Stamped and stained concrete

Poured surfaces textured and coloured to imitate stone, brick or plank.

Where it works

Large continuous areas where you want no joints, and properties with existing concrete work to match.

What to know

It cracks where it wants; control joints influence but do not prevent that. De-icing salt attacks the surface, and once it spalls, patching never matches.

Sealing

Colour and texture depend on a sealer that needs reapplication every few years, especially on a surface that gets salted.

Whatever the material, the base under it and the water around it decide how it looks in ten years.