Stamped Concrete Patios

Does anyone know the advantages/disadvantages of a stamped comcrete patio versus the standard brick paver variety?

Anyone have a stamped concrete patio? Happy with it? Has it settled? Cracked?

 

We did a little research on the topic -- we went to that big home show at the Dulles Expo Center in April and they had vendors for both there. The stamped concrete is definitely a cheaper option -- I think they quoted us $14-18/sq ft. That's a big plus for it. You apparently have to seal it once every couple of years. I personally didn't like the way it looks. It has a shine to it that just wasn't appealing to me -- but the vendors said it fades over time.

As for the pavers, I think you need to worry about "filling" the cracks and making sure that stuff doesn't grow between them. Pavers are more expensive -- I think they quoted us $18-25/sq ft.

Don't hold me to those numbers, though! Let me know what you end up deciding and who you use -- I'm hoping we will be doing our patio in the spring.

 

We had a new stamped concrete patio put in last fall. It was cheaper than some of the other patio options we explored and after considering it we went for it. It looks great (everyone who sees it comments favorably on it) and one of the selling points for us was that weeds will never make an appearance (as they unattractively had between the brick pavers the builder laid down when we moved in). Ours is a grey cobblestone. It did have a "shiny "look to it at first but after several months it indeed has begun to look more weathered. The one complaint we have, and a its a major one, is that when the patio is wet it is slick as all get out. Our children have nearly killed themselves several times running across the patio when it is wet. I called the company that installed the patio just recently to inquire if there was anything that could be done and I was promised a call back. Still waiting on that call back . . . *sigh*. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

We had a stamped concrete patio and path from our basement walkout to patio done last summer. Its grey and has a slate pattern stamped in it.

I have been very pleased with the results. There has been some cracking in places where the ground has settled, but it is very minimal.

If you are interested, click on my name to send me a message and I can arrange to show it to you in person.