How to Stamp Concrete in 10

Steps
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 Credits

Maximus Concrete gives credit to concretenetwork and stampedconcrete for images and
contents.Harpy Management develloped document & layout.

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Table of Contents

Overview:................................................................................................................... 4
Step 1: Subgrade preparation.................................................................................... 4
Step 2 - Placing the Forms ........................................................................................ 5
Step 3 – Installing reinforcement ............................................................................... 6
Step 4 – Placing the concrete .................................................................................... 7
Step 5 – Screeding and finishing the concrete .......................................................... 7
Step 6 – Apply color .................................................................................................. 8
Step 7 - Applying Color ............................................................................................ 11
Step 8 - Curing Stamped Concrete .......................................................................... 12
Step 9 - Installing Joints........................................................................................... 12
Step 10 - Sealing Stamped Concrete ...................................................................... 14

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 How to Stamp Concrete in 10 Steps
Overview:

Installing stamped concrete is challenging. You may be able to manage pouring and
placing the concrete with minimal issues, but if you don't get the imprinting process just
right, you'll be left with a permanent slab that can be difficult and expensive to repair. The
outcome of stamped-concrete-gone-wrong cannot be easily undone. The stamps need to
be aligned, the pattern needs to be laid properly, and the texture needs to take right--Add
to the mix that the whole process is constrained by time. Concrete dries quickly enough to
give you only a small window to stamp in. Read about these stamped concrete installation
dos and don'ts.

If you're not contemplating DIY stamped concrete, then you can be relieved to know,
you're leaving all these variables in the hands of an experienced contractor for your project.
In that case, take a look at this overview of the stamped concrete process. It's not
comprehensive enough for the DIYer, but it will give you, as the homeowner or business
owner, a basic idea of what will be done, when your project is stamped. Follow the links to
read more details about each step.

Step 1: Subgrade preparation

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The subgrade makes a big difference in the overall
performance and structural integrity of the slab. It must
be well-compacted, which will help prevent drainage,
and can prevent soil erosion under the concrete. Read
more about proper subgrade preparation.

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What happens to a concrete slab if support isn't uniform?
Concrete is very strong in compression, and not so strong in tension. In a slab, tension is
often created by bending. When a piece of concrete bends, it is in compression on one
side and tension on the other side. A concrete slab may bend concave up (like a smile) if
the subgrade has a soft spot in the middle, putting the bottom in tension. It may bend down
(like a frown) at free edges or at joints, putting the top in tension. So if your entire concrete
slab isn't being supported from below, by the "soil support system," it's going to bend more
easily, and is probably going to crack.
The other question I often get is why the subgrade and sub-base allow the concrete to
move at all-shouldn't it be completely rigid? The fact is that any soil or gravel based course
is going to compress if the load is high enough unless the slab is placed on a solid rock.
And in some ways, that's good, because slabs curl, and if the base can deflect a little, it
can continue to provide support for the slab even when it curls. But it doesn't provide
uniform support, if the slab has to bridge over soft spots, and the slab will probably crack.
There doesn't even need to be much of a load on the slab--its own weight is usually
enough, since a slab on grade is not typically designed to even carry the dead load. And
when it does crack, that crack is going to go all the way through the slab. If the under-slab
support is bad enough, you can then get differential settlement across the crack that leaves
a very unfortunate bump and a very unhappy owner.

Step 2 - Placing the Forms

Forms, made from wood, metal or plastic, are attached to

stakes to contain the concrete in the area desired. It is
important that forms are in good condition, be set to provide
the proper slope or grade for drainage, and are erected to
create clean corners where they abut each other or
structures. Read about concrete forms

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Concrete is a unique product that begins its life as a semi-solid, can be manipulated and
worked to assume most any shape, and then hardens to assume that shape. This ability
to fill voids and assume shapes is what makes concrete the most-used building material
on the planet. None of this would be possible without concrete forms.
In simple terms, concrete forms are nothing more than a solid barrier that holds concrete
in place or forces concrete to assume a certain shape. However, many newer forming
systems serve other purposes as well, such as providing insulation or imparting special
decorative effects.

Step 3 – Installing reinforcement

Using steel reinforcing bars, or welded wire mesh are

critical to provide structural function and support in the slab.
The main reasons to include reinforcement in the slab is to
help control cracking, provide structural capacity, increase
impact resistance, and reduce joint maintenance. Read
more about reinforcement for large slabs such as
driveways

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Using steel reinforcement will provide additional structural capacity for your driveway and
is especially important if the slab will be exposed to heavy traffic. Reinforcement won't
prevent cracks, but it will help hold them together if they do occur. Reinforcement can be
either wire mesh or ½-inch (#4) steel rebar placed in a grid pattern with a spacing between
bars of approximately 12 inches. In either case, blocks should be used under the
reinforcement to keep centered within the concrete.
Synthetic fibers have also proven to be beneficial in driveways as a way to reduce
shrinkage cracks. Fibers will not provide structural reinforcement, however.

