Stamped concrete on floors: Advantages, types and application method
The decorative and construction sector has experienced such a number of changes in recent years that we currently have countless options for carrying out any type of renovation or decorative reform. The professional has a high variability in the products, which has caused those with the greatest potential to stand out as the favorite coatings of experts.
Thestamped concrete It is a decorative material that offers us features such as admirable resistance, thus a unique decorative potential, due to the versatility it offers us in its design, excellent properties when it comes to floor covering, among others.
What is a stamped concrete floor?
Stamped concrete floors or pressed pavement, offer us a decorative option for all kinds of walkable surface where we will find a product with an unusual aesthetic, accompanied by a high resistance, giving it a long useful life wherever it is applied.
One of its main talents, and for which this decorative coating is mostly known, is its great ability to imitate all types of designs, materials, and shapes. The stamped concrete has the peculiarity that, when it is fresh, the professional can apply different molds on it that will allow him to modify its design. Some of the options most demanded by professionals and clients are: stones, bricks, wood, cobblestones, tiles, etc.
Thanks to its unique aesthetics, any environment or room decorated with this coating will stand out for transmitting great elegance and sophistication. Such is its potential that its use spans all kinds of areas, being an equally effective material in urban, residential, or commercial areas. Its features will give it that strong and beautiful character with which no surface will go unnoticed.
Qualities that printed concrete floors bring us
Printed concrete has become one of the preferred options by experts for decorating pavements due to the facilities this material grants us, as well as the potential of its results, leading to innovative surfaces that will undoubtedly be the center of attention of any visit.
Long service life
As we have previously mentioned, it is a decorative coating which will bring great strength to surfaces covered by it. In its features, we find a material resistant to UV rays, to sudden changes in temperature, to weather action, to blows, stains, and scratches, as well as to the constant traffic of pedestrians. All of this makes it a product of surprising resistance, giving it a long service life.
Exclusive results with a unique aesthetic
In the printed pavement, we find a coating with unique aesthetic capabilities that will allow us to create environments with high decorative potential, managing to create surfaces with different shapes and textures, as well as a wide variety of colors: red, slate, white, black, gray, sand, wood, or brown.
Its maintenance will be an easy task
A product that requires the bare minimum to be maintained in excellent condition, to say the least, as far as maintenance is concerned. Its astonishing resistance prevents the need to perform excessive care periodically. It should only be taken into account for those surfaces affected by car traffic, where it is advised to renew them once a year through the application of varnish, in order to prevent possible wear by abrasion.
The A, B, C of cleaning, you don't need more
Its cleaning is simple, it only requires sweeping and subsequently use a hose, in such a way that allows removing any type of remaining dirt. Oil or petroleum stains will also not be a problem, as they are easily cleaned.
Weeds never die, sure?
By granting us a slab-style pavement of larger dimensions, it allows us to prevent weeds from growing through it, creating areas with a clean and exclusive look.
Adapts to any surface
Known as one of its strong points, its high malleability. A decorative material that allows deformation due to compression and all this without breaking, which gives us the opportunity to install it on any type of room or surface.
Firstly, ensure anti-slip safe environments
As we say, we are talking about a decorative coating so complete that it goes beyond aesthetics to offer us a product that guarantees safe surfaces with a non-slip finish and also, water-resistant.
Easy and uncomplicated installation
Unlike other decorative materials for floors, printed concrete is a coating where the installation will be very quick and simple, since the hardening mortar is carried out on the same site. It should also be noted that its simplicity will vary depending on the design, the more complex the geometric shapes that are represented, the greater the application difficulty.
These are the most popular types of printed concrete floors
Its versatility has become one of its strong points and for which it has gained such a reputation in the decorative sector. Through the use of different molds on fresh concrete, it is possible to give the floors a custom appearance that perfectly imitates other materials or textures, which we will show below:
Brick
The brick, one of the molds most requested by customers and therefore one of the most popular. Through this design we manage to give a contemporary and modern air creating surfaces with an interesting texture. An ideal design for exterior cladding such as terraces, sports tracks, as well as parks.
Wood
Undoubtedly, one of the most interesting and exclusive options that printed concrete can offer you. Through this design we manage to create pavements that imitate wood, generating environments with a rustic and elegant effect, and saving us all the inconveniences of wood, among which its high cost stands out, as well as the excessive maintenance it requires.
Tile
Thanks to printed concrete we will achieve all the aesthetic advantages that decorating with tiles offers, but adding the advantages of the printed pavement. The surfaces will show a strong character and personality, as well as a surprising non-slip finish and great resistance to weather conditions.
Stone
A decorative bet that is really successful to be done on printed concrete floors outdoors, due to its ability to give the surface a natural style. It stands out for its great realism, resulting in a rustic environment with a strong character.
Slate
For lovers of the exclusive who seek to renew their floor and that this does not go unnoticed, printed concrete provides one of the most special and elegant appearances, slate. A unique aesthetic perfect for creating an environment where the floor is the perfect link bringing harmony to the room.
Cobblestones
Simple and effective. Who doesn't like a cobblestone floor? A safe alternative with which to guarantee a successful result. The road will enjoy an aspect of great decorative value and with all the advantages of printed concrete.
White stamped concrete
And if something is known by everyone is that white fits well wherever it is used. In the case of stamped concrete floors it was not going to be different, showing us a design which allows us to give surfaces greater brightness and successfully prevent the penetration of the sun's rays. This design is ideal for use in gardens, terraces, pools... And in a large number of outdoor spaces.
