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 looking at work for my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely unique of regular concrete and it's a completely different product. This is somewhat true, but the basics of the two are the same plus they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete can be used for a driveway, they will generally be the same thickness and have the same design strength.

Regular concrete is 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. Reinforcement is usually installed in the base that is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness which is created for its application. For instance, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix within areas that 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, such as a broom. From then on, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the simple way with a membrane forming curing compound.

Stamped concrete is quite 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 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 achieve the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area due to harsh winters, which isn't supposed to be troweled so we usually just obtain it smooth as you possibly can with a magnesium bull float. After  concrete company near me  to a desired hardness, the concrete is imprinted with the rubber like stamps. A release agent that 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 very next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a high gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.

So to summarize stamped and regular, there isn't much difference between your two other than 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 ensure it is less durable may be the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete will get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.