Stamped Concrete in Robbins With a Stone Look

Stamped concrete gives you the look of slate, cut stone or old brick, but the surface is one continuous slab, so there are no loose joints for weeds to grow through or pieces to heave. Getting it right takes two kinds of skill. The first is the same base work every slab needs: digging to firm soil, compacting stone, setting forms to a measured pitch and placing reinforcement. A beautiful pattern on a weak base still sinks and cracks. The second is timing and hand work. Pigment is blended into the batch or broadcast over the top, a release powder settles into the low spots for depth, and the stamping mats go down at the moment the concrete is firm enough to hold an imprint but soft enough to take it cleanly. Edges and corners are textured by hand so the pattern does not stop short at the forms. Control joints are cut along pattern lines where they disappear into the design. After the slab has cured, it is washed and a sealer goes on to finish the work, which deepens the color and protects the surface from water and stains. Before any of that, we bring pattern and color samples to your house so you can hold them against the brick and siding in daylight.