A well-appointed patio is a seasonal must-have when the weather warms and the days grow longer.

Whether its basking in the sun or enjoying a cold drink with your friends, your patio is the ultimate destination when it comes to summertime pleasures–all the more reason to take a second look before stepping onto that sacred terrace.

We don’t often equate concrete with cutting-edge landscaping, but the stamped designs of today have thankfully proven the skeptical homeowner wrong. Combining the beauty of indoor flooring with unmatched outdoor durability, stamped concrete elevates the industrial material to design-savvy standards thanks to its high end appearance and equally attractive price tag.

Few patio options are as expansive as that of the stamped concrete patio, allowing you to select the look, feel, and texture that’s just right for your backyard layout. Antiquated or updated, and available in every color imaginable, your stamped concrete patio proves that no detail is too inconsequential to be overlooked when it comes to your personalized mezzanine.

If you long for the look of stone but aren’t exactly enticed by the cost or labor, these top 50 best stamped concrete ideas are far from a shortcut, but an artisanal choice unto themselves. You deserve an outdoor space that can handle any and all foot traffic while remaining in impeccable taste, and the stamped concrete patio more than exceeds these expectations.

Whatever the inspiration or designated purpose, why not procure a patio that will welcome you and your guests year-round, and without missing a step?

Stamped Concrete Patio Ideas

This wooden textured stamped concrete patio design is highly sophisticated and beautifully complements the lush green surrounding it. Wooden planks were used to stamp the concrete to create the parquet floor appearance.

It’s back to the stone-age 21st century style with this stamped concrete patio floor design. The set-up looks cool for summer gatherings. By adding a fire pit, this patio arrangement can easily transition into a spacious winter retreat.

Amazing how stamped concrete is so versatile that it can flawlessly imitate honey-combed shaped wood or even tiles. The featured dark hued grout work make the stamped concrete pattern more noticeable.

Who says that water and stamped concrete don’t mix? The Zen like patio design is surrounded by beautiful shrubbery and slate rocks with flowing water creating a tranquil ambiance.

A rust colored tinted ashlar slate pattern and textured undertones is a fabulous backyard focal point. Curved edging adorned with plenty of small stones gives this patio design a down to earth appeal.

Why bother using your interior dining room or kitchen for eating when you have a stunning patio like this at your beck-and-call? A gabled roof with wicker chairs and soft cushions creates a welcoming space for entertaining family and friends.

A show of superb flagstone stamped concrete design dipped in a soft brown stain takes skill. The look is striking. This random stamped concrete patio has a Greek type allure with an adorned pool and azure waters begging you to take a dip.

An aerial view is the best way to appreciate the beauty this patio design has to offer. What really makes it so unique is the curved design balanced by two separate circular points mimicking the form of a pair of chic eyeglasses. The rock edging and greenery adds a fabulous finishing touch to the ambient.

How Much Does It Cost to Put in a Stamped Concrete Patio?

Stamped concrete is a cosmetic technique that involves imprinting, or stamping, a pattern onto newly laid concrete with huge polyurethane stamps and adding color, if desired, afterwards. Homeowners usually install stamped concrete to make their patio, pathway, driveway, or hardscape area around their pool more attractive. Stamped concrete flooring can also be installed inside your home.  

Using concrete as a means of enhancing the exterior or interior of your home is a budget friendly alternative to other building materials like brick or slate. Though cost is a clear concern, other factors are also important. So what would it cost to install a stamped concrete patio?

The entire cost of adding a stamped concrete patio to your home’s patio will depend on the design you select and other extras like color. A standard job with no-frills will cost roughly $8 to $12 per square foot. However, costs can vary if you select a more intricate design.

Intricate concrete patio designs are more expensive and frequently include elaborate features like:

• Aggregate hues 
• Shading
• Exclusive patterns

The choices are infinite. For example, color can be added to wet concrete to give it a crimson red color or a bluish-green shade similar to fieldstone. Professional installers can be as creative as you want them to be as they are very skilled at entrenching various shapes and designs into cured concrete. The final result is up to you as just about anything you can imagine from geometric shapes to flowers and medallions is possible.  

Upscale Design Costs

A factor that will definitely increase the cost of your stamped concrete installation is if the concrete designer has to apply additional colors manually. This frequently happens if you desire a certain shade that is undoable while the concrete is still wet. 

