patio - stamped concrete, vs plain concrete vs pavers

last year

Hi all,

I know there are other threads, but slightly different take her....

My small SF Bay Area backyard has a giant concrete patio outside the back slider. The concrete is old and cracked and tinted green which I think was fashionable once upon a time. We're ripping it out to improve drainage.

It's about 1000 square feet and that sounds like obnoxiously big, but i actually like the hardscape....we have droughts so no water, but even after it's rained we can use it pretty quickly and the dog's paws don't get messy.

It seems like all the discussions are about pavers vs stamped concrete. I actually like the smooth concrete because we eat out there alot and chairs slide nicely. Is it totally a no-no design-wise to do just smooth concrete, maybe tinted a nice tan or something? Tips for making smooth concrete, or minimally textured concrete look special? Pavers are so expensive and I don't personally like the look enough to make it worth it. I know we'll get a crack here and there but can deal.

Thanks

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Comments (6)

Mrs. S
last year
I am in SoCal, and stamped concrete has not been popular for a long time. I think the best way to do concrete is acid-washed, like we did around our pool. It looks smooth, but actually it is completely non-slip which is great around a pool, but is also great anywhere.

My thought is that you want your plants and landscape and furniture and decor to stand out, and concrete underfoot isn't where you want to make a design statement. Keep it simple. Color if you want to make it look nice and complementary with what you have.

It's important to pick a very good installation team, and get the drainage correct from the start.

Keep the concrete watered really well as it cures. Our concrete was poured 13 years ago and there are no noticeable cracks.
tracefloyd
last year
last modified: last year
Great advice ^^.

On another note-- with dogs I use a thick layer of shredded cedar bark if you have any dirt areas. Safe for pets, stays put and eliminates muddy paws. Has to say shredded cedar bark.
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PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
I’ve never seen stamped concrete that looked good after a few years
K Laurence
last year
As Hallett & Co. stated , agree that stamped concrete doesn’t look good long term. i had Belgard pavers installed, ADA compliant, in a subtle modern pattern & color. Not cheap, but they look great & have held up beautifully.
Susan L
last year
You’ll get much better advice if you post pictures. Take from several areas and include the whole yard and back of the house.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I will wait for pictures please. How is doing this going to help with drainage? I think where yu live a slab of concrete is probably fine where I live it would never last a year without cracks . I like the look of pavers and if installed well in your climate should stay very stable and IMO look less like a driveway and more like patio