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. Many times people think stamped concrete is completely unique of 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 the same application. For instance, if stamped concrete or regular concrete can be used for a driveway, they'll generally be the same thickness and have exactly the same design strength.

Regular concrete can be your everyday concrete found 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 bottom 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 usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas which have severe winters. That is the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is positioned, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, just like a broom. From then on, 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 are the same except the finishing steps. The concrete can be colored which is usually added to the mix. It is also colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an integral color. After  https://www.georgetownconcretetx.com/  floating is when things the process 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 because of 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. After 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 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 higher gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.

So in summary stamped and regular, there isn't much difference between your two apart from 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's 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 can get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.