Stamped Decorative Concrete
Stamped concrete is concrete that is patterned to resemble brick, slate, flagstone, stone, tile- and even wood. Stamped concrete can be used to beautify pool decks, driveways, entries and courtyards, and patios.
Due to the wide array of patterns and colors available, and the cost of stamped concrete in relation to the materials stamped concrete is a substitute for, the choice of stamped concrete is becoming more popular and frequent.Colors and patterns for stamped concrete are often chosen to blend with other stone or tile elements at the residence. Designs incorporating steps, courtyards, and built-in grills can be achieved. Stamped concrete can also be blended with other decorative concrete elements such as exposed aggregate finishes and acid-etch staining. Stamped concrete is also very cost effective as it is usually 1/3 less the price of installing natural materials.
Does stamped concrete fade?
Cleaning and sealing stamped and colored concrete should be done on a regular basis just like any other home maintenance. The frequency will depend on how high a traffic area to cars, foot traffic, water, and any chemicals the concrete is exposed to.
We recommends resealing your stamped concrete every 2 or 3 years. This depends on the amount of traffic and direct sunlight on the surface. If you wait longer, you may notice the color fade slightly. Reseal your stamped concrete and the color will be as vibrant as the day it was installed.
1. Rinse dirt/debris off stamped concrete surface with a garden hose or gentle power wash.
2. Apply a small amount of liquid dish soap in a bucket fill with water and scrub with a push broom.
3. Rinse well with a garden hose until there is no sign of soap suds.
4. DRY surface completely by using a leaf blower or by waiting 24 hours to air dry.
DO NOT APPLY SEALER TO A DAMP/WET SURFACE
may cause sealant to turn milky white which is very difficult to remove
5. Once the surface is completely dry, apply the sealer as follows:
*Sealer can be rolled on ”stir in anti skid additive to sealer”
*Sealer should be applied very thin.
*Sealer should be applied when air temperature is above 55 F. Best results will be obtained by applying sealer during cooler temperatures- fall and spring or before 10 am and after 4 pm in summer months. If the concrete is heating up during while the sealant is drying, bubbles will form in the sealant....these can be removed by scrubbing bubbles with solvent to reactivate sealant if needed.
6. Your stamped concrete should be resealed every 2-3 years to protect your investment. One 5-gallon pail of sealer will cover approximately 1, 000 sq ft for a reseal.
7. It is important to use the same type of sealer that was used when your patio was installed. It will be a solvent base or water base sealer. We recommend using the solvent base sealer for best results. We use Super Diamond Clear Sealant, purchased at Theut Products. Xylene solvent is used for clean up or scrubbing air trapped bubbles. Anti-skid additive is available also. (Read all directions thoroughly for these chemical products)
Is this durable enough to withstand our winter?
Again, installed by experienced craftsmen, stamped concrete is more durable and will last longer than any other type of masonry installation! Whereas traditional pavers and cobblestone settle unevenly during the freeze/thaw cycle of winter, stamped concrete is reinforced with wire mesh, right in the middle of the concrete. This reinforcement gives the concrete the necessary strength to resist the constant heaving produced by the freezing and thawing of the ground.
Stamped concrete is also better than pavers and cobblestone in the Spring and Summer. Pavers and cobblestones are susceptible to joint deterioration if sand is not constantly brushed into all the joints. This joint deterioration results in ant hills, growth of unsightly grass and weeds and produces dangerous tripping hazards when the individual pavers settle unevenly. Stamped concrete is one monolithic placement of concrete eliminating full depth joints thus no ant hills or weeds to worry about!
Salt eats ALL types of masonry installations including concrete. During the winter, use sand only for best results.
The color chart represents approximate shades of Solomon Colors obtained using a gray portland and tan sand at 1lb., 2lb., and 4 1/2 lbs. of cement. Shade variations of cement and sand plus variations in the volume of water, the addition of admixtures and other additives may have an effect to the design mix and final color.
