Stamped Concrete or Exposed Aggregate
Stamped concrete or exposed aggregate is a question I get from a lot of customers. Each is a good choice of course. Cost is always a concern. I can say this, if your project has any size to it, the exposed will be less expensive. That may not apply to every where in the country, but here in Virginia, the stone in the concrete is still available at a competitive rate.
What are the advantages or disadvantages of these two finishes? For exposed aggregate it gives you the appearance of stone. Call it what you want, rather it looks like a river bed or stone road. It is a more rustic and Earthy finish. It goes well with many landscapes. Stamped on the other hand can be transformed into many finishes, from stone, wood, and old fashion finishes. Almost anything that a human can mold, but one thing is for sure, I don’t know of a stamp that can mimic exposed aggregate.
Let me help you in your design. Give me a call and we can discuss all the ways to design and finish your project.
Great site! Quick question – What is your opinion on getting stamped vs aggregate in colder climates. I imagine stamped would get quite slippery.
Appreciate your opinion.
-Sam
Sam,
Good question. Not sure where you are installing the concrete around your house, but I will still give you my opinion. Actually both surfaces can be slippery. The reason for the slipperiness is the sealer. On exposed, while you would not think that because of the stones it is true. Exposed aggregate is done by the exact terms as the name implies, we expose the aggregate and the aggregate is generally stone. When exposing we wash away the top layer of cement. This exposes the stones where the cement used to be. So now the stones are exposed just above the concrete base. When the sealer is applied to the stones it creates the stones to be shinny and slippery. Hopefully this will help you in your decision. Thanks for writing.
My question is this…..is ii possible to stamp exposed aggregate? I was thinking it might look nice to have the aggregate texture with the stamped design set in. I was also thinking there might be less fading than on regular stamped concrete. I’d appreciate your opinion. Thank you.
What’s the difference in the cleaning and maintenance of exposed aggregate vs stamped.