Stamped Concrete

What is Stamped Concrete? Stamped Concrete is the amazing process whereby color and texture is added to normal concrete. The end result is a beautiful products that has the natural look of brick, slate, stone or tile.

Does Stamped Concrete look “fake”? Absolutely not. Even experienced concrete masons have been fooled by the amazing authenticity of Stamped Concrete. See for yourself, visit the Photo Gallery page.

How long has Stamped Concrete been around? Surprisingly, Stamped Concrete has been around for almost 50 years.

What’s different about today’s Stamped Concrete versus that of the past? Today’s Stamped Concrete achieves a level of realism that greatly surpasses that of the past. Years ago Stamped Concrete was capable only of simulating a pattern. It lacked any kind of definition or resolution. Through technological advances, Stamped Concrete shed it’s pattern-like look and is now virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.

Can Stamped Concrete be found in commercial environment? Absolutely, Stamped Concrete can be found throughout the world at many distinguished hotels, casinos, resorts, etc. A famous example, for instance, would be Disney World.

What makes Stamped Concrete better than other products such as wooden decks or interlocking pavers? It is widely regarded that wooden decks are very maintenance intensive. This is a face, unfortunately, that most people find highly objectionable. Secondly, wooden decks have the not so desirable quality of being quite commonplace. As for interlocking pavers, settling of the installed pavement and rampant growth of weeds are two characteristics that have always been vehemently criticized. Interlocking pavers, which incidentally are manufactured out of colored concrete, have the inherent flaw of dramatically settling within only a few years time. The result is a wavy, unsightly up and down appearance. Additionally, interlocking pavers have the loathsome tendency to foster weed growth that can ultimately become very pervasive.

How much does Stamped Concrete cost? Remarkably, Stamped Concrete mostimes cost less than interlocking pavers and may cost considerably less than wooden decks. Final estimates will very depending on job conditions, nature of work to be completed, etc.

How is Stamped Concrete colored? We use integral colored concrete from www.titanamerica.com  that is consistent throughout the entire slab.

Does Stamped Concrete become slippery when wet? It may depending on several variables, but it is only a result of the clear coat.  If you find that it is to slippery we can come back and put an anti-skid into another coat of sealer, or apply it during the installation if there are concerns at that time

Is there any chance that it might crack? This is probably the most asked question that we receive.  Concrete as a whole has two major things that cause cracks, 1 is lack of sub base preparation, and 2. Lack of or improperly placed control joints.  Concrete Concepts has had great success with crack control putting these two process into place.  We place control joints approximately every eight feet and we cut them approximately 2 inches deep to minimize any unpredictable random cracking.

What kind of maintenance is necessary? There exists two different maintenance plans depending on your desires. One option; the first and easiest, is absolutely no maintenance at all. No maintenance is required to keep the strength of the concrete at it’s highest. In addition, not maintaining the Stamped Concrete will result in a natural aging of the colors that some people find desirable. It must be noted however, that Stamped Concrete has the wonderful attribute of appearing perfectly brand new after a reseal. In fact, in our experience Stamped Concrete looks even better after a reseal than when originally installed. Therefore, we recommend resealing once every two to three years to reinvigorate the colors to a level of beauty that even surpasses that of the original installation.

If I choose to reseal, how much will it cost? Although sealer can be purchased and applied easily with just a roller, it is recommended that the application be performed by a professional. We can perform the reseal typically between 50 cents – 1 dollar per square foot and remarkably, this includes the sealer.

Stained Concrete:

What is reactive acid staining? AKA chemical Staining?  Acid staining is a permanent coloration process where a low acid based solution combined with natural metallic salts reacts with the lime present in your concrete. Unlike paint, these stains chemical reaction with the concrete is permanent and will not peal off.

How many colors are there?  There are many colors to choose from depending on the type of stain used. Earth tone colors are available with acid stains and more vibrant bright colors can be achieved with pigment stains or dyes.

At what point in the construction process should we schedule the floor staining? Ideally, you should contact Concrete Concepts prior to construction for a detailed list of items that drastically affect the concrete staining process. This information will be made available upon request. Due to the difficulty of protecting a finished floor from damage by other trades; we prefer to come in after drywallers, plasterers, and tilers but prior to the installation of the kitchen cabinets, islands, toilets and baseboards, and final paint.

