Stamped Concrete Cost

Doug answers:

No, you will never add that much to the value of your home. Most projects add only a fraction of their cost to the value of your home. Some projects, like kitchen upgrades, can add 90% or more to the value of a home. Unfortunately, patios do not have the same universal appeal as a kitchen. Especially a stamped concrete patio. They may look good when they first go in, but I have never seen a concrete patio that doesn’t crack from the cold weather we experience in the Chicago area. It also appears that you are being over charged for that patio. At over $19.00 per square foot, you are paying almost twice what that patio should cost here. Maybe that’s the going rate where you live, but I’d suggest you get another quote! Or you could just use pavers rather than the fax stamped concrete look. Pavers give you the real look of pavers, they won’t crack and could save you nearly $2000.00. Because of their lasting quality, a paver patio will always return more value to a home than a stamped concrete patio.

Doug answers:

If they let the concrete set up before troweling on the hardener, then you’ve got a chance to get it off since it’s only bonded to the surface and not actually impregnating the concrete. Using (1) part of muratic acid to (4) parts clean water with a scrub brush will likely get the surface color off. Dip the brush into the acid solution and scrub areas about 4′ x 4′ wide. Once you’ve worked an area this large, stop and rinse the concrete off so the acid does not etch the finished surface.
You can also try a pressure washer. If they used a powder type hardener, you should be able to lift it off the surface with a good quality pressure washer.
Hardeners are generally thrown onto and floated into the surface layer of concrete prior to finishing and stamping and well before it sets up, so your installer likely installed the product incorrectly and that is why (A) it looks bad and (B) he should be stepping in and handling it for you. I hate to hear it when stuff like that happens. Good luck, I hope everything works out.

Doug answers:

This may sound odd and it is but, try using coca cola on a small area. Pour the contents of one can as evenly as you can over a small area. Wait about two hours, use a nozzle on the end of a hose to remove. Coca cola can remove rust stains from chrome wheels and I’ve also used it effectively when doing exposed aggregate flatwork

Doug answers:

The variables that determine cost are too many to give you a good estimate.

Contact at least 2 licensed masons and a handyman for quotes.

Doug answers:

Well..its a difficult question look for it on wikihow.com

Doug answers:

Unless the distance from your fence to your house doesn’t meet minimum requirements for setbacks you might try to leave the fence and sighn a waver to leave it. If the distance the fence is moved is wide enough you could consider a border of dyed cement with a different texture to accent your stamped concrete.

Doug answers:

It can vary, I would suggest you contact a contractor that does this kind of work. They usually will give you a quote for free.

We had some done last fall and it turned out great. Everyone loves it.

Doug answers:

R u stamping this u’rself…? The only way I can think to do it… They use concrete dye so u can lay the stamp then put the powder over it so the brick would b colored & not the grout which i would leave u’r cement color.

Other than that, if u opt to paint… They do carry concrete paint/stain which would work. Let me know how it goes… I’m really interested…wow…

Doug answers:

$3.25 is average in Tx for regular concrete…..add $2 for colored.

Doug answers:

A lot depends on the look you’re trying to achieve. One of the advantages of stamped concrete is that it can mimic so many other more-expensive building materials.

Having a release color different than the concrete helps to achieve a more natural look when you’re trying to emulate materials like flagstone or other stones. If you just use a single concrete color and it is mixed in the truck, most people think the resulting concrete looks rather flat and unnatural because it’s all the same color, as if the color had been painted on, without shading. Using a second color for the release adds just enough variation to make the surface look pleasing and highlight the texture.

Take your cue from the stamping pattern you’re having the contractor use for the surface of the concrete, and perhaps go with something that looks good with the pattern. Most stamped concrete looks better with a darker release color.

For example, take a look at the samples here. Http://www.matcrete.com/ Now imagine if each of those brick or stone looks was done in a single, flat color. You wouldn’t see the definition of the stamped pattern at all.

