Stamped concrete is, put simply, the practice of pouring concrete and then stamping some sort of pattern or design in it. It has been used as early as the Roman Empire, though its use has continued in various forms all the way into the modern era.
Interestingly, the practice of stamped concrete did not always look like it does today. For most of history, it has been used as a way to stamp words or other information into concrete structures. This can be seen in the Pantheon built by Rome, with words stamped along the top of the columns. Similarly, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, concrete companies would stamp their logos and completion dates on their projects.
The more modern style of stamped concrete started to come into practice around the 1950s, when companies started experimenting with stamping concrete in order to make it look like other building materials. This practice includes adding a dye to the concrete slated to be stamped, which is meant to make it look more like the material it is supposed to evoke (such as adding a reddish color to emulate bricks). Once the concrete has been colored and poured, we go in with a concrete stamp to create an imprint on the surface. When it dries, the concrete will have the color and appearance of your desired material, with all of the convenience of concrete.
If you would like to have a stamped concrete surface of your own, contact us during business hours so that we can discuss your project with you.