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This system involves coloring fresh ready-mixed concrete and embossing authentic looking patterns of brick, stone or wood into the partially set concrete.  This is a system used in new construction.  Stamped concrete looks great around pools, patios and walkways.  Stamped concrete is also very cost effective as it is usually 1/3 less the price of installing natural materials.

Will stamped concrete crack?

The nature of any type of concrete is that it MAY crack.  To minimize/eliminate any risk of stamped concrete cracking, it must be installed by an experienced, knowledgeable concrete contractor specifically trained in stamping concrete.  A competent concrete contractor knows that the sub-grade must be of structurally sound material; that the concrete mix design must be 4000, ¾”, 7% air-entrained concrete to withstand a harsh New York winter; that the concrete must be reinforced with 3/8” steel rebar; that nylon fibers should be added to the concrete for secondary reinforcement against cracking and that proper control joints/expansion joints are cut into the concrete.  Should the concrete crack despite these measures, the crack is almost always of the “hair-line” variety.  Most of your friends and guests will never know its there unless you point it out to them! 

Will the colors of stamped concrete fade?

The pigment that is worked into the surface of the concrete is a synthetic metal oxide pigment, the same as used in making brick which does not noticeably fade for many, many years.  Inside & Out Home Improvements recommends resealing every 2 or 3 years.  If you wait longer, you may notice the color fade slightly.  But just like waxing a car, reseal your stamped concrete and the color will be as vibrant as the day it was installed. 

How many years has stamped concrete been installed?

A form of today’s stamped concrete was originated on the West coast back in the 1960’s.  The stamp concrete tools back then were made of metal and resembled “cookie cutters”.  They produced a pattern, but did not provide any texture.  Today’s tools are rigid mats made of polyurethane that produce authentic textured patterns of stone, brick and even wood planking and fossilized sea-life!  When stamped concrete is installed by experienced craftsmen, brick masons with 30 years of experience can’t tell the difference between stamped concrete and real brick or stone. 

Is stamped concrete durable enough to withstand New York winters?

Again, installed by Inside & Out Home Improvements, stamped concrete is more durable and will last longer than any other type of masonry installation!  Whereas traditional pavers and cobblestone settle unevenly during the freeze/thaw cycle of winter, stamped concrete is reinforced with 3/8” steel reinforcing rods placed 24” on-center-each-way, right in the middle of the concrete.  This steel reinforcement gives the concrete the necessary tensile strength to resist the constant heaving produced by the freezing and thawing of the ground.  Stamped concrete is also better than pavers and cobblestone in the Spring and Summer.  Pavers and cobblestones are susceptible to joint deterioration if sand is not constantly brushed into all the joints.  This joint deterioration results in ant hills, growth of unsightly grass and weeds and produces dangerous tripping hazards when the individual pavers settle unevenly.  Stamped concrete is one monolithic placement of concrete eliminating full depth joints thus no ant hills or weeds to worry about!  Salt eats ALL types of masonry installations including concrete.  During the winter, use sand only.

	Stamped Concrete Process: After the concrete has been placed and bull floated,  CHROME-HARD color hardener is applied after excess bleed water has evaporated. Each pail of color hardener will cover approximately 100 square feet (10 M2). It is applied using the dry shake method.
	After the color hardener has been applied and slick finished, the powder release agent is applied prior to stamping. The release agent will keep the stamp tools from pulling up concrete and impart another color shade to the work. Here, texture skins are used to texture to the edge of the form boards to ensure complete texturing to the edge of the slab.
Texturing continues down the edge of the form boards as workers in the background start running the Regal Ashlar mats. The first mat laid is critical to the layout of the job as all other mats will be placed square to the first mat.	A tamper is used to firmly imprint the texture and pattern of the stamp into the plastic concrete. Keeping the stamps fitted tightly together is important to create neat grout lines.
	Bands can be placed every 12 feet to break up the primary pattern used and provide a straight line to place an expansion joint. This helps to “hide” the expansion joint so that you don’t saw cut through your primary pattern. This is an easy and unique way to distinguish your work from others as well as creating a more aesthetic and realistic appeal.
	The concrete is allowed to set after stamping for 1 - 4 days, depending on climate, before the excess release agent is pressure washed from the surface. After the slab is allowed to dry completely, two coats of Sealer are applied to the surface using a 1/2” nap roller. The sealer protects the slab from staining and enriches the final color by amplifying the colors in the hardener and release agent.

Decorative Concrete Standard Color Chart