The Paving Blog

While on the subject of concrete…

Stamped concrete is a new and most powerful aesthetic development in paving technology. Whereas, the appearance of almost all cement work in the past has revolved around the top finish with hand tools, there has developed in the last 15-20 years a burgeoning practice called “Stamped Concrete”. Using the very same concrete as in the past, this new development takes that cement and adds color and texture to the original grey and comparatively boring original.

I have included just a couple of pictures here which give some idea of the creative scope available with this exciting new phase of outdoor decorative concreting. The color range is actually pretty phenomenal and the colors are very long-lasting, if not utterly permanent. Naturally, a sealing coat can insure a longer and mote protected color existence.

Stamped concrete uses a textural template, usually of soft rubber or malleable plastic where the pattern desired if place on about a 3 foot wide platform. This platform is laid onto the cement at the proper time, then is embedded in a process where the applier steps on or otherwise presses the mold onto the wet cement. Picking it up, the corners are matched and the pressure application repeats itself until an entire swath of poured cement is done. The colors can be put on prior (even in the mixer to provide a base) or applied in powder or liquid form, as an extremely penetrating dye. Thus rendered, what can also be arrived at is some variations in tone and color that act as shadows or even as an apparently mineral-rich substance.

In any event, the look can vary from totally stone-like and primitive to geometrically-complex. Inasmuch as the application of these process occurs at a time the cement is wet and still-drying, one can also take some license and apply things such as the gears and machine parts shown in one of these pictures. Obviously, the result is a most interesting artistic success, which can actually be said about the entire stamped concrete process..