Home \ About Us \ Res & Comm Installations \ For Contractors \ Consulting \ Photo Gallery \ Contact Us
Stamped Concrete
This system involves coloring
fresh ready-mixed concrete and embossing authentic looking patterns
of brick, stone or wood into the partially set concrete.
This is a system used in new construction.
Stamped concrete looks great around pools, patios and walkways.
Stamped concrete is also very cost effective as it is usually
1/3 less the price
of installing natural materials.
Will stamped concrete crack?
The nature of any type of concrete is that it MAY crack. To minimize/eliminate any risk of stamped concrete cracking, it must be installed by an experienced, knowledgeable concrete contractor specifically trained in stamping concrete. A competent concrete contractor knows that the sub-grade must be of structurally sound material; that the concrete mix design must be 4000, ¾”, 7% air-entrained concrete to withstand a harsh New England winter; that the concrete must be reinforced with 3/8” steel rebar; that nylon fibers should be added to the concrete for secondary reinforcement against cracking and that proper control joints/expansion joints are cut into the concrete. Should the concrete crack despite these measures, the crack is almost always of the “hair-line” variety. Most of your friends and guests will never know its there unless you point it out to them!
Will the colors of stamped concrete fade?
The pigment that is worked into the surface of the concrete is a synthetic metal oxide pigment, the same as used in making brick which does not noticeably fade for many, many years. Distinctive Concrete recommends resealing every 2 or 3 years. If you wait longer, you may notice the color fade slightly. But just like waxing a car, reseal your stamped concrete and the color will be as vibrant as the day it was installed.
How many years has stamped concrete been installed?
A form of today’s stamped concrete was originated on the West coast back in the 1960’s. The stamp concrete tools back then were made of metal and resembled “cookie cutters”. They produced a pattern, but did not provide any texture. Today’s tools are rigid mats made of polyurethane that produce authentic textured patterns of stone, brick and even wood planking and fossilized sea-life! When stamped concrete is installed by experienced craftsmen, brick masons with 30 years of experience can’t tell the difference between stamped concrete and real brick or stone.
Is stamped concrete durable enough to withstand New England 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 3/8” steel reinforcing rods placed 24” on-center-each-way, right in the middle of the concrete. This steel reinforcement gives the concrete the necessary tensile 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.
© 1999-2008 Distinctive Concrete
New England's leading designer, installer & supplier of
decorative concrete products
concrete countertops |
stamped concrete
|
stained concrete
|
overlays & micro-toppings
consulting services
| training
| supplies
| stamp rentals