Stamped Concrete in Beavercreek, OH

Stamped concrete begins as a regular slab. While the surface is still soft, textured mats are pressed into it, color is added, and after curing it is sealed, so the patio, walk or border reads as slate, flagstone, cobblestone, brick or wood plank. Beavercreek homeowners often pick stamped concrete to dress up a brick ranch or colonial without the maintenance of individual pavers, which can heave and settle after a few hard winters and grow weeds in the joints.

Where it works well

• Back patios, often with a border in a second color
• Front entries and stoops, where the house has brick or stone
• Driveway borders, keeping the main lanes plain for snow removal
• Pool surrounds and fire pit areas, with grit in the sealer for traction

We usually advise against stamping an entire driveway or a steep walk. Deep texture holds packed snow and ice, and sealed stamped concrete is more slippery when wet than a broom finish.

How the color works

Most stamped jobs use two colors. The base color is integral, mixed into the concrete at the plant, so a chip shows color instead of gray. Before stamping, a release agent in a contrasting shade is spread on the surface so the mats do not stick. It collects in the low spots and gives the two-tone look of natural stone. The sealer on top brings out both colors and protects the surface.

Picking a pattern

Ashlar slate, a mix of rectangles in different sizes, is popular for patios because it looks like cut stone. Random stone and flagstone patterns look natural near gardens. Running bond or herringbone brick suits older brick homes. Wood plank works on small areas next to a deck. At the estimate we bring pattern and color samples and talk through how the layout lines up with doors, steps and the house.

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Winter, salt and sealer

Stamped concrete faces the same freeze-thaw cycles as any outdoor slab, and its weak point is the sealer. In high-traffic paths the sealer wears thin, and once it is gone, water and salt reach the colored surface and it begins to fade and flake. We pour stamped work with air-entrained concrete on a compacted stone base, hide control joints along pattern lines, and seal after the cure. Do not use salt on stamped concrete; sand gives traction without the damage.

New slab or overlay

If your existing patio is solid and level, a stamped overlay, a thin patterned layer bonded to the old slab, may be an option. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide lists stamped overlays at $7 to $15 a square foot for a single pattern and $15 to $20 for complex designs. An overlay will not fix a slab that has sunk or cracked through, because the cracks come back in the new surface. In that case a new stamped slab is the better investment.

Keeping it looking good

Sweep, rinse and clean up oil or grease before it soaks in. Reseal every few years, more often on walking paths, or when water stops beading and the color looks dull. Stamped concrete that is resealed on schedule keeps its color; skipping resealing is what makes it look worn.