How to and Where to Buy Concrete Stamps

You can use concrete stamps to decorate concrete in a variety of ways.

Concrete stamping is a process whereby concrete is imprinted and colored to give it the look of a different material such as brick or stone. The techniques used to decorate concrete have become increasingly advanced, so it is more difficult to tell at first glance whether a material is brick, stone or stamped concrete. While you'll usually achieve best results by having concrete professionally stamped, you can purchase your own concrete stamp if necessary.

Instructions

1. Visit every concrete specialty store in the area. While traditional hardware stores typically don't carry concrete stamps, businesses specializing in concrete work will often have them in stock. If you don't know of any, check the phone book or call a major hardware store and ask about concrete contractors nearby, since the hardware store may supply materials to them.

2. Ask the supplier about renting a concrete stamp. Renting is usually more cost-effective than purchasing since concrete stamps can range in cost from less than $100 to more than $1,000 and once the job is finished, you likely won't need the stamp anymore.

3. Talk to professional builders to see if they will rent you a stamp or if they have an old one they would sell you at a good price.

4. Check online to compare pricing before finalizing what type of stamp you want to get. You may be able to get a better deal online if you are purchasing a stamp, but you usually won't be able to rent one through the Internet. Figure in shipping costs when deciding what the best deal is.

References

• Ask the Builder: Stamped and Colored Concrete
• Concrete Supply House: Ashlar Slate Concrete Stamp Sets
• Cleveland Concrete Stamping: What Is Concrete Stamping?

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• ConcreteNetwork.com: Find Stamped Concrete Contractors by Zip Code