Hello. Need some help please. 6 days ago i had colored stamped concrete applied to my driveway. It looked great while it was applied and now i see it in patches. Its no where near the color it was laid down. It is now a very light brown in some areas and dark in some others. Not sure but it be because it is still drying or curing. Thank you. Below are pictures. The first two are when it was applied and the last pic is current (today).
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new concrete driveway
- Thread starter cfabris
- Start date
I now give a simple verbal disclaimer to customers when doing this kind of work as a concrete contractor: "If you like it before it's sealed, you're not going to like it when it's sealed and competed."
This saves me an unknown amount of frantic calls the night after we pour, or even the next few days, from homeowners that think we used the wrong color or colored release.
Once the concrete is sealed with an enhancing sealer, it will look much different (better) than it does now. Hopefully the contractor has intentions on sealing it?
This saves me an unknown amount of frantic calls the night after we pour, or even the next few days, from homeowners that think we used the wrong color or colored release.
Once the concrete is sealed with an enhancing sealer, it will look much different (better) than it does now. Hopefully the contractor has intentions on sealing it?
Like joe said. Once it's sealed you'll regain that wet look and it'll darken up a little. But I doubt it'll be anywhere near as dark as when it was installed if that's what youre expecting.
Btw that's the same pattern I used for all my stamped concrete. We luv it and yours looks like they did a great job.
Btw that's the same pattern I used for all my stamped concrete. We luv it and yours looks like they did a great job.
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Cairo94507
Well-known member
Yeah, I like it. I have a new driveway that is going to be going in probably by the end of the year. I want to do stamped concrete with color and in that pattern. I think your driveway looks great. I personally do not like it when they spray sealer on it and it looks wet. I did another driveway at another home, 23 yards, that was exposed aggregate with a little brick to break it up and it looked great until I sold the home some 23 years later. Never did seal it.
LegacyIndustrial
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Like joe said. Once it's sealed you'll regain that wet look and it'll darken up a little. But I doubt it'll be anywhere near as dark as when it was installed if that's what youre expecting.
Btw that's the same pattern I used for all my stamped concrete. We luv it and yours looks like they did a great job.
Ditto
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James-W
Well-known member
I like the way the stamped concrete looks. I kind of wish I had that done when I did my driveway. How much does that add to the cost?
majerus
Well-known member
I just got a quote a few days ago and was told to double the price over normal poured concrete. So in my case I was quoted $2400 for 15x30ft patio , or stamped for $4800
machsnell
Well-known member
Did they use the powder release? If so they still have to powerwash it and that will even the color Powder leaves uneven colors. Liquid release for forms leaves more uniform true Concrete color. Looks green still and will get lighter.
Also the sealers come in glossy semi and a flat. You don't have to have the glossy, wet look.
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Also the sealers come in glossy semi and a flat. You don't have to have the glossy, wet look.
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James-W
Well-known member
DOUBLE the cost? Wow, I would never have guessed that much of a cost difference in a million years.I just got a quote a few days ago and was told to double the price over normal poured concrete. So in my case I was quoted $2400 for 15x30ft patio , or stamped for $4800
DOUBLE the cost? Wow, I would never have guessed that much of a cost difference in a million years.
Oh ya because you need a high percentage of cement plus it's needs to be a pea gravel mix not including you'll need double the man power if doing larger areas. I did the dry die with three variations of color and high gloss sealer. Out of a 12ksqft combination of driveways, parking, walk ways my gazebo slab and front door entrance I did maybe close to 2ksqft. Even doing it all myself with using my crew to help me it wasn't cheap.
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majerus
Well-known member
DOUBLE the cost? Wow, I would never have guessed that much of a cost difference in a million years.
I thought the same thing it seemed nuts to me.
DOUBLE the cost? Wow, I would never have guessed that much of a cost difference in a million years.
I'min the same general area as you, and I would say it's even higher, at 2-3 times the cost for std. grey, broomed concrete. It's just not nearly as common here as in the Southern states........
Oh ya because you need a high percentage of cement plus it's needs to be a pea gravel mix not including you'll need double the man power if doing larger areas.
We actually use regular (3/4") low-chert stone for stamped, just like any other exterior flatwork, and tend to pull back on Portland cement and replace it with flyash to minimize the potential for bleeding with all of our stamped work.
I agree on the manpower though, and you don't just need "bodies" to stamp large areas, you need guy's with experience that can move proficiently. I tend to try to sway most people away from patterned stamping, as shown in the second & third pic, and towards seamless stamping, like the first pic, because of the extra labor and complexity involved.
majerus
Well-known member
Why is seamless stamping easier, seems that it would be the same.. what am i missing?
Dragster Racer
Well-known member
How's it look wet? Ours looked kind of pastel until we sealed it. It looked like wet when sealed.
Dirtydan69
Well-known member
You stated "I had colored stamped concrete applied to my driveway". Is this a new pour or an overlay?
Why is seamless stamping easier, seems that it would be the same.. what am i missing?
Seamless stamping is MUCH faster and requires less labor to complete. When doing patterned stamping, you spend half the time touching up grout joints. With seamless stamping, there are no grout joints. We've been using rollers for most of our seamless stamping for over a decade, which is probably 4-5 times faster than patterned stamping.
Not to mention, there's far more risk to patterned stamping, which equals more $, if the contractor knows better...........