Stamped Concrete 101

​​Concrete Placement: The to-be-poured area will be prepared and formed for the new concrete. A specific stamp concrete mix will be provided by a concrete plant. Typically an integral color is added to the concrete at the plant to achieve the desired base color. The wet concrete is then poured into the prepared area, flatten and smoothed.

Coloring: There are two main forms of coloring practice's for stamped concrete, integral and color hardener.
-Integral Color is added to the concrete truck before it leaves the plant. This color will encompass the concrete completely from top to bottom and side to side.
-Color Hardener is a powder throw over the wet, normal colored concrete after in has been poured. Color hardener only colors the top layer of your concrete.
More detail regarding color terms, usage and color variations can be found on our Colors Page.

Stamping Tools: Specialized rubber or polyurethane mats with intricate patterns and textures are provided by the contractor. The texture is typically selected by the homeowner before the work begins. There are 100's of textures. Typically concrete contractors own the stamp sets commonly requested, other texture sets can usually be rented from a local material provider(we use Deco-Crete Supply).

Stamping Process: While the concrete is still in its plastic or semi-liquid state, the stamps are pressed onto the surface one by one. This is usually done in a particular sequence, so the patterns align seamlessly. This requires skill and precision to avoid duplication, gaps or other pattern and texture issues.

Release Agents: To prevent the stamps from sticking to the wet concrete paste, a release agent or bond-breaker will need to be applied.  There are several bond breakers commonly used. Liquid Release, also known as a bubblegum release is one option. The second and better option is a color powder release. Typically, this color will be chosen to add contrast to the base color(s). The powder release color will pressed into the depressions & lowers textures of the stamp when the rubber mat is tamped.

Control Joints: Crack control joints are saw cut into the concrete to predict and hide where the concrete will crack(concrete always cracks - see concrete FAQ's). Sometimes the joints are cut into the wet concrete. This is very common for normal concrete, less common for stamped concrete.

Cleaning & Detailing: The stamped concrete is allowed to cure/harden for a period of time, typically a day or two. Normally, a pressure washer & broom are used to clean the release agent off the concrete. Sometimes a soap or light muriatic acid are also used. This is especially important if a powder release color was used. This will remove 80%-90% of the color release from the new concrete. Leaving just secondary color in the lower depressions, creating a realistic 3-D look. Detailing of any imperfections in the stamp is typically done at this time. 

Sealing: After the concrete has had time to dry and cure, a sealer is then applied. This sealer enhances the color(s), provides protection against wear & tear, and makes the surface easier to clean. For stamped concrete we typically suggest and use a high-quality, oil based sealer. That said, not all sealers are the same. For example, certain big box stores sell oil-based concrete/decorative concrete sealers. We've found that these sealers are extremely harmful to stamped concrete. If used, you MUST cut the sealer heavily. Otherwise the sealer may cause delamination of the concrete's surface/colors. We suggest using Gem-Seal 400 from Brickform, or our favorite sealer, D1 Concrete Sealer from Deco-Crete Supply.