Black stamped concrete
Choosing black has its advantages. It stands out for creating elegant and suggestive environments where small details stand out to the eye. Its unique quality is that its drying time is shorter than that of other colors, an advantage to keep in mind.
Grey stamped concrete
Decors experts know the potential that the color grey holds when applied to any surface and specifically on floors. With a stamped pavement of this color we will achieve a driveway that perfectly blends with the rest of the room, allowing us to play with the design, resulting in exclusive finishes.
Steps to follow for the application of a stamped concrete floor
Stamped concrete presents us with a versatile, resistant and attractive material, with which to generate finishings with high decorative value. Despite having a much simpler installation than other decorative coverings, it requires an expert who knows the product in detail, in order to bring out all the properties of the material. Next, we will show the necessary steps to follow to carry out an optimal installation:
1. Preparation of the pavement
We must ensure that the pavement is free of any type of particle: dirt, moisture, grease, dust... Subsequently, once we have ensured that the floor is in perfect cleaning condition, we will proceed to prepare the levels and slopes. A policret film must be applied to prevent the concrete from dehydrating and finally we will delimit the work area, through perimeter joints, to subsequently pour the concrete.
2. Pouring of the concrete
This step of the process is fundamental to ensure later that our surface enjoys great resistance and, with it, extend its useful life. We will use polypropylene fibers by adding them to the concrete, as well as using the steel mesh and joints in those perimeters where necessary. Finally, in a uniform way, we will pour the concrete on the ground.
3. Compact and bleed the concrete
We should use a trowel or in any case, leveler, in order to smooth the pavement.
4. Trowel the concrete
When the concrete is still fresh, we must ensure that there is no excess moisture that could cause possible blisters on the pavement. To do this we must trowel it.
5. Classic or modern model, you choose
You can choose to use the traditional system, sprinkling the color hardener, or a more modern system, which consists of pigmenting the future stamped concrete by coloring it in mass.
6. Smoothing the surface
In this step we must have a steel trowel with which to ensure that the support ends free of porosity, as well as irregularities and, later, on the edges, go over them with a cantering trowel to finally avoid chipping.
7. Apply the release agent
This product can be liquid or powder and it will be necessary to apply it so that later it will be much easier to remove the mold and thus, that the result of the pavement is impeccable.
8. Stamp the floor with the imprint mold
This will signify one of the most relevant steps to finally obtain quality results. We should choose the desired design or texture to print on the stamped concrete floor. At MyRevest® we have up to 100 types of shapes, to achieve rigid or flexible models that perfectly suit the support. Using a rammer, it will be much easier to engrave the drawing on the imprinted pavement.
9. Remove the release agent and clean the stamped concrete floor
Using a pressure washer, we ensure that no residue of the product remains
Protect the stamped concrete floor with a varnish
Through airless, roller or brush, we will apply two coats of one of our specialized varnishes, so that we can seal and protect the stamped concrete on the floor. As a tip, it is recommended to renew the varnish every two or three years, in order to preserve the printed pavement as if it were the first day.
Tips to consider for maintaining stamped concrete
It will be easy to maintain our stamped concrete floor in good condition as long as we act correctly. It is necessary to know the information in order to know how to act in each situation and, following the steps, the floor will look excellent over time.
Daily cleaning of the support
Its maintenance is very simple, and if it is cleaned every two or three days, the support will continuously look like new. You will only need to use a vacuum cleaner or brush to remove the dust. If it is an indoor stamped concrete floor, cleaning will be somewhat easier than in the case of exterior pavements, on terraces, pools, etc. where it tends to accumulate more dirt.
Specialized cleaner for more persistent dirt
As it is common, pavements tend to get stained from time to time with certain products which are more difficult to remove, such as grease stains. For these cases we have a specialized product which is ideal for eliminating this type of dirt, our range of cleaners MyCleaner.
Firstly, it is advised to rub with hot water, in such a way that it allows us to soften the oil or grease stains. Subsequently, the cleaner will be poured and left to act for 5 or 15 minutes, to finally rinse it with water before MyCleaner has dried.
Joint Review
It is recommended to be proactive and pay attention to the condition of the joints, in order to anticipate any event such as the growth of grass. Periodic cleaning of these is also suitable.
Don't forget to renew or repair the stamped concrete floor from time to time
It is recommended, from time to time, to renew or repair the stamped concrete floors in order to keep them in excellent conditions that allow them to shine as on the first day. For this, at MyRevest® we have the ideal repair mortar to perform this function. Before its application we must confirm that the surface is free of dust particles, paint or grease. We will moisten the support and once the mortar is applied, we seal the surface.
Reasons why the support should be renewed
- To renew or change the color, through the use of a repair mortar which allows us to modify the color based on the needs that the project requires.
- Due to environmental deterioration such as rain, hail, drastic temperature changes, as well as by pedestrian traffic, abrasion and the passage of time. These factors directly affect the surface of our pavement, making it necessary to repair it from time to time.
As advice, it is advisable to carry out a renovation or repair in a timely manner when we see the first indications that our stamped concrete floor is being affected by the different factors of everyday life. Quick action will save us time and money in the future, as well as help us maintain a sublime surface appearance.
If you would like to know more details about stamped concrete floors, contact our team of experts. They know the product in detail and will be able to guide you in any type of indecision, with the aim that, in the end, you choose the most optimal decision for your decorative renovation.