Stamped Concrete and Regular Concrete - What's the Difference Between Them?

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Stamped Concrete and Regular Concrete - What's the Difference Between Them?

I'm a concrete contractor and I talk to lots of people out estimating and considering work for my business. Many times people think stamped concrete is totally different than regular concrete and it's really an entirely different product. This is somewhat true, however the basics of both are the same and they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in exactly the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they will generally be the same thickness and have exactly the same design strength.


Regular concrete can be your everyday concrete used in sidewalks, driveways, patios, roads, and anytime regular pavement is constructed. It's generally placed on some type of gravel or native soil base that's compacted. The area is then formed with lumber or manufactured forms. Reinforcement is usually installed in the base which is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is designed for its application. For instance, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is normally poured four inches thick. The concrete mix can be specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas which have severe winters. That's the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is placed, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, just like a broom. After that, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the easy way with a membrane forming curing compound.

Stamped concrete is quite similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all the steps will be the same except the finishing steps. The concrete is also colored that is usually added to the mix. It can also be colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an intrinsic color. After bull floating is when things the procedure changes with stamped concrete. Some contractors go one step further and trowel the concrete to achieve the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete in our area due to harsh winters, which isn't said to be troweled so we usually just obtain it smooth as you possibly can with a magnesium bull float. Following the concrete sets to a desired hardness, the concrete is imprinted with the rubber like stamps. A release agent which is an antiquing colored release, or liquid release agent can be used to help keep the stamps from sticking with the concrete. Some contractors will put curing paper on the concrete to cure it till the very next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer that is also a membrane forming cure.

So in summary stamped and regular, there isn't much difference between your two apart from what they look like on the surface. Lots of people they think stamped concrete is just not as durable as regular concrete and that is not the case. The thing that could make it less durable may be the texture of the stamped concrete. Within  https://casagrande-concrete.com/  that gets snow, stamped concrete can get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.