If you want to make your concrete driveway really stylish, you should have it stamped. Stamping concrete allows for the creation of complex and colorful patterns that can give your driveway a natural stone look, imitate pavers or integrate unique designs.
While stamping your driveway allows for lots of cool possibilities, there are some factors you need to consider before having your concrete driveway stamped in Minnesota. Keep reading to learn everything important that you need to know about installing a stamped concrete driveway.
What You Need to Know About Concrete Stamping
There are two different methods of concrete stamping: textured skins and pattern stamps. Both kinds of stamps need to be pressed into your driveway after the concrete has been poured but before it has finished hardening. Textured skins, also known as embossing skins, are overlapping, floppy mats that can be used to create various patterns on the surface of your driveway. Pattern stamps are ¾ inch thick and fit together like a puzzle. While pattern stamps are more expensive than textured skins and are more difficult to work with, the end result is arguably more impressive.
When stamping your concrete, you'll want to make nice, clean impressions without having your concrete stick to your stamps. You can prevent unwanted adhesion by using either a powder release or a liquid release on the surface of your concrete while stamping. Powder release is beneficial in that it can add a secondary color but is also a lot messier to work with. Liquid release is a much cleaner method, though it will not add additional color to your concrete.
Stamped concrete driveways have many benefits over a driveway that is actually built out of concrete pavers. Paver driveways have many cracks that allow for weeds and ant colonies to grow. A lack of rebar support also means that pavers aren't very sturdy and can easily become uneven, unlike stamped concrete. Performing routine maintenance on stamped concrete is a lot easier, too.
To maintain the beauty of your stamped driveway, be sure to apply a good surface sealer. A surface sealer will protect your stamped concrete from water entry and chipping, make your stamped driveway easier to clean, enhance the coloration of your stamped concrete and add a glossy sheen to the surface of your driveway. Be sure to keep your stamped concrete pristinely clean while adding your surface sealer!
One final thing to be aware of when stamping your driveway in Minnesota is that you'll need to be very careful when removing snow from your driveway during the winter. If not done carefully, shoveling or plowing off your driveway will chip away at your sealer and may cause damage to the stamped concrete beneath. Even if you are very cautious, you'll still want to reseal your concrete driveway every 2-3 years to prevent color fading and damage from the elements.
The Finest Concrete Stamping Services in the Twin Cities
If you want to have your concrete driveway stamped, our talented team is here to help. Give Unlimited Concrete Concepts a call today for superior concrete installation and stamping services in the greater Twin Cities area!