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

I'm a concrete contractor and I speak to many people out estimating and looking at work with my business. Often people think stamped concrete is totally different than regular concrete and it's really a completely 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  Article source , if stamped concrete or regular concrete is 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 positioned on some type of gravel or native soil base that's compacted. The region 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 which is designed for its application. For example, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is normally poured four inches thick. The concrete mix can be specified which is usually a 4000 psi mix within areas which have severe winters. That's the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is positioned, 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 can be colored that is usually put into the mix. It is also colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an intrinsic color. After bull floating is when things the process changes with stamped concrete. Some contractors go one step further and trowel the concrete to find the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area due to the 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 that is an antiquing colored release, or liquid release agent can be used to 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 high gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.

So in summary stamped and regular, there is not much difference between the two other than what they look like on the surface. Many 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 is the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete will get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.