As a decorative surface of faux stonework, stamped concrete does not have the usual roughness of concrete. This means — though more affordable than the real stone — stamped concrete has the potential to be somewhat slippery in weather-prone, exterior settings like a pool.
Colored and stamped concrete is an ideal pool deck surface that is beautiful, durable, and low maintenance. Stamped concrete has a wide range of patterns and colors, which allows for you to truly customize your surface to your own liking.
Yes, Stamped Concrete Can Be Slippery
Stamped concrete is more slippery than normal concrete, mainly because concrete comes with a brushed finish that provides a rough texture. Stamped concrete is smooth, therefore more slippery, especially when it is wet.
Although stamped concrete may be simple to clean and requires no maintenance to retain its patterned appearance, one of its major disadvantages is that it lacks durability compared to other finished surfaces.
If the color of the stamped concrete is a dark color it will absorb the heat from the sun and be hot to touch. There isn't anything you can do to change this unless you change the color to a lighter color like white or light gray.
Many homeowners wonder if it is worth the cost to install a stamped concrete patio or driveway. The answer is yes, because it adds curb appeal and aesthetic value to your home, allowing you to maximize the return on your investment.
One of the coolest options for pool deck surfaces are textured acrylic coatings. A coating that's made of concrete and acrylic will absorb less heat than other materials. Texture also makes the surface feel cooler to the touch because when a person walks on it, their bare feet are exposed to less surface area.
Most all stamped concrete will have areas that hold some water, due to either the texture of stamp impressions or combined with a bird bath here and there. There are 2 ways to improve water collecting in a “bird bath”.
Stamped concrete is highly resistant to cracking when installed correctly. Even if stamped concrete experiences minor cracking, the cracks are often hard to detect because they will often blend in with the pattern and joint lines. If the cracks become an eyesore, there are methods you can use to disguise them.
Pre-cast pavers and slabs made by Techo-Bloc are nearly three times stronger than poured concrete, with a minimum compressive strength of 8,000 psi and a maximum of 5% water absorption. This means stamped concrete requires more maintenance to keep it looking nice over the years.
Stamped Concrete Cost. Of all the types of patios that one can put around a swimming pool, regular brushed concrete is certainly the most inexpensive. In most cases, it costs 40–70% less than stamped concrete. (This typically equates to a $2k–$6k difference on most pools.)
There are several techniques and products you can use to make a stamped surface less slippery when wet. One of the standard methods involves mixing a nonslip additive such as SureCrete's SureGrip, H&C SharkGrip or Matcrete's Rhino Grip into the water- or solvent-based acrylic sealer before rolling it on.
The average cost of stamped concrete around an inground swimming pool is $9–$13 per square foot (depending on region). The average size of a stamped concrete pool patio in most areas is 500–900 square feet.
Concrete pavers are a great option for pool decks because they are durable; chlorine and salt resistant, and can provide the look of natural stone. Pavers also provide good traction and are comfortable underfoot, because the joints take on moisture that helps cool the surface.
Stamped concrete is one of the most popular patio and deck materials worldwide. It is slightly cheaper than pavers and offers a variety of colors and patterns. Since stamped concrete is in fact concrete, it will crack at some point. Installers will try to combat this issue by placing control joints every few feet.
Provided it's installed correctly and adequately maintained, stamped concrete will last just as long as non-stamped, or standard, concrete—about 25 years. That's because the processes of installing stamped concrete and standard concrete are mostly the same.
One difference between textured concrete is that the lines or joints in the concrete are created by hand or with a concrete saw. Stamped concrete, on the other hand, typically has the joints built into the stamp.
Generally, stamped concrete needs three to five days to dry, but as many as 90 days to fully cure. The surface should not be exposed to rain, even light rain, within the first 36 hours. After that, the surface is able to withstand some water.
At some point, nearly every stamper has seen crusting cracks near the joints in a stamped concrete slab. They usually occur along the stamped joints. The cracks are small, but there may be hundreds of them which make the overall job look unsightly.
Answer: The crack in this stamped overlay is caused by a crack in the underlying concrete that reflected through to the overlay. The sticky gray material is the epoxy that was used to repair the original crack. The original colored and stamped concrete slab had developed cracks running through about 30% of the slab.
When you're looking for the ultimate wood decking that stays cooler in the summer, there is not a better option than Ipe. Ipe decking packs in a lot of features and is one of our top choices for many reasons. It's a very dense wood which makes it incredibly durable and causes it retains less heat than its counterparts.
The hardscape area around your swimming pool is called a surround, deck, or decking, even though it isn't always made of wood or composite, like traditional outdoor decks with which we most often associate the words. Traditionally, most in-ground swimming pool decks are made of concrete.