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Step 4 – Placing the concrete

The most common method for placing concrete is to have the

ready-mix truck pull up to the placement area and deposit the
concrete from the chute. The concrete should be placed as
close to its final destination as possible because moving it
around too much (with shovels or other tools) can lead to
segregation. Also be sure plastic sheeting is used to protect
adjacent buildings, landscaping, or other existing slabs from
concrete splatter. The type of concrete used is also crucial to
a successful placement. Make sure to discuss with your
contractor how he plans to avoid issues that can arise without
the proper slump or mix design. Read more about placing
Photo 4
concrete.

Normal concrete weighs approximately 150 pounds per cubic foot and should be placed
as near as possible to its final position. Excess handling can cause segregation of the
course and fine aggregates. Wetting up the concrete so it can be raked or pushed into a
location, far from where it is discharged is not acceptable.
Concrete is poured directly from the chute of the ready mix truck, wheeled into place with
a buggy, or pumped into place with a concrete boom pump.
Concrete is normally specified at a 4-5" slump. Industrial, commercial, and some
residential projects require an inspector on concrete pours who monitors the concrete
slump and takes slump measurements at the required intervals.

Step 5 – Screeding and finishing the concrete

The work done immediately following concrete placement

Photo 5since this is when you must create the perfect
is critical,
canvas for decorative stamping. The two most important
factors are that the surface is leveled to prevent any low or
high spots, and that cement paste is brought to the surface
to permit a well-defined imprint. Read more
about screeding concrete, and the types of tools that are
generally used to finish concrete.

Photo 5

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Concrete tools, or cement tools, used for placing and finishing concrete correlate with each
part of the finishing operation. They are listed below:

Trowels
Troweling produces a hard, smooth, dense surface and should be
done immediately after floating. Troweling can be done by machine
or by hand. If done by hand, the finisher will float and trowel an area
before moving his knee-boards.

Groovers

The purpose is to control the location of cracks that may form when
the slab "contracts" due to drying shrinkage or temperature changes.
Look inside tooled joints or saw cuts and you will see the concrete is
cracked—The joint did its job and controlled where the concrete
cracked. Joints are most often hand-tooled into sidewalks, driveways
and patios and saw cut into floors, highways, and city streets.
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Step 6 – Apply color

There are multiple ways to color concrete for stamping.

Chose one of the methodos of colorings below.

Photo 6

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Methods of coloring are:
You can get the look and feel of stone, brick, slate, and other rough-textured materials
with stamping mats and skins. But to complete the effect, you also need to replicate the
natural colors of those materials. There are four options contractors typically use to color
stamped concrete. Most often, a base color is first used through an integral color or dry-
shake hardener. Then to achieve a more natural, variegated appearance, an accent or
antiquing colors using pigmented powdered or liquid release agents are used, possibly
supplemented by stains, dyes, or tints.

M 1: Integral Color
Advantages: Easy to use. It is mixed into the concrete
at the batch plant providing uniform, homogeneous color.
Color is permanent because it extends throughout the
entire matrix of the concrete. If the slab is accidentally
chipped or scratched, the integral color will remain.

Disadvantages: The color options are typically more

subtle and less vibrant that what you can achieve with
color hardeners. Integral are therefore most often used
in conjunction with surface-applied treatments, such as
color hardeners, and chemical stains.
Photo 7

M 2: Dry-Shake Color Hardeners

Advantages: Easy to use. It is mixed into the concrete

at the batch plant providing uniform, homogeneous color.
The color is permanent because it extends throughout
the entire matrix of the concrete. If the slab is accidentally
chipped or scratched, the integral color will remain.

Disadvantages: The color options are typically more

subtle and less vibrant that what you can achieve with
color hardeners. Integrals are therefore most often used
in conjunction with surface-applied treatments, such as
color hardeners, and chemical stains.

Photo 8

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M 3: Powdered or Liquid Release Agents

Advantages: Both of these products help prevent the

stamping mats or skins from sticking to the concrete and
spoiling the texture. They also impart subtle color that
enhances integral or dry-shake color, resulting in an
antiquing effect. A popular technique is to start with a
light base color with an integral color or hardener, and
then apply a much darker release agent for contrast.

Disadvantages: The powdered release agents are very

fine powders that are airborne and can stain nearby
buildings, or existing flatwork. Powders require more
clean up and masking of adjacent surfaces, but they
produce greater contrast than a liquid release.
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M 4: Stains

Advantages: Stains react chemically with the concrete

and produce a mottling effect that gives stamped work a
sense of realism. You can apply stains randomly to
individual stones in the stamped design (which is
something that can't be achieved with integral color or
hardeners).

Disadvantages: Stains produce natural coloring and are

transparent. They can be used in conjunction with dyes
to achieve greater color intensity.

