Should I Get Stamped or Plain Concrete for my Patio?

When the time comes and you have to pick a finished surface for your driveway, patio, or walkway you're going to come between to choices. Should you go with regular or stamped concrete? Stamped concrete is an ever-growing popular choice due to the fact that it can be made to mimic higher end materials such as brick and stone pavers at a fraction of those products' cost. Before you make your final decision, however, consider the advantages and disadvantages of stamped concrete. Here is our take for your Denver concrete driveway's or patios!

Plain Concrete

Plain concrete doesn't always mean its going to be boring concrete. JL Enterprise is getting creative so your Denver concrete driveways are not "plain"

It is the go to surface that is installed by many customers. As it is unadulterated, it offers a timeless appearance. Plain concrete in Denver can give a functional look to your driveway as well. That is for those who may not want a unique look on their driveway.

Regular gray broom finish concrete is more affordable than the other than stamped concrete designs. It’s cheaper than stamped concrete, but if it has the right finish, and creativity with the placement of your joints you can still get a very high-end look. The maintenance requirements for plain concrete are actually slightly higher because it involves fewer surface treatments, but the durability is similar to what you can expect with stamped concrete.

Stamped Concrete:

The function of stamped concrete is to add elegance the highly trafficked floor surfaces for a lower cost than wood, rock, or brick. It's sold as an easy-to-install, versatile, weather-resistant substitute for more sensitive materials such as slate and brick. It’s most commonly a type of outdoor paving, but it's also seen indoors mimicking tile or wooden floorboards. JL Enterprise offers countless and beautiful designs for your concrete in Denver Colorado.

Although stamped concrete in Denver 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.

It is important to be careful where you install stamped concrete because it easily cracks and scratches under a heavy load. Stamped concrete is a poor choice for a driveway and any area on which cars are driven or parked. On a foot path, walkway or patio, stamped concrete is less likely to crack under pressure; however, it is still susceptible to cracking with weathering and time.