Proportions of printed thin layer concrete. Stamped concrete: a practical and beautiful covering for a personal plot. What is decorative concrete

The article was prepared with the participation of specialists company DOMASK BETON

Paving stones, paving slabs, clinker, natural stone - finishing materials enough, but there is no limit to perfection, and today all these surfaces can really be imitated using concrete. This technology allows you to accurately recreate any texture, while physical characteristics coatings are not inferior, but in a number of points they are superior to the simulated surface. With the fundamentals of technology and important nuances DOMASK BETON specialists will help you figure it out, they will also answer the most topical issues FORUMHOUSE users.

History of occurrence stamped concrete.
Scope, advantages and disadvantages of stamped concrete.
Stamped concrete device technology.
Professional answers to users' questions.

The history of stamped concrete

Stamped concrete began to be used in the middle of the last century, in the USA. Entrepreneurial Americans have developed a technology for maximum hardening concrete surface and giving it special properties so that the runways of military aviation serve as long as possible. But the invention was quickly appreciated by urban contractors, and with minor improvements, the concept of decorative stamped concrete was introduced into everyday life for use in almost any objects.

Stamped concrete, otherwise called stamped concrete (concrete is produced using stamps) or press concrete, differs from ordinary concrete by decorative embossing applied to the surface. In this case, the pattern can repeat natural or artificial material, be it stone, wood, paving stones or cracked soil. In addition to visual appeal, stamped concrete is characterized by increased wear resistance, since special materials are used in the printing process, as well as protective impregnations and varnishes for concrete.

Scope, advantages and disadvantages of coating

This material is universal - it can be laid on various grounds, use outdoors and indoors. In the private sector, paving with printed concrete is most common. garden paths, patio, recreation areas, blind area, stairs, gazebos and terraces. It is almost indispensable for restoration, as it allows you to imitate all styles and materials that are not found today.

The coating has no limits, as it is able to withstand mechanical influences, automobile loads and temperature differences from - 50 to + 50⁰С.

But, only subject to the device technology, so we will understand.

Fedor MeshkorudnikovDirector of DOMASK BETON

There is no alternative to stamped concrete in decorating horizontal surfaces on the street (paths, parking lots, blind areas, sidewalks, platforms). it monolithic slab- no failures, a variety of textures and colors, quick installation, strength, durability, frost resistance.

The advantages of the coating include the following properties:

Solidity - due to the absence of glue joints, obtained when paving with piece materials, the canvas does not require regular restoration.
Environmental friendliness - no matter how hackneyed this concept is, concrete does not contain chemical components that can be released into the environment when heated, as is the case with asphalt derivatives and similar coatings.
Decorative - how the path or steps will look depends only on personal preferences, big choice forms are conducive to a flight of fancy.
Durability - a monolithic canvas does not absorb moisture, therefore, does not crack when frozen, dyes are resistant to abrasion and direct sunlight. Properly laid stamped concrete will last at least 15 years, and if taken care of, even more.

Stamped concrete is resistant to wear and weather, but like stone, tile or pavers, it scratches easily when it comes into contact with metal.

If the car has studded wheels, characteristic marks may remain.

Ilya Ivanov

About stamped concrete. As tracks - everything is very good, but in the parking lot - a problem. Everything is fine with the stove, but I have a check-in under a canopy with a turn, the exit is the same, and both cars are on spikes in winter. In the place where the front wheels turn every day, the entire surface is covered with scratches. It is clear that in the variant natural stone or paving stones would be the same, but the fact remains. Please note that if you turn the steering wheel and ride on spikes on the site, you need to choose some kind of coating such as small gravel on an adhesive basis.

Professionals offer another solution to the problem, if you really want just such a parking lot.

Fedor Meshkorudnikov

The only solution is to fill in strips 70-80 cm wide under the wheels, which can later be dismantled, and fill in new ones.

And on the paths, and in parking lots, and in any other place, the coating is also sensitive to chemical reagents, which should not be forgotten either.

Stamped concrete device technology

Despite some nuances, the manufacturing technology of decorative stamped concrete is not particularly difficult. Nevertheless, only strict observance of the work technology and high-quality materials corresponding to the specifics of the application will make it possible to obtain an attractive, strong and durable coating.

Foundation preparation

The first stage is standard - sampling the soil layer, leveling, compacting, creating a slope, adding a drainage layer from crushed stone of a fraction of 20-40 mm with leveling and tamping. Then waterproofing is carried out, since saturation with moisture from the soil for stamped concrete is contraindicated. For this purpose, they lay on top of the rubble polyethylene film. final stage preparation is the installation of formwork and reinforcement of the base (taking into account the minimum protective layer), the diameter of the reinforcement and the mesh cell depends on the expected loads. On the sandy soils a layer of geotextile under crushed stone may be required.

Mortar requirements and installation

Preferably factory concrete grade not less than M300-350, if you make concrete yourself at the facility, then on Portland cement (400-500) with the addition of fiber and plasticizers. Concrete laying is typical, the surface must be leveled, compacted, crushed stone is deposited and smoothed with concrete trowels.

decoration

When there is no excess moisture on the surface, a colored fixer is applied (by scattering) in 2-3 layers to harden the surface and give the desired color. Each layer is rubbed into freshly laid concrete with trowels until the surface becomes one-color, strictly observing the consumption - 2.5 kg / m² dark colors, 3.5 kg/m² light colors. Next, a colored hydrophobic release agent is sprayed on so that the mold does not stick to the concrete and gives a second surface color that remains in the seams and recesses. Impressions are made by stamping, by means of forms, until the concrete can be pushed through with a finger, gradually moving the forms over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe canvas.

After two days, excess disconnector is removed from the concrete by washing with plain water from a hose and helping with a brush.

Protective coatings are applied after the concrete has dried, but work is not allowed when high temperatures and below +5⁰.

Operating mode

As already noted, it takes 2 years to update the protective layer, but there are a couple of nuances:

The pavement is able to perceive pedestrian loads after 4 days, a large mass only after 14 days.
Do not remove snow or dirt with a metal tool.

Reinforcement (against cracks)
Base (concrete M350)
Color fixer
Hydrophobic release agent (so that the form does not stick, additionally gives color to the seams and indentations)
Texture mold/stamp
Protective covering(impregnation and varnish for waterproofing, more intense color and wet stone effect)

Professional Answers

Portal members are interested in various situations: device expansion joints or original use fixer.

hmk2003

Interested in the technology of the device of expansion joints, and is it possible to create simple flat surface concrete, entrance to the garage, etc.

Fedor Meshkorudnikov

To avoid the appearance of cracks, to relieve stress, cut expansion joints with a joint cutter or grinder with a diamond blade to a depth of 1/3 of the concrete thickness, with 3 × 3 m cards, with a layer thickness of 8-12 cm, the tracks are cut every one and a half meters. You can get a smooth colored surface, some do just that, just rub the colored fixer into freshly laid concrete.

The bulk of users who are just looking at the technology or have already tried it and remained dissatisfied with the result are concerned about the causes of the destruction of printed concrete. According to Fedor, there may be several of them.

Violation of device technology:

Lack of waterproofing (film and impregnation). Regardless of the type of surface, when laying decorative concrete outdoors, it must be