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

I'm a concrete contractor and I talk to many people out estimating and considering work with my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely unique of regular concrete and it's really an entirely different product. That is somewhat true, however the basics of the two are the same plus they are usually specified the same, when used in the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they'll generally be the same thickness and also 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 form of gravel or native soil base that's compacted. The area is then formed with lumber or manufactured forms.  Discover more here  is usually 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 example, 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 within 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, like a broom. After that, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the simple way with a membrane forming curing compound.

Stamped concrete is very similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all the steps are the same except the finishing steps. The concrete is also colored which is usually added to the mix. It is also 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 have the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area due to the harsh winters, which isn't supposed to be troweled so we usually just obtain it smooth as possible 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 to the concrete. Some contractors will put curing paper on the concrete to cure it till the next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a high gloss sealer that is also a membrane forming cure.

So in summary stamped and regular, there isn't much difference between the two apart from what they look like on the surface. Lots of people they think stamped concrete is simply not as durable as regular concrete and that's just not the case. The thing that could ensure it is less durable may be the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete can get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.