Newspaper
New Concrete Finishes Get Stamp of Approval
The Arizona Republic
There’s nothing plain about concrete floors anymore.It used to be that a homeowner who opted for a concrete patio simply wanted an inexpensive, no-fuss floor. And it used to be if you put a decorative finish on a concrete floor, it was because you were trying to cover up cracks and stains.
But today, concrete has become a material of choice for homeowners and decorative finishes have become high style—even on brand-new slabs.
“Now, it’s a big upgrade to a house,” says my friend Wacey Barta, who owns Second Time Around Custom Concrete Coating in Phoenix. “It gives a floor a nice, finished look.”
Do-it-yourselfers and contractors are dressing up concrete patios with acid stains in every color, with overlays that mimic the look of flagstone and other more expensive, natural materials, and stamped concrete patios that can be as unique as the homeowner who picks them out.
And exposed concrete isn’t just for outdoor floors. Homeowners are stripping up their carpets and vinyl tiles to reveal the concrete floors underneath in kitchens and even living rooms in homes at all price points.
If you’ve got a crush on concrete, you’ve developed it at a time when the industry is coming out with clever new designs, styles and finishes all the time.
Some of the most popular ways to turn a drab slab into something fancy underfoot include:
- Stamped concrete patios. Patterns and textures are pressed into newly poured concrete before it’s fully dry. Combined with stains that add realistic color, stamped concrete patios can imitate the look of brick, cobblestones, flagstone, wood, pebbles or even seashells—at a fraction of the price. Plan to pay around $6 to $8 per square foot for stamped concrete patios with a single pattern and color, or more for elaborate designs. This is more a job for a contractor than a do-it-yourselfer.
- Overlays. Another option for turning a scuffed-up, plain-Jane concrete patio floor into a fabulous faux-stone centerpiece for your outdoor room is the overlay. Also a job best left to a pro, an overlay involves laying a scratch coat of a high-polymer modified concrete over your old slab, taping out a flagstone, cobblestone or other pattern with grout tape, and then pouring another thin layer over that for texture. When you remove the tape from the almost-dry floor, it leaves impressions to look like grout lines, and when you add lifelike color, you’ll fool most people into believing you have a genuine stone floor. Overlays cost from around $3.50 to $6.50, depending on how elaborate your design is and how large your patio is. (Ask your contractor for a discount on a large floor.)
- Acid stains. One of the most popular ways to dress up a concrete floor, acid staining permanently changes the color of concrete because the pigment soaks deep into its pores. A confident do-it-yourselfer can apply the stain by spraying one to three coats onto the floor, then neutralizing the acid with ammonia and water, and finally, sealing the floor to protect the new finish. The most popular colors are sandy tones that blend in with the dusty Arizona landscape. Depending on how much prep work your concrete floor needs—and prep work can be the biggest part of the job—you’ll pay a contractor around $2 to $6 a square foot for labor and materials.
Looking for a stamped concrete patio contractor? You’ll find Rosie’s picks at www.rosieonthehouse.com.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. Rosie Romero is an Arizona contractor who has been in the Arizona home building and remodeling industry for 35 years. He has a radio program from 8-11 a.m. Saturdays on KTAR-FM (92.3), from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson, and from 8 –11 a.m. Saturdays on KAZM-AM (780) in Northern Arizona.
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