What Does Stamped Concrete Entail?
Stamped concrete is a decorative process of imprinting textured patterns on wet concrete. Plain concrete will be pressed with a stamp in order to create a surface which mimics the likes of stone or brick. Concrete stamping can be done on exterior stairs, walkways, and patios, in addition to areas surrounding fountains and swimming pools.
A concrete stamp will be made just to stamp concrete. And can be made from either rubber, metal or wood. Basically, anything that will create an impression can be used to stamp concrete, like a carved wood block, or a piece of decorative openwork metal. Once the stamp is pressed into wet concrete, it will then be stepped on or hit with a hammer to ensure the impression goes deep enough.
A coating of oil will sometimes be used on a piece of material on the stamp to stop it from sticking and pulling the concrete up with it when it is removed. It is advisable to test the stamp in a small area to make sure the effect is what is desired. Although wet concrete does have to be worked on quite quickly, it is possible to smooth over the stamped area and to re-stamp it so long as the concrete remains wet.
A thinner consistency of concrete will be used for stamping than for paving surfaces that have plain concrete. Stamping concrete outside can be a good DIY job for homeowners or a job for a professional stamped concrete company. Stamping exterior surfaces to mimic stone or brick is popular due to the fact it looks realistic, plus, the time and cost that is involved are cheaper than paving surfaces with actual brick and stone.
If you like the idea of concrete stamping and reside in the Orem, UT area, please do not hesitate to call us at Chuys Concrete LLC today at (801) 926-9912.