How to Pour a Stamped Concrete Patio

Stamp concrete for a stylish alternative to a plain surface.

Embellishing the surface of a poured concrete patio with stamps gives you durable pavement with a stylish look. Stamping concrete is a process that involves pressing stamps into wet concrete to leave a patterned impression on the surface. Building a foundation and pouring the concrete patio is a straightforward project that takes several hours to complete and about a week to set before you should use it.

Things You'll Need

• 2-inch by 4-inch boards
• Screw
• Drill
• Wooden posts
• Concrete stamps
• Wheelbarrow
• Concrete mix
• Electric paddle stirrer
• Shovel
• Concrete float
• Mold-release agent
• Plastic
• Concrete sealant

Instructions

1. Build a wooden form around the perimeter of the patio site with 2-inch by 4-inch boards, screwing the boards together from end to end. The top of the form should be the same height that you want the concrete patio surface to be. Insert wooden posts into the ground around the form to lock it in position.

2. Arrange the concrete stamps on the ground in the pattern you will use them. Interconnect the edges, and use this layout to guide the order in which you'll place the stamps.

3. Use a wheelbarrow and an electric paddle mixer to stir the concrete mix with water. Shovel the concrete onto the patio surface and smooth it with a concrete float until it is 3 to 4 inches thick, allowing enough space under doors so they can open without scraping the bottom.

4. Wait about 15 minutes for the moisture to evaporate from the concrete's surface. Sprinkle a concrete mold-release agent over the top to keep the concrete from sticking to the stamp.

5. Set a concrete stamp at a far corner and press it into the cement. Press the next stamp against the first stamp and into the cement. Place all of the stamps into the poured concrete surface. When you run out of stamps, slowly lift the first stamp from the surface and press it next to the last stamp.

6. Cover the stamped concrete patio with a sheet of plastic and spray it lightly with water twice a day for a week to strengthen the patio.

7. Add a coat of concrete sealant over the stamped surface to protect it from weather damage and slow color fading.

References

• Berkshire Eagle: Step by Step to a Concrete Patio
• Service Magic: Pouring Over Patio
• Monument Masonry: How to Stamp Concrete Patios and Floors

Resources

• Concrete Network: Stamped Concrete