Stamped Concrete and Regular Concrete Whats the Difference Between Them

Concreting 'm a concrete contractor and I talk to many 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. This is somewhat true, however the basics of both are the same plus they are usually specified the same, when used in the same application. For instance, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they'll generally be the same thickness and have exactly the same design strength.

Regular concrete is your everyday concrete used 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 usually installed in the base 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 normally poured four inches thick. The concrete mix can be specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix within 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, like a broom. From then on, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the simple 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 put into 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 achieve 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 obtain 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 which 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 very next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer that is also a membrane forming cure.

So to summarize stamped and regular, there is not much difference between the two other than what they look like on the surface. Lots of people they think stamped concrete is simply not as durable as regular concrete and that's just not the case. The thing that could make it less durable may be the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete will get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.