CONCRETE STAMPS

The purpose of concrete stamps is to press decorative patterns into wet concrete.  Concrete stamping is a perfect way to add a custom look to patios, driveways, walkways, or plazas.  You can also use concrete stamps for interior floors to transform and concrete surface into a polished, aged cobblestones, brickwork, flagstaff stones, slate tile, marble, granite, or wood surface.  Concrete stamps can be creative or conservative, ranging from colorfully floral stamps to insignias, monograms, or family seals.  

When concrete stamps are used together with color staining products, you can create multicolored, translucent surfaces, which realistically resembles the shading of natural stone.  Concrete stains are different from paint in that the stains chemically interact with the concrete, becoming part of the concrete so that the color will not fade or peel over time.  For added protection of the surface, a final coating or sealer is applied. 

To keep the concrete stamps and other tools from sticking to the wet surface of the concrete, a bond-breaking powder is used.  The release powder often times also has artistic properties such as antique release, which adds a natural weathered appearance to the surface. 

For oversized areas, such as full basements, or oversized patios with irregular or random patterns, many times it is easier to use embossing skins instead of concrete stamps for these areas.  Embossing skins are thin mats, which are available in sizes ranging from 3 square feet to 25 square feet.  These mates can be used with liquid bond-breakers that add texture to the surface.   

Stenciling is an easy process that many homeowners can do.  The process involves spreading a plastic coated adhesive stencil on a new concrete surface.  The next step is to apply the color to the surface.  Once the stencil is removed, the unstained concrete resembles "gray grout lines" such as those seen between brick, stone, tile, or the pattern of your choice.  To create a faux-natural look and provide a more durable wear-resistant surface, stencil finishing-coats can be used.  The most important step is to make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and to make sure that you allow each coating the proper amount of time to dry before moving on to the next step. 

Concrete stamps are available in a variety of sizes and patterns.  In addition, you can even have a custom-made concrete stamp made to suite your needs.  The average price for concrete stamps is around $100 - $350 U.S. dollars.  However, for special designs, custom-made stamps, and over sized patterns the price can run higher.  Another area that can increase the total cost of the concrete stamping process is the type of finishing technique chosen.