If you don’t want to have a second color for the release, then you might consider having just colored concrete with a smooth or broom finish, without having it stamped.

My suggestion would be to not spend the money on having the stamping done if you’re not going to highlight the stamped result with a second color. Save the money and go with a smooth or broom finish surface.

Http://www.matcrete.com/Cobblestone.asp

Look at the Portugal Fan, second row on the right. Now click on the Portugal Fan picture to see what it looks like in a single color. Now, I know nobody would ever use this pattern on bright red concrete without a color release. The point I’m making is that I want you to see how flat and unappealing it looks. There’s no contrast between the supposed surface of the cobblestones and the mortar.

When you look at a real cobblestone, brick, or stone (not stamped concrete), there are real variations in the color. You really need a colored release to make the stamped concrete look like anything other than a flat layer of paint over the surface.

Doug answers:

Yes, it is Stamped concrete. Depending on the size of your job, color, and patterns used, it typically runs between $6-$12 per sq. Foot.
Hope this helps.

Doug answers:

Too many options, get 3 proposals with similar details that you would like, and go from there. DO NOT rely on one!

Doug answers:

Most contractors in our area charge anywhere from $6.00 to $12.00 per square foot, depending on what patterns/colors you choose. Hope this helps!!

Doug answers:

Not possible to say without knowing if the existing Patio can be used as a base or not.
If they would have to start from scratch, it may cost more than $ 3,000.00.
Call some people and get estimates and if you decide on a certain company, get some customer names to check with.

Doug answers:

Your best bet is to seek at three different free, local estimates. Fortunately, there are plenty of local patio/driveway/paving contractors seeking to give free estimates with no obligation, and taking advantage of this is the consumer-smart way to go about finding an accurate answer to your question. It’s important that you get a local estimate and not rely on guesses found here on Yah, as a lot of factors really bear on the cost of such a project, including the following: The cost of material and labor greatly varies by location. Getting three estimates is the usual rule of thumb, as I said.

If you negotiate well with the contractor and he buys the materials (i.e., the pavers or stamped concrete) for you, you may try to have him pass the discounted cost of the materials to you in exchange for giving him the job, as usually contractors get discounts (called “contractor’s discounts” / “contractor’s price”) when buying from suppliers because of the many purchases they make as required by their jobs..

As I said, Free estimates from local patio/driveway/paving contractors are the key to your success in this home improvement project of yours. Here’s a great link to a handyman site that offers free very resourceful information to assist you in determining the cost of your project, and, ultimately, selecting a local patio/driveway/paving contractor in an effort to get the best deal for you:

Info on local patio/driveway/paving contractors:

http://yourhandymanzone.com/Your_Handyman_Zone_Free_Estimates_Patio.htm

I’m sure you’ll find the information you need, specifically the tips, useful as it relates to being treated fairly by contractors and exploring the consumer-wise approach of getting free written estimates to find the best contractor in your area.

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Source(s):
The Internet. Just whatever is available online and what I have on my mind, including the inclusion of relevant sites, like the one cited that came about from my efforts, which is intended to be useful. Helping people get the relevant info they want is great.

Doug answers:

Most colored concrete only gets lighter as it cures…sounds like they didnt use enough coloring agent…

Doug answers:

You can’t change the color of dried concrete unless you paint it. If you try staining it with dye or something it will soon bleach away again

Doug answers:

Masonry supply
building supply stores, even Home Depot carries a little bit of these products.

Doug answers:

Water is more likely to get into the bricks, washing out the sand from behind it. Or freezing and cracking the joints between the bricks. If there is a lot of rainfall, or harsh winters in your area, go with solid concrete.

Doug answers:

In most areas, I think you will find you can hire someone to do this one cheaper than you can do it yourself. Plus you would have (hopefully) someone with experience on the job.

