I'm a concrete contractor and I speak to lots of people out estimating and looking at work with my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely different than regular concrete and it's a completely different product. This is somewhat true, but the basics of the two are the same plus they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in exactly the same application. For instance, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they will generally function as same thickness and also have the same design strength.

Regular concrete is your everyday concrete found in sidewalks, driveways, patios, roads, and anytime regular pavement is constructed. It's generally placed on some type of gravel or native soil base that's compacted. The area 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 which is designed for its application. For Check out here , a driveway that handles car and light trucks is usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix can be specified which 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 placed, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, such as a broom. After that, 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 the steps are the same except the finishing steps. The concrete can be colored that is usually added to the mix. It is also colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an integral 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 said to be troweled so we usually just get 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 which is an antiquing colored release, or liquid release agent is used to keep the stamps from sticking with 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 is not much difference between your two other than what they look like on the surface. Many people they think stamped concrete is just not as durable as regular concrete and that is just not the case. The thing that could ensure it is less durable is the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete can get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.