Do you have a plan to improve your front or back yard? Applying stamped concrete is a great idea. This method will make your front or back yard look fresh and stunning. The most important thing is that you can improve your space at an affordable cost. The process is also easy and fast.
Prepare the Area
You have to prepare the area where you want to apply concrete stamping. A good preparation creates a durable slab structure, prevents drainage, and soil erosion under the concrete. You have to understand the type of soil in the area where you want to put concretes. For example, organic soil is good for plants but not for a concrete slab. So, you have to remove the soil and change it to suitable soil for the project. Granular soil is one of the recommendations for concrete stamping projects.
Create the Form
The function of the stamped concrete form is to stake the concrete to the area you want to stamp. The material for the concrete form varies, such as wood, metal, or plastic. One thing for sure, the forms have to be steady for good slopes, drainage, and corners.
Build Reinforcement
Support the slabs and their structure by building steel reinforcement bars. It has a crucial role to prevent cracking, strengthen the structure, increase impact resistance, and reduce joint maintenance. The better the reinforcement bars, the stronger the concrete.
Apply the Concrete
It is time to apply the concrete to the area you have prepared before. You need several tools, such as a square shovel, straight board, bull float, edging tool, concrete groover, and steel trowel. Spread the concrete by using a square shovel to push and pull the wet concrete. Take a straight board to remove the excess concrete. This tool is also useful to smooth the concrete surface. Float the surface by using a bull float. This process is also crucial to the excess water. Create rounded edges on the slabs by using an edger. Watch the result carefully. Sometimes you will see cracks during the process. All you need to do is join the slab with a grooving tool to handle the cracks. Use a steel trowel for the last touch to make the surface smooth, hard, and dense.
Add Colors
Colors will make your concrete look stunning. You can use integral color, dry-shake color hardeners, powdered release agents, and stain methods to add color to the concrete. The integral color method is easy to use. The color on the concrete is also long-lasting.
Stamping
It is time to shape the concrete by using a stamping method. Do the process during warm weather for a more maximal result. You have to create concrete stamping at the beginning of the project. Stamp the concrete in the same sequence. Then, check the result periodically to keep the pattern.
Cure the concrete, control joints, and Sealing
In this step, you need to wait until the concrete dries. Make sure that the concrete is dry enough to make it dense and less permeable for more durable concrete. Controlling the joints is crucial to prevent cracks. The final step is sealing the concrete to keep the texture and color.
You don’t have to do the stamped concrete process by yourself. A professional company such as Apex Concrete Service is ready to help with your stamped concrete project.