Stamped Concrete Seattle

Stamped Concrete Benefits

The benefits of having stamped concrete in Seattle does not necessarily come with the actual stamping, but with all the benefits that concrete flooring provides.

Reason #1: Concrete is very cost-effective
Concrete as a flooring substance is very durable, cost effective, and lasts a very long time. As your stamped concrete will most likely be outside, minimal maintenance of concrete is an added benefit compared to wood decks and flooring.

Reason #2: Concrete can assume different forms and shapes
Concrete can be molded and shaped to fit any space or floor. There are other design types outside of stamping, including concrete color staining, and polished concrete floors. For more information of the benefits of concrete flooring, you can go to our concrete flooring page.

Reason #3: Easy to add a design to make your floor pop
The stamping element provides added value in design and visual appearance since plain concrete can look very drab and boring. Popular stamping types include brick, tile, and or stone shapes. Shapes can vary in size and design and are not always uniform.

1. Flooring Layout: Planning the concrete layout is very important if done outdoors as there will not be predefined walls for the concrete to set in. The formation and reinforcement of the formation will ensure that the shape of the flooring will remain consistent to how it is desired. The proper slope for water drainage must be planned in this stage.

2. Laying Concrete: The concrete is placed in the forms.

3. Leveling Concrete: After the concrete is placed down, it must be leveled immediately since concrete dries quickly. The leveling also ensures that that the concrete is flat or sloped as desired for the design. Concrete leveling is also called concrete screeding.

4. Coloring: Depending on desired finished design of the concrete, color may be essential. For example if the flooring is going to be stamped to mimic stone, a whitish or black color may be desired. For brick stamps, red could be a desired color. There are many ways that stamped concrete can be colored depending on the actual color and finished texture desired.

5. Stamping Concrete: The design of the stamps will be mapped out before stamping. It is important to stamp while the concrete is still drying or stamping can not occur.

6. Curing: Curing increases the density of the concrete, which will make it more durable and strong. This is very important for exterior concrete flooring because of the abuse Mother Nature gives in the form of wind, rain, and snow.

7. Joint Installation: Joints are installed into the concrete flooring in the effort to minimize any cracks. Cracks are difficult to prevent overall because of ground shifting, temperature changes during the day and night, and other weather effects. If cracking does occur however, it is more likely to happen near or at the joint rather than right in the middle of the design.

8. Sealing: The final step is to seal off the concrete to close all pores with sealer. The sealer will prevent dirt and moisture from coming into the concrete and it can also give the finished product a shine or sheer to it for the design.