I am building a stepped walkway in front of my house to replace the dangerously steep asphalt walk that was there. I am having concrete poured next week and am debating whether or not to have the concrete stamped and dyed. I am thinking of a slate pattern with some dark and some light gray.

The price would be the same so that isn't an issue. What I am wondering about is how durable the finish is and if there are any real pros and/cons to doing it. Obviously it would look better than the plain old broom finish but since I am doing this as a safety improvement, I don't want something that turns out to be slicker than whale *****. By the way, I don't use rock salt much in the winter so that really won't be an issue. Besides, I'll be sealing the concrete with a penetrating sealer.

So, anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks

 

there's a product you can paint over old concrete, it leaves a textured surface that looks very nice and is excellent for snow removal. It's a diy too

 

I did a rear patio, side walkway and front entrance. After pricing poured, I found it better to go with concrete pavers. Didn't cost much more than poured and looks way better. It will be more durable too as they never crack like a slab. I kept them natural and unfinished, tho some like to treat them. I didn't like the slick finish that is left and the annual upkeep it would require. Here are some links to companies I used:

http://www.grinnellpavers.com/

http://www.italiapavers.com/

 

If you lived in California or Arizona no problem.

Because you are in New England area and no stranger to inclement weather I would shy away from any slick finish.

Broom finish with stampings doesn't look great IMO

It is usually only done for esthetic purposes and can be a detriment if the area is icy.

I would suggest a special designs like swirls,etc done in a broom finish to insure good footing when it is snowy or icy (frizzle).

It is both attractive and advantageous.


They can put the coloured powder right in the mix to ensure a uniform look.

I wouldn't apply any surface color..just the sealer.

 

Once you have accumulated ice / snow, it really doesn't matter what the surface finish is. It will still be slick. Just because you use patterned concrete doesn't mean it has to be a slick finish, but, to Dennis' point, a heavy broom finish wouldn't look all that good either.

There are other flat work finishes available today that are aesthetically pleasing and provide some measure of safety. Epoxy based surface coatings come in a variety of colors and you can add fine aggregates / silicas to increase surface roughness. It cost more but, you may be happier in the long run.

http://www.decorativeconcretefinishe...xy%20Stone.htm

http://spruceitupconcretecoatings.com/epoxy.html

Good luck with your project.

 

I should have said LIGHT broom finish so no one thought I mean heavy broom finish.

IMO, The main concern is ...shovelling snow off the concrete plus any application of salt/sand to melt ice.

With a poured slab..lightly broom finished you will still have all the durability if the concrete was finished properly by bringing the cement to the top.

He will have to worry about heaveing/cracking from temperature change so cut will be important whether it is poured or slabs set.

How much money you got to spend on this project ?

 

Money isn't a factor - when I do something I prefer to do it once, correctly. I am already about $1500 into in, mostly for the 4" thick x 18" tall x 5'8" long granite slabs I am using to front each step. The concrete will be the "tread" part of the step. Each step will be 5'4" long and 5'8" wide.

I'm not terribly concerned about cracking or heaving either. The subgrade is the native soil which is coarse, rocky gravel with enough fines to make it pack hard as rock. To prevent cracking I am putting #4 at 12" e.w. and pouring each step 5 1/2" thick. I figure since I had to pay for three yards of concrete anyway, I would use as much of it as I can. The guy finishing it (I've done it before but I know better than to try it myself on this project) does great work. He did a 500 s.f slab for me at my other place so I know he can do it right. He likes to do the stamping and is giving me a great deal to try to get some work in my neighborhood.

My biggest concern (thus the post) is how the stamped finish behaves when wet and/or snow covered. The asphalt that was there was deadly and nearly impossible to safely walk up or down in the winter. It rose 35" over 27'.

I'm seriously reconsidering the stamping - mainly so I can get a finish that has some light texture and is somewhat anti-slip.

Five days to decide.....

 

Obviously any surface that has "a cup" design in it will have to be swept off.
A shovel will not clear it completely.

IMO, step treads are the thing to be most concerned about... safety over looks.

I wish I knew exactly which stamp pattern he was going to use

 

I was considering a slate pattern. I think it would look great with the speckled granite I used for the front.

But like you said, safety is foremost....it is actually the entire reason for this project.

 

i did not read all the responces but from my own experience DON'T... i had a patio done and i am in colorado, pretty dry and alot of sun. it has been 3 years and it looks like CRAP. i have re-finished it with "super diamond coat" every year and it is still CRAP. if i had it to do all over again i would of had them put down regular mud. as it is right now i am planing on tiling over the whole thing with slate or something simular