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

I'm a concrete contractor and I talk to lots of people out estimating and looking at work with my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely unique of regular concrete and it's a completely different product. That is somewhat true, but the basics of the two 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 is used for a driveway, they'll generally function as same thickness and also have 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.  Great post to read  is then formed with lumber or manufactured forms. Reinforcement is normally installed in the base that 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 normally poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified which 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, like 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 quite similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all of the steps are the same except the finishing steps. The concrete is also colored that is usually added to 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 get 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 possible 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 that is an antiquing colored release, or liquid release agent is used to help 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 be washed and sealed with a high gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.

So to conclude stamped and regular, there isn't much difference between the two apart from what they appear to be on the surface. Many 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.