Stamped Concrete in Lenexa, KS

Stamped concrete begins as a regular slab. While the surface is still soft, we press textured mats into it, add a second color and seal it once it cures, so the finished patio, walk or border looks like slate, flagstone, cobblestone, brick or wood plank. Many homeowners choose stamped concrete to complement a brick or stone front, without hundreds of separate pavers that can shift on clay soil or sprout weeds between the joints.

Where it works well

• Backyard patios, often with a border in a contrasting color
• Front entries and stoops that lead to a brick or stone facade
• Driveway borders, adding pattern along the edges while the tire lanes stay plain
• Pool decks and fire pit areas, with a textured pattern and slip-resistant additive in the sealer

We usually advise against stamping a whole driveway or a steep walk. Deep patterns hold packed snow, and sealed stamped concrete is more slippery when wet than a broom finish.

How the color works

Most stamped work uses two colors. The base color is integral, meaning pigment is mixed into the concrete at the plant so the color goes all the way through and a chip does not show gray. Before the mats go down, a release agent in a second color is spread over the surface so the mats do not stick. It settles into the low spots and leaves them darker, which creates the depth of natural stone. Sealer deepens both colors and protects the surface.

Matching the pattern to the house

Think about what the stamped surface will sit next to. A house with a stone front pairs well with a flagstone or random-stone texture in earth tones. Red or tan brick looks right beside a herringbone or running-bond brick pattern. Rectangular ashlar slate is the safe middle ground for a back patio, since it suits almost any siding. Plank textures make sense in small spaces beside a wood deck. We bring sample photos and color cards to the visit and lay out where pattern lines should meet the doors and steps.

Get a Free Estimate

Sealer is the weak point

Stamped concrete faces the same freezing and thawing as any slab, plus one extra risk: the sealer wears. In high-traffic paths it thins out, and once it is gone, water and salt get into the colored surface, which is when stamped concrete fades and starts to flake. We pour stamped work on a compacted rock base with air-entrained concrete, place control joints along pattern lines so they blend in, and seal after curing. Never use salt on stamped concrete; sand gives traction without the damage.

New slab or overlay

A solid, level slab can sometimes get a stamped overlay, a thin patterned layer, instead of being torn out. HomeGuide’s resurfacing guide lists stamped overlays at $7 to $15 per square foot for a single pattern and $15 to $20 for complex designs. An overlay will not fix a slab that has sunk, heaved or cracked through on Lenexa clay, because those cracks come back through the new layer. In that case, a new stamped slab is the better choice.

Keeping the color

A quick test tells you when stamped concrete needs attention: sprinkle water on it. If it beads, the sealer is working. If it darkens and soaks in, reseal before winter. Grill grease and spilled drinks should be wiped up the same day. Most stamped patios need fresh sealer every few years, and the paths people walk most need it sooner.