Stamped concrete services in Aurora CO - the look of stone on a solid base
Tired of a plain gray patio or a walk that's cracking? We pour stamped concrete that looks like stone or brick, on a packed base.
What stamped concrete is and where it goes
Our stamped concrete services in Aurora, CO start with a new pour that gets colored, then pressed with rubber mats while it's still soft so the top looks like stone, brick, wood or tile. Then it's sealed. It suits patios, walkways and driveway borders, anywhere you'd rather have a pattern than a broom finish, the dragged texture that gives a plain slab grip.
Stamping is a finish, not a different kind of slab. Under the pattern it's the same concrete as a plain patio or driveway, built on the same base, and our decorative concrete work covers the other ways to dress up a surface.
The price moves with the size of the area, whether old concrete has to come out, how much base work the ground needs and how busy the pattern is. The schedule mostly turns on the weather and on whether your job needs a permit. I come out, look at it and write the estimate myself, with what's included and what isn't.
What stamped concrete can fix at your house
A plain or broken patio
If your back slab is plain gray, cracked or sinking, a new stamped pour gives you the look of flagstone or brick. We tear out the old slab first, since a pattern can't save concrete that's already failing.
Pavers that shift and sprout weeds
Laid pavers can heave over time and grow weeds in the joints between them. A stamped slab gives you a similar brick or stone pattern in one solid pour, with no loose pieces to reset.
A walk that suits the house
A plain front walk can look bare next to a brick or stone house. A stamped walk, or a stamped edge on a new driveway, in a pattern that goes with the front of the house ties the two together.
Is stamped the right finish for your slab
Go with stamped if you want the pattern enough to keep up with it. The sealer wears, so the slab needs resealing every few years, and I'll tell you that up front so you can decide whether the upkeep suits you. If it doesn't, a plain slab is less work to keep.
For a straight path from the driveway to the door, our concrete sidewalk building is the simpler job, and you can still add a stamped border along the edges if you want some pattern.
Inside the garage, skip the stamp. Tires, oil and dragged tools are hard on a sealed pattern, so garage floor concrete gets a plain, tough finish made for that kind of use.
What to settle before we pour your stamped slab
How the base gets built
Ask any bidder how they prep the base, since a pattern hides nothing. We dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground under the slab, pour it thick enough for its use and size the rebar, the steel inside, to the job. Cut the pattern before you cut the base.
How busy the design gets
One cost guide says intricate patterns, borders and custom inlays cost more and need frequent upkeep to keep their look. I'd pick a design you'll still like after a few rounds of resealing, and skip the extras if you don't want that maintenance.
How the sealer goes on
Ask how the sealer gets applied. One installation guide calls for two thin, even coats, because a heavy flood coat can bubble, turn cloudy white and leave the slab slick when it's wet.
Stamped concrete in Aurora's weather and clay
Aurora's city code rates the city as subject to severe weathering, and like Colorado's other big cities it sits partly on clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. That clay can crack a slab and tip a shallow slope toward your house, so tell us where water pools after storms before we pack the base and set forms.
We check with the city or county office for your address about whether your job needs a permit. The City of Aurora issues permits for structures once plans clear review by every department, and when a job needs one, we get it first. We're based in Aurora and work across nearby cities, including Centennial and Parker.
Common questions about stamped concrete in Aurora
How much does stamped concrete cost in Aurora, CO?
Stamped concrete projects in the Denver area usually cost about $3,000 to $8,000 per job, according to one cost guide. That's what a whole project tends to run across the area, not our quote. I write yours out after seeing the size, the tear-out and the base work it needs.
Will a new stamped concrete patio crack like my old one?
It can still crack, because all concrete shrinks and moves, but we cut control joints, planned lines that tell a crack where to run, and set them where the pattern helps hide them. The cracks that ruin a slab usually start with a base that was raked flat instead of dug out and packed, and we don't skip that step.
How often does stamped concrete need to be resealed?
One cost guide says every two to three years, so plan on it as a regular cost after the pour. I bring that up before you sign, because if the upkeep doesn't suit you, a plain slab is the better buy.
Can I use salt on stamped concrete in the winter?
Use as little as you can, since deicers on new concrete, even what your tires track in, greatly raise the chance of the top flaking off. The Michigan Concrete Association advises skipping calcium and magnesium deicers, going light on rock salt and spreading sand for traction. Ask whether your mix has an air-entraining additive, which helps it resist freeze-thaw and salt.
How do I check a concrete contractor's license in Aurora?
Start with the city's Building Division, which has contractor licensing information for Aurora. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm on site with our crew of finishers and laborers while the work gets done.
Tell us about your stamped concrete job
Send the rough size, the pattern you like and your timing. We reply within one business day, then I come out and write a free estimate with no obligation.
(720) 500-8526Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM