Stamped or architectural concrete is a versatile and strong flooring option that is gaining popularity in homes and commercial buildings. It can be used both indoors and outdoors, is extremely durable, and can be decorated with anything from complex designs and patterns to simpler textures that mimic nature. Stamped concrete in Bryan TX is a great way to upgrade any home, patio, or walkway, providing a look of luxury far beyond the actual cost of installing this type of floor. The process can be a bit involved and it is recommended that only a professional installer lay a stamped concrete floor – then be prepared for breathtaking results.
How Are Stamped Concrete Floors Made?
Stamped flooring is made by spreading a special mixture of concrete and epoxy over an area to be floored, then adding design usually by stamping the still-wet mixture. The most popular impressions used for these surfaces are ones that duplicate natural material such as slate, stone, cobblestone, brick, ceramic tile, or marble. The design is applied with reversed, square rubber or metal stamps, then allowed to dry.
Color is applied while the spread concrete-epoxy mixture is still wet and can be done in a few different ways. Color can be added first to the concrete mixture itself if a uniform color is desired; this is the easiest application of color. Dyes, stains, and pigments can also be used on the stamped surface, spread with rags, brushes, foam and other material to create the look of natural surfaces. Pigments can also be applied as a design instead of a texture, which can really turn a floor made of stamped concrete in Bryan Texas into a work of art, truly three-dimensional and realistic.
Protecting and Cleaning Stamped Concrete Floors
Once the drying mixture has been stamped, colored, and allowed to dry, it can be protected with a concrete sealant that is rolled on and allowed to dry. Sealants protect the top surface of the floor and add to its strength. Sealant can be applied and then buffed and shined – or anti-skid additives can be included to create a safer surface for outdoors in particular. Sealant should be applied once a year, which wonderfully makes the floors look brand new again after the sealant is applied.
Cleaning these floors is simple; they can be dust-mopped, damp-mopped, mopped with a gentle cleanser made for stamped concrete, vacuumed, buffed and polished, or even just left alone and swept. This type of floor is easy to keep clean, adding to its spectacular appearance.
Not only are stamped concrete floors beautiful and rich-looking, they are also affordable and can provide benefits like reduced allergens and molds as well as provide insulation that reduces utility bills year round. Today’s methods of laying such floors are easier and faster – and the possibilities when it comes to texture, design, and color are endless. Stamped concrete in Bryan can be a wonderful addition to any home or building – and is easier to create than ever before!