What’s the Difference Between Stamped and Colored Concrete?
Stamped concrete is pressed with a pattern while it’s still curing so it looks like stone, brick or slate. Colored concrete is tinted. Most decorative jobs use both together, and at Tidewater color nearly always comes bundled with stamping instead of being sold on its own.
How Stamping Works
Stamping happens while the concrete is still workable. Patterned mats are pressed into the surface to leave the texture and joint lines of stone, brick or slate.
How Color Works
Color can be mixed into the concrete or applied to the surface, and on a stamped job it’s what gives the pattern its stone or brick look.
Why Color Usually Comes With Stamping
Color usually comes bundled with the stamping because a pattern on its own tends to read as gray concrete with texture. Colored concrete with no pattern is an uncommon job for us.
Choosing a Pattern and Color
Choosing a pattern and color is easier with the house in view. Pick tones that work with the siding, trim and roof, and ask to see samples before deciding. The sealer also affects the final look, since some sealers add a wet-look sheen and others stay closer to matte.
What the Combination Costs
The combination of color and stamping starts around $34.37 per square foot on a patio-size job at Tidewater. A recent 10 by 16 foot colored and stamped patio came to $5,500. Because color is bundled, our price list has no separate color-only line. Our stamped concrete cost guide covers the variables, our post on how long stamped concrete lasts covers upkeep, and our Stamped Concrete page covers the service.
