Costs of Stamped Concrete Patios, Driveways and Pool decks

Here in Texas, we spend a lot of time and money to make our homes look good...
and the driveway is one of the first things people see. Our Custom authentic antiqued
engraving and "stamped concrete" process to simulate brick, granite, marble,
cobblestones, slate, etc. is considerably less-expensive than laying a brick-by-brick
driveway, and there's less upkeep. There are no cracks for weeds to push through and
no concrete between bricks to break or crumble out....Or water to seep through...

It's well known that Color hardened stamped Concrete is considerably stronger than
traditional concrete due to the psi increases from the pure cement/sand ratio and
proportionate tri-calcium silicate air entraining admixtures we use setting the pace for
the Decorative Concrete Industry
The engraving process - imprinting, stamping & our own formulation of resin-seal,
chemical staining and engraving - takes about 3 days for an average two-car driveway.
Decorative Stamped Concrete as seen above Cost averages $6.50 a square foot. For
example, a two-car driveway 20-feet wide and 40-feet from the garage door to the
street, costs about $5,200.

The process begins with coloring and entraining the concrete with tri-calcium silicate
and color hardeners. Then, Our seasoned artisans screed the cement with texture tools
and molds that transform the "slab" into a "fine work of art" Stunning authenticity and
antiquing effects truly add splendor to any home

The next step is to apply a heavy coat of a special formulated penetrating resin-stain.
The engraving produces a lot of abrasive grit, and the dual coating of sealant helps
protect the concrete during the carving.

Homeowners can choose from over a dozen standard colors of stains and colors -
red-buff, brick red, terra buff, terracotta, platinum grey are the most popular - or have
one custom-blended by a the folks at ConcreteForever.com.

The artisans at ConcreteForever.com cut the designs with a water-cooled,
diamond-blade saw and imprinting equipment. The saw can cut straight lines, circles or
combinations of both on any flat concrete surface. The brick circle is the most popular
design.

Adjoining concrete walls, steps and other surfaces can be stained and engraved or
carved to match the stamped concrete.

The artisans at concreteforever.com make the cuts about one-eighth-inch deep or
sometimes as little as one-sixteenth of an inch, so high heels won't snag in the cracks.

"We like to cut them deep enough to make a bit of a contrasting shadow to
authenticate the look of a large hand laid granite or marble tile-look adding depth... but
shallow enough they don't catch much dirt and are easy to clean.

After the design is finished, our seasoned artisans add a final coat of clear acryl-resin.
The surface is OK to walk on after three hours, but we recommend letting a driveway
cure 48-72 hours before driving on it.

The colored and engraved concrete surface is durable, but it can be scratched by steel
snow shovels - use a plastic one instead - by dragging heavy patio furniture across it or
by studded snow tires.

"It's not bulletproof. Don't use this process where the concrete is subjected to a lot of
abrasion.

Day-to-day maintenance is easy, simply hose it off occasionally. Oil drips can be wiped
up with a rag, and any stubborn spots or spills can be cleaned up with a brush and an
all-purpose cleaner like 409.The folks at ConcreteForever.com will leave some
matching stain with homeowners for touching up any scratches or scrapes.