After the concrete has the correct moisture and temperature, known as curing, fresh colors are then added by hand. Because this is a time consuming process, costs can significantly increase. 

Compared to the price per square foot of a standard stamped concrete patio installation, more exclusive designs start at $18 or more per square foot. These patterns and color methods involve various detailed techniques that are required in order to achieve the desired outcome. If you hire an expert contractor for the job, the results should be well worth the money spent. 

For example, a professional may use a procedure known as saw cutting in order to create bespoke motifs and patterns on your new stamped concrete floor. It takes a highly skilled artisan to execute such a task so naturally, the cost will be higher. Other techniques utilized to enhance stamped concrete include hand coloring which involves concrete staining to resemble a natural effect and a hand tooling method that entails manually curving the stamped concrete for an uncultivated look.    

Additional cost to put in an embellished stamped concrete patio will include:

• Square footage
• Number of colors and type
• Concrete design
• If a border is used
• And whether additional decorative elements are used

Additional long-term costs include:

• Though stamped concrete is durable and can last 30 years or more, they do eventually develop cracks. It is recommended that you protect your floor with a sealant every two-years. Today, a sealant cost approximately $25 to $35 per gallon. 
• Because stamped concrete patios can become slippery when wet – which is why it is advised not to install them in extremely rainy climates – to apply an anti-skid veneer during rainy periods in your region today will cost around $30 per gallon.  

Definitive costs will involve:

Materials and Supplies – Along with the concrete and dyes, your installer will need to provide the specialist instruments required for concrete stamping.

Labor Costs – Concrete stamping is demanding and requires a professional experienced with specialized equipment in order to do an expert job, which undoubtedly will take more time.  

Estimate – Initial estimates are usually free and includes any onsite inspections.

Additional Cost Saving Insights

Whether to use new or resurfacing concrete is an option you might want to consider. Usually, stamped concrete is made from a newly-poured slab. However, a cost effective way to achieve the exclusive look you might favor is by applying a decorative overlay that can be added to existing concrete if it’s in peak condition. 

An overlay is a thin veneer that is easily manipulated for coloring and embellishing resulting in an identical appearance of a fresh concrete slab. Most importantly, decorative overlays are usually easier on the budget than brand-new decorative slabs.  

Because stamped concrete patios will last nearly a lifetime, are captivating, and provide additional space much like an exterior living room, you can expect a considerable return on your investment.  

What Are the Pros and Cons of Stamped Concrete?

Like anything, stamped concrete has its pros and cons.

Pros 

• Stamped concrete has all the pros of a paved patio without the customary difficulties. Great if you’re a homeowner, since you can have two advantages simultaneously. The appearance of a paver patio without all the difficulties linked with them. Pavers allow grass and weeds to thrive even when there’s little space between the pavers. Stamped concrete bypasses that issue altogether. 
• Another great advantage of stamped concrete is its durability. It won’t break or crack when exposed to the elements. After a decade of use, your stamped concrete will look as good as the day you had it installed.  
• If you’re looking for a low-maintenance floor option for your patio, stamped concrete is a fantastic choice. The only maintenance would be having a sealant applied – which you probably won’t do yourself anyway – to prevent the concrete from soaking-up water. Other than that, there’s very little upkeep to be concerned about.

Cons

• Your concrete floor may develop ridges due to faulty stamping. This frequently happens when the installer need to use two stamps or should adjust the stamp to suit a larger patio. The distracting imperfections will show-up in between the stamped spaces ruining the entire design in the process.
• Another con associated with stamped concrete is known as efflorescence. This takes place when the concrete comes across water, and crystallized deposits form on the concrete’s surface. This is usually an issue when water is in contact with the concrete before it has finished drying or curing. 

Though the effects may not be detectable for a few weeks or months, you may notice crystals appearing as soon as a few days. Efflorescence takes place when the sealant applied to protect the concrete from moisture wears off. In addition, moisture from ice, snow, or rain can creep into the concrete itself with crystals forming as a result. The best way to avoid the issue is to make sure your stamped concrete is sealed properly. 

Stamped concrete is long-lasting if it is maintained properly. thereby requiring very little on your part. If you like the appearance of pavers or another substance but on a tight budget, you will find stamped concrete ideal as a low-cost option.