I am a concrete contractor and I speak to many people to estimate and search for work for my business. Many times people think that stamped concrete is completely different than normal concrete and is a completely different product. This is somewhat true, but the basics of the two are the same and are generally specified in the same way when used in the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they will generally have the same thickness and design strength.
Normal concrete is the concrete that is used every day on sidewalks, driveways, patios, roads, and anytime normal pavement is built. It is usually placed on some type of native soil base or gravel that is compacted. The area is then formed with wood or manufactured shapes. The reinforcement is usually installed at the base, which is usually rod or wire mesh. Concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is designed for your application. For example, a driveway that drives cars and trucks is typically poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified, which is generally a 4000 psi mix here in areas that have severe winters. That is the resistance that concrete reaches in 28 days. The concrete is placed, peeled off, the bull is floated, and then a non-slip finish is obtained, like a broom. After that, the concrete is cured with water and burlap, or in the easiest way with a membrane-forming curing compound.
Stamped concrete is placed in much the same way as normal concrete. Generally all the steps are the same except the final steps. The concrete that is usually added to the mix is also colored. It can also be colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an integral color. After the float of the bull is when things change the process with stamped concrete. Some contractors go a step further and trowel the concrete to make it really smooth. We use air-entrained concrete in our area due to harsh winters, which is not supposed to be smoothed, so we generally smooth it out as much as possible with a magnesium float. After the concrete hardens to the desired hardness, the concrete is primed with rubber stamps. A release agent that is an old-fashioned color release or liquid release agent is used to prevent the seals from sticking to the concrete. Some contractors will place curing paper over the concrete to cure it overnight, when the concrete will be washed and sealed with a high-gloss sealer that is also a membrane-forming curing agent.
So to sum up patterned and regular, there isn’t much difference between the two, other than how they look on the surface. Many people think that stamped concrete is not as durable as normal concrete and that is not the case. The only thing that could make it less durable is the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that receives snow, stamped concrete can be damaged by snow removal equipment such as snow plows.