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

I'm a concrete contractor and I speak to lots of people out estimating and looking at work for my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely unique of regular concrete and it's really a completely different product. This is somewhat true, however 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 is used for a driveway, they'll generally be the same thickness and 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 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 normally installed in the bottom that is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness which is created for its application. For  supplies for epoxy floor installers , a driveway that handles car and light trucks is normally poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas that 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, 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 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 added to the mix. It can also be 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 obtain the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete in our area due to the harsh winters, which isn't said to be troweled so we usually just get 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 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 next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.

So to conclude 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 just not the case. The only thing that could make it 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.