Photo 10

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Step 7 - Applying Color

The Stamping Process: The window of time in which to

stamp is generally short, especially in warm weather. The
stamp layout should be diagrammed ahead of time, and
there should be enough labor on hand for the volume of
work to be done. Typically, the edges are pre-textured
first because, later when the larger stamps are used, they
may overlap the forms and won't be able to be fully
depressed into the concrete.

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The concrete should then be stamped in the same sequence it was placed. Stamping
alignment should be checked regularly, along with verifying that the correct random
patterning is being followed to ensure a realistic-looking outcome for a complete analysis
of the stamping process.
Type of Stamped concrete are:

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Step 8 - Curing Stamped Concrete

The goal when curing (or allowing your concrete to dry)

is to retain sufficient moisture content for a long enough
time to allow the necessary properties of the concrete to
develop. With proper curing, concrete becomes denser
and less permeable, resulting in an overall increase in
strength and durability. Read more about concrete
curing.

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When concrete is born-when you place fresh concrete, where you want it to live out its
life-it's like a baby: very sensitive and easily ruined. If you take good care of it, when it's
young it will grow up to be a strong and reliable adult; neglect it, and you'll be sorry!
Curing is all of the things that we do to keep our concrete baby happy during the first
week or so of its life: maintain the proper temperature (neither too hot nor too cold) and
dampness (I know, most babies prefer to be dry-concrete likes being difficult). Curing is
easy to skip in the instant, but, that will have a major impact on the quality of your finished
work. While curing is important for all concrete, the problems that arise from not curing
are most obvious with horizontal surfaces. An uncured slab whether decorative or plain
gray is likely to develop a pattern of fine cracks (called crazing), and once it's in use, the
surface will have a low strength that can result in a dusting surface that has little
resistance to abrasion.

Step 9 - Installing Joints

Cutting contraction joints (also called control

joints) can help to prevent conspicuous cracks.
Although, not all cracking can be prevented due
to the stress caused by temperature changes and
drying shrinkage. Providing stress relief at
planned locations can help control random
cracking.

Photo 14
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Control joints are planned cracks, which allow for movements caused by temperature
changes and drying shrinkage. In other words, if the concrete does crack, you will have
an active role in deciding, where it will crack, and that will be in a straight line instead of
randomly.
Space joints properly: Space joints (in feet) no more than 2-3 times the slab thickness
(in inches). A 4" slab should have joints 8-12 feet apart.
Cut joints deep enough: Cut joints 25% of the depth of the slab. A 4" thick slab should
have joints 1" deep.
How to cut joints: Grooving tools cut joints in fresh concrete. Saw cutting cuts joint as
soon as the concrete is hard enough that the edges abutting the cut don't chip from the
saw blade.
Cutting joints soon enough: In hot weather, concrete might crack, if joints are not cut
within 6-12 hours after finishing concrete. In this condition, if you don't want to use a
grooving tool to cut joints, there are early-entry dry-cut lightweight saws that can be used
almost immediately after finishing. These saws cut 1" to 3" deep, depending on the
model.
Place joints under walls or under carpet areas. Under walls, they won't be seen.
Under carpet areas, the joints won't have a chance to telegraph through vinyl areas.
Avoid re-entrant corners. Planning the joint pattern can sometimes eliminate re-entrant
corners.
Most plans don't have joint spacing marked on them. So don't leave this important
part of concrete construction to chance.
Jointing is often not taken seriously enough, and the "saw cutter" comes to your job
and puts the cuts where he feels they belong, or where it is convenient for him.

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Step 10 - Sealing Stamped Concrete

No decorative stamped concrete installation is complete

without the application of a sealer. This is the final step,
and one of the most important one. A sealer will help
enrich the color of concrete, will add a sheen to the
surface (ranging from satin to high gloss), reduces the
chance that efflorescence will discolor the surface, and
blocks penetration of stains from dirt, chemicals, leaves,
etc.

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Sealing colored concrete will not only protect it from stains and weather exposure, it will
also enhance the beauty of the concrete by bringing out the color.

The main questions to ask, before selecting a sealer for colored concrete are:

• Do you want a clear sealer?

• Do you want to use a tinted sealer that matches the color of the existing colored
concrete and makes the colors more vibrant?
• Do you want the concrete to be more slip-resistant?
• Is the sealer compatible with the type of coloring system used?

Each sealer manufacturer or supplier has recommendations for how to maintain their
product. It is strongly suggested you follow their recommendations for the type of coloring
system you have since the color manufacturer has been dealing with installations,
servicing, and maintenance issues with their products for many years-they know what
works. Your contractor will be able to tell you the specific brand of color you have, if you
don't know.

Prior to installing any sealing product to existing concrete, make sure the concrete surface
is clean from oil, grease, dust, dirt, or any other foreign matter.

Cleaning and sealing your colored concrete should be done on a regular basis, just like
any other home maintenance. The frequency will depend on how much vehicle and foot
traffic the pavement receives, and the exposure conditions to weather and chemicals.
The benefit of diligent maintenance will be beautiful colored concrete that looks good for
years after it was installed.
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best concrete company on the market.

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