Stamped Concrete
Concrete work is useful for a number of situations, and if you don’t consider the use of concrete for your new construction projects, you might be missing a trick. Many people think that concrete is a little plain, and for those people, stamped concrete represents an excellent option. Stamped concrete retains all of the practical excellence that you get with regular concrete, while delivering a little more oomph in the visual department. At NOLA Masonry Pro’s, we have an extensive service history in the creation of products using stamped concrete, and we know that you’ll be absolutely thrilled with whatever we create on your behalf. You can discover more about stamped concrete, and why it’s such a great option, by reading on further.
What is Stamped Concrete? The majority of the time that you see concrete in public and private spaces, it’s plain concrete. This variety of concrete doesn’t come with any visual bells and whistles, but it has a professional and simple look that allows other materials and patterns to flourish. If that’s not what you’re looking for, stamped concrete is the way to go. This is where a concrete surface is embossed or patterned to give it a different visual look, or to mimic the style and aesthetic of another material. In this sense, it’s quite possible that you’ve seen stamped concrete before, but you’ve not realized. Explaining the Process So, how exactly is stamped concrete made, and is it a complicated process? While there are numerous steps to creating quality stamped concrete, it’s a straightforward enough procedure for our masonry contractor teams. First the concrete is poured, and then the primary color is added. After this, the color release agent is applied, and texturizing mats are laid. Once the mixture is dry, the release agent can be cleaned off, and a sealant will be applied to the surface. The texturizing mats will give the surface the pattern you desire, and once the process is complete, the surface will be usable for foot traffic after 48 hours (vehicle traffic will need to wait for around a week). Concrete Qualities One of the major advantages of stamped concrete is that you’re able to accomplish a fantastic aesthetic without sacrificing the physical qualities that you always get with concrete. Stamped concrete can stamp up to the elements just as well as any plain concrete, and it won’t buckle under pressure from foot or vehicle traffic, even after years of use. We do recommend re-sealing the surface every few years to give it some added protection, but this isn’t something everybody chooses to do. Diverse Aesthetics When you decide to go with stamped concrete, you gain access to a wide range of aesthetic possibilities that weren’t available beforehand. You can use stamped concrete to mimic stone paving or tiling, or you can use it to create an unusual pattern – the color and pattern permutations are endless. This is a perfect mechanism for balancing the need for durability and the desire for visual splendor. |
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