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

I'm a concrete contractor and I speak to lots of people out estimating and considering work for my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely different than regular concrete and it's an entirely different product. That is somewhat true, however the basics of the two are the same and they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they will generally function as same thickness and have the same design strength.

Regular concrete is your everyday concrete found 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 region is then formed with lumber or manufactured forms. Reinforcement is normally installed in the bottom which is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is created for its application. For instance, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix can be specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas that have severe winters. That is the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is placed, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, such as 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 very similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all of the steps will be the same except the finishing steps. The concrete is also colored which is usually put into the mix. It can also be colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an integral color. After bull floating is when things the procedure changes with stamped concrete. Some contractors go one step further and trowel the concrete to obtain the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area as a result of harsh winters, which isn't said to be troweled so we usually just get 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 is used to help keep the stamps from sticking to the concrete. Click for info will put curing paper on the concrete to cure it till the very next day when the concrete will be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.

So to conclude stamped and regular, there isn't much difference between the two other than what they appear to be 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 an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete will get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.