Is Stamped Concrete Expensive?

Stamped Concrete Patio Price Ranges

The cost of a stamped concrete patio depends on materials and labor, but it will usually cost between $8 and $20 per square foot to install. The complexity of the design can also affect the price:

• Basic – There are one pattern and one color in a simple stamped concrete patio. This is an easy way to keep costs down if you have a large area to pave. It can help to keep your patio a little warmer by reflecting sunlight. You should expect to pay $8 to $12 per square foot for a simple patio.

• Intermediate – Typically a patio of mid-range stamped concrete has two or three colors with a contrasting line. One of the common places around pools and spas or walkways you’ll see these. They can be very appealing and cost $12-$18 per square foot.

• High End – The high-end stamped concrete patio has a lot to offer if you want that natural look complete with hand-stained variations in the “rock.” You can add a very elegant, personalized look to your patio with intricate designs such as borders, compasses and other saw-cut designs. The sky’s the limit when using your imagination. You can pay $18 and up per square foot depending on the size of the area and the complexity of the design.

Basic Designs ($8-$12 per square foot)

Simple designs often use a plain, easily reproducible pattern for a stamped concrete patio, such as brick or squared flagstone. Many simple designs used in large areas that appear in noticeable repetitions, but this is sometimes the ideal aesthetic. It’s hard to spot the pattern in other designs unless you’re looking specifically for it. We use a single color that gives the patio as a whole a bright, uniform look. Home enhancement stores sell DIYer’s basic patterns at about $15 each, but often a very limited selection. A common look for a basic pattern is single-colored cobblestone or flagstone. What makes it “basic” is that the mold is just picked up and moved from section to section.

Intermediate Designs ($12-$18 per square foot)

For the area, intermediate or mid-range designs use two or three colors and a patterned, contrasting color for the boundaries. Repeated design patterns are often more difficult to spot as two stamps of the same design could have different colored “stones,” often interlocking in multiple ways. Flagstone is a popular choice for mid-range stamping without a maximum cost for a natural look. Most people are very happy with the colors and patterns. It also helps to define a region by adding a boundary.

High-End Designs ($18 and up per square foot)

High-end designs are where things get fancy and pricey. Saw-cut designs and hand-colored concrete with hand-tooled edges are found at this price range.

• Saw-cutting is a method of scoring the concrete to put a custom design in it. From geometric patterns to logos and pictures, these can be everything. It requires a skilled hand, a commitment to excellence, and knowledge of what tools to use. Some saws make beautiful, square edges while others make a beveled cut. Some designs may use a walk-behind saw while others may require a small, hand-held saw to get the correct cut. Knowing what kind of saw or blade to use where to get you the look you want takes a true craftsman.

• Hand coloring is the art of applying the right concrete stain to get that totally natural look. Some of the best examples of hand-coloring are wood stamping that appears almost indistinguishable from a natural wood surface, replicating natural tone changes in stone coloring, and for the fun, fossil, dinosaur tracks, or painted leaf patterns!

• Hand-tooling puts a rough, hand-carved look to the edges of the “stone”. It gives a natural appearance to any exposed edges and can be rendered to resemble age-weathered freshly cut stone or concrete. This look is very popular with older homes to make the new concrete look like it has been there as long as the house. It takes a skilled craftsman to get the look just right.