How to Stamp a Concrete Patio Slab

Apply a thin, stamped overlay to existing patios to add beauty to outdoor space.

To stamp concrete, press patterned stamps into wet concrete to form designs. Many home patios consist of a plain gray concrete slab. When renovating or upgrading the exterior of your home, you can also upgrade the exterior living space by applying a stamped concrete overlay on top of the existing patio. Stamping a concrete patio is a fairly simple and straightforward way to enhance the beauty of your backyard.

Things You'll Need

• Push broom
• Chemical degreaser
• Scrub brush
• Power washer
• Concrete stamps
• 2-by-4 wooden boards
• Hammer
• Nails
• Wooden stakes
• Concrete bonding agent
• Long-handled paint roller
• Concrete overlay mix
• Wheelbarrow
• Power drill with paddle mixer
• Concrete float
• Concrete mold-release agent
• Plastic sheeting
• Concrete sealer

Instructions

1. Remove furniture, lawn equipment and other items from the patio, and brush away loose debris and dirt with a push broom. Apply chemical degreaser onto the patio to cover the concrete surface. Scrub the patio with a scrub brush to remove oil, grease and other stains from the concrete. Allow the chemical degreaser to remain on the concrete patio for the recommended amount of time stated on the product label.

2. Rinse the degreaser off the patio with a power washer. Rinse the degreaser solution from the concrete thoroughly, leaving no residue behind. Allow the patio to dry overnight.

3. Lay the concrete stamps out on the ground in the order you desire. Rearrange the stamps as needed to create a customized look on your concrete patio. Many concrete stamps have interconnecting edges so the pieces fit together like a puzzle. Conducting a dry layout now will help to prevent mistakes and confusion during application.

4. Form a wooden frame surrounding the perimeter of the patio with 2-by-4 boards. Nail the wooden boards together using a hammer and nails. Ensure the top of the wooden frame rises above the concrete patio at the same level where the top of the stamped overlay will be. Insert wooden stakes around the outside of the wooden frame to keep the boards in place.

5. Roll an even layer of concrete bonding agent over the entire patio with a long-handled paint roller.

6. Mix the concrete overlay mix in a wheelbarrow according to the instructions given on the product label, using a power drill equipped with a paddle mixer.

7. Tilt the wheelbarrow over the wooden frame to pour the contents onto the concrete patio. Smooth the surface of the overlay with a concrete float.

8. Use your hands to sprinkle the surface of the wet overlay evenly with concrete mold-release agent. This release agent prevents the stamps from sticking to the hardened overlay.

9. Press the first concrete stamp into the concrete, starting at the farthest corner of the patio. Lay the next concrete stamp against the first stamp, to connect the edges of the design similar to a puzzle. Continue applying the stamps into the overly and pressing them into the wet patio evenly until you have used all the stamps in the design pattern.

10. Pull the first stamp slowly out of the wet overlay and place it next to the last stamp you pressed onto the patio. Continue this process until you have stamped the entire patio surface.

11. Place plastic sheeting over the stamped patio. Peel the plastic sheeting back from the stamped patio and mist with water twice per day for up to five days. This will cure the stamped overlay so it stays strong and long lasting.

12. Rinse the release agent from the stamped patio using the power washer. Allow the patio to dry overnight.

13. Apply a coating of concrete sealer onto the stamped patio with a long-handled paint roller. Do not disturb the stamped patio for 48 hours while the sealer dries.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also stamp your patio right after you've poured the concrete at the time of installation.

References

• All Things Concrete: How to Stamp Concrete
• Bob Vila: Decorative Techniques for Concrete Patios and Walkways