Stamped Concrete in Harrisburg, PA

Stamped concrete is regular concrete that gets a texture and color while it is still workable. We press patterned mats into the surface, use a release agent for a second tone, then seal it after it cures. The result can look like slate, flagstone, cobblestone, brick or wood plank. Around Harrisburg, where many houses are brick and plenty of older homes have brick or stone details, a brick or stone pattern can tie a new patio or entry to the house.

Where it works well

• Back patios, often with a border in a second color
• Front entries and landings on brick and stone houses
• Driveway borders that add pattern without stamping the whole drive
• Pool decks and fire pit areas, with a textured pattern and grit in the sealer

We do not usually suggest stamping a whole driveway or a steep walk. Deep texture holds packed snow, and sealed stamped concrete is slicker when wet than a broom finish.

Color

Most stamped jobs use two colors. The base color is mixed into the concrete at the plant, so it goes through the full depth and a chip does not show gray. Before stamping, we spread a release agent that keeps the mats from sticking and leaves darker color in the low spots, which gives the look of natural stone. The sealer deepens both colors and protects them.

Picking a pattern

Ashlar slate, a mix of rectangles in different sizes, is a common patio choice because it looks like cut stone. Random stone and flagstone look more natural next to plantings. Running bond or herringbone brick fits brick houses and older neighborhoods. Wood plank works on smaller areas next to a deck. At the estimate we bring pattern and color samples and talk through how the pattern lines up with doors, steps and walls.

Get a Free Estimate

Winter and the sealer

Stamped concrete faces the same freeze-thaw cycles and salt as any other slab. Its weak spot is the sealer. Where people walk, sealer wears off, and once it is gone, water and salt get into the colored surface. That is when stamped concrete fades and flakes. We build stamped work on a compacted stone base with air-entrained concrete, put control joints in pattern lines where they disappear, and seal after curing. Keep salt off stamped concrete entirely; use sand.

New slab or overlay?

A solid, level slab can sometimes take a stamped overlay, a thin patterned layer, instead of being torn out. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide lists stamped overlays at $7 to $15 per square foot for a single pattern and $15 to $20 for more complex designs. An overlay will not fix a slab that has sunk, heaved or cracked through; those cracks come back. In that case, a new stamped slab is the better choice.

Keeping it looking good

Sweep and rinse it. Clean up grease and food spills quickly. Reseal every few years, sooner in heavy traffic areas, or whenever water stops beading on the surface. Stamped concrete that is resealed on schedule holds its color; stamped concrete that is not starts to look tired.