Having said that, it is not really that much more difficult than any other finishing method, although it does take a bit more time. Screed the concrete as you normally would and float once. I have used powdered concrete colorant, which would be applied at this point, followed by another float.

The trick is knowing when the concrete is set enough to be stamped. If you stamp too early, the pattern will slump back out, wait too long and it is hard to get a good impression. Also, laying out the pattern correctly takes some thought. I watched several before I did a small project on my own.

Renting the stamps will be the expensive part, which is why you can almost pay someone for the same price. I borrowed a set from a fried in the business, which is how I came out ahead.

Doug answers:

19 yards is 1500 sq. Ft at 4 in. Sounds like a lot of area for someone who has to ask how to do it…throw in a form and pour it in 2 pours …better safe than sorry…finisher for 35 years but have done no stamping…

Doug answers:

I don’t know where you live, but the stamped concrete look, if finished in that same surface, is going to be very slippery when wet- dangerous inside or out. I would probably either match them to the surface below or have them both an interesting surface that is very different from both below surfaces (colored tile, something like that). Just make sure you don’t have any hazardous slippery surfaces!

Doug answers:

A hand held grinder with a 4″-5″ concrete cutting blade works fine. Be sure to wear safety gear.

Doug answers:

It is possible to stain the concrete floors after all of the flooring is removed. Staining concrete is a fairly easy task. The first thing to do is pour a bit of water on the slab. If the water soaks in then so will a concrete stain. If it don’t doak in the entire floor would need to be grinded, or have a concrete overlay put over it, bot are expensive. There are several great videos on youtube for staining concrete.

Doug answers:

Pricing for decorative concrete can very by a lot. There are so many different styles and designs, including techniques, that can be done and prices vary drastically( design does affect the price). A vertical stamp job is always going to cost more per square foot because there is more waste, the work takes longer, and is much more labor intensive. A 1000 square feet is a good sized job for any residential contractor, it’s not to small or to big and I feel the price is fair. Stamped concrete, not to be confused with stamped overlays, run any where from $12.00 – $20.00 a square foot. Stamped concrete takes a little talent to be done correctly, and it’s never good to have a bad work done with concrete, cause it will be there for a long time. I would rather have direct contact with my contractor on this type of project so that the person doing the work understands what look you are going for. I am a contractor in the Kansas city area and know this information to be right. If you would like any other information you could go to my site http://www.kansascityconcrete.net

good luck, hope it turns out nice for you.

Doug answers:

You can buy colored concrete at specialty stores in your area. First establish a good concrete base( 2 inches for walkways and 4 inches for ramps and garage). Then add colored mixed concrete about an inch and a half thick. Before concrete solidifies(depending on the weather) you can stamp or carve the pattern you desire

Doug answers:

The resurfacer and the self leveling will not hold the stamp the color?? I don’t know you could mix a little up and see or go to home depot lowes or menards and ask them about it they have a over lay concrete that may hold the stamps you have to do quite a bit of work on the base concrete to get it to work here are a couple sites you can look at

Doug answers:

Call Home depot see if anything is coming up in the near future.

Doug answers:

When it all cures out it should be relatively the same color, however there are slight differences in the color of cement due to quantity in the mix and due to color of limestone it was quarried from-good luck

Doug answers:

How many sq ft of surface do you have to apply the stain on? You are willing to spend $22.98 on some stain that you have to apply at a later date. The quality of the staining process may turn out alright or not, it does depend on you experience.

Integral color for concrete can vary depending on the color of the concrete, anywhere from $30.00 per yard for a tan or sandstone type color to over $100 per yard for green color.

Essentially you are trying to save anywhere from $330 to $1100 in material cost but the finished product may not come out as well as you envision it which may or may not require additional work on your part.

Ask you supplier for a color chart and pricing. You may find out that the integral color is cheaper than you expect and IMHO integral colored concrete is a superior product to stained concrete. I would also recommend that you apply a cure that is specified by the color manufacturer.