanH
pro - you can put an ice melt system in concrete, but not under interloc ..