Anyone worked with stamped concrete?

[jclements]

We are finally getting around to doing something with our backyard. Currently, there is a small concrete patio off of our kitchen that was followed by a three-sector deck. I hated the deck because it didn't join to the patio well (step up onto the deck) and was promptly followed by a big step down from the edge of the deck to the yard. We removed the deck last weekend and are considering extending the concrete patio and then having new and old stamped. I haven't called anyone yet for estimates. We're DIY weekend warrior types and don't contract out much. I think this is one that will probably be worth contracting out. Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations and also a estimated price/sq. foot that we should expect to pay?

Thanks in advance!

[Kittyzee]

I wish I could help you Jessica, but I can offer some advice.  My youngest daughter's boyfriend does cement stamping for a living.  There are many different patterns and even colors to the cement.  The finished product is beautiful!  But I think this is something you may want to contract out so that you get the desired result cuz it'll be there for a LONG TIME!   

[2vetts]

worked with-no. we had a stamped and colored patio put in about 18 months ago and are very pleased with it . we have some pond pix in here somewhere and i'd guess the patio is in one since they are adjacent . if you have it done and pick a good company i think you will be pleased . if you try to do it i reserve comment .

[jclements]

Our neighbor used a local company with great success. We have an appointment for a quote next weekend. To prepare myself, can I ask what you paid to have your patio done?

Thanks!

[Julles]

Another important element is the stain that is applied to the surface.  Usually it's two-toned.  Try to get a subtle smear of colors, not a lot of contrast between the base color and the second color.  And try to choose a stamp pattern that is natural - I looked at stamped concrete samples at the recent Home Show, and there was only one pattern that I really found natural looking.  And some of the colors were garish. 

[emm]

I have only seen one stamped concrete floor.  It was installed by a professional who pressed conifer branches, leaves, cones, animal tracks, casts of snakes, insects, etc., anything from nature that could leave a print behind.  It is beautiful.  Perhaps "stamped" is not the correct term for this technique.

emm

[jclements]

Thank you for the great suggestions.

To help illustrate where we hope to go in the back, let me show you what we've done in the front. We really love the tile we put on the front, but have a really large space out back and think that enlarging our patio and then stampting it with something similar would be better than tiling a huge space.

Here is the front of our house shortly after it was purchased (3 years ago):


The first thing we did was replace the windows, I made a mosaic mailbox and added some landscaping/rock border, we also patched cracks in the porch and waited a year to ensure that it was not settling:


Then we stained the fence:


At this point we tiled the front porch and put in a cedar post:




Next, we made some cedar shutters:


The last step was to replace the front door and storm door, which we did over the holidays this year. This was taken just a few days ago (before we received some significant snow), and shows are new doors:

[Esther]

My son was going to make shutters like yours eventually. Did you guys make them? I bet you did. I loved the tile on the porch but around here I don't think we could get away with it, with all the freezing and thawing. I sure would like to do it though. Both our little porches are just poured cement and the one in the back must have been homemade because you can see where the different batches were poured. Part of it has a lot more gravel in it and also the steps are not an even drop. I glued patio blocks to the one step to make it more even with the rest. So odd, you'd think people could measure and know that steps should be uniform.

[jclements]

Hi Esther, we did make them. DH bought cedar fence boards at Home Depot and went around the edges with his router. Our shutter size was not standard, and to get those vinyl louvre shutters made in our size would have been more than $500 for the three sets we needed. I think we made ours for less than $80. All of this cedar stuff is very "Texas" style. The privacy fences here are really ornate and tall. Many people incorporate the Texas star into their windows, doors, shutters, etc. To me, the cedar stain pops on the brick, and the tile brings out the color in the brick as well. It just looked so dark before with the black shutters and door.

[2vetts]

nice house and good for you doing your own work .

[Esther]

Yes Jessica. It does look real nice. Gives you a good feeling to come home and look at your house and think, "We did those shutters and tile ourselves."