How does the concrete need to be prepared?  The concrete must be cleaned with a commercial floor cleaner or buffer. Depending on surface condition certain degreasers or other floor cleaners may need to be used.

Will the colors fade with time?  Exterior projects are exposed to the sun and other elements and are more susceptible to fading unless properly care for.  The industry does have UV resistant sealers that aid against possible color fading. Sometimes colors may get a little darker with time but overall there will be very little change. Proper maintenance of the surface is critical to keeping it in pristine condition.

What is concrete engraving?  Concrete engraving is the process of making decorative cuts into the concrete to create patterns, lines or designs. . A penetrating stain is used to transform the color and then a permanent, precise, pattern is engraved (cut) INTO the hard concrete surface with a patented diamond blade engraving machine. This system process is complete by application of a clear top coat to seal the surface area.

How many different designs are there?   With this process the designs are virtually unlimited. There are many popular designs to choose from or you can bring your own designs. Size is no object.

What will an engraving job look like in several years?  With periodic maintenance, the surface will look substantially the same years after installation. With no maintenance, over time, engraved bricks or tiles naturally take on an antique or used brick appearance. Many people find this to be a very desirable look. What caused this is the wear of the protective sealer coats.

How long does it take to complete the engraving process?  The concrete transformation process will take several days to complete depending upon the size and intricacy of the job and weather conditions. Cleaning and preparing the concrete surface is key to the longevity of the finishes. The areas must be kept clean and uncontaminated as they dry. The stain and finish applications must also be protected from contamination and surface contact during the curing process. The concrete substrate should be isolated (roped off) during each operation to ensure proper adhesion of coatings. The areas must be avoided during the processes and should not be used until the coatings are completely cured. Reuse availability times will be dictated by specific weather conditions and product specifications. Normally a 48 hour waiting period is required after the final finish is applied.

How deep are the cuts?   The cuts are approximately 1/16" to 1/8" deep. Enough to simulate a nice uniform mortar joint or grout line, to give the full effect of the desired look without being a heal catcher, or collect dirt.

How many different colors can be applied to the same engraving?  Theoretically there is no limit. With all the new products being introduced to the industry it is becoming even easier to find as many colors as you want. However the number of colors will depend on the size of the project and how cost conscious the client is.

Can just portions of the concrete slab be engraved?   Yes, but the entire slab in most cases will be more attractive. It's a matter of personal taste but continuity in a design is generally more pleasing to the eye.

I just poured a new slab. When can I stain it? How soon before I can score it? Depending on several things like temperature and humidity, with few exceptions, stain manufacturers require a 30-day cure time before staining. Concrete hydrates during cure. As it cures moisture dissipates from the slab. If it is stained to soon the water vapor build up could cause your stain to turn "black" or push the sealer off. How soon a pattern can be scored or engraved depends on the temperature, aggregate type and humidity. We tend to wait a minimum 48 hours for basic saw cutting and the more decorative detailed saw cuts we tend to give a 7-day grace period before cutting fine detailed lines.

What kind of maintenance does a completed job require?  A completed project is very low maintenance; basically all you need to do is clean it with a mop and clean water. Depending on traffic and other variables it is suggested that a clear seal coat or coats of concrete wax for interior surface be reapplied as needed.

What happens if the concrete gets chipped or gouged past the stain?  Chips and gouges are easily repaired and touched up with stain. We record what was used on your job for future reference in case of accidents.  We will leave this information with you as requested.

What type of protection do you recommend using to protect the floor during construction? When covering a floor, we recommend over lapping corrugated cardboard or rosin paper and taping to the cardboard or paper. Do not tape to the concrete; this leaves dark, blocky marks in the concrete, which are permanent. Some builders have placed 2 x 4 planks along the walls to weight the cardboard.

Is it ok for me to place rubber backed rugs or non-open skid weave matting or pads under my rugs? No! It's not recommended; doing so could result in permanent discoloration in the area's they were placed due to trapped moisture/ vapors or sweating conditions.

How durable are these floors? These floors should not be considered maintenance free. They will need to be kept clean and clear of any debris that may scratch the surface. For interior jobs you will have a clear wax, also called a wear coat that will need to be reapplied based on the traffic and wear of the floors. For exterior projects a new coat of sealer will need to be applied every few years as the sun and natural elements will wear its sealing properties. These services are available with a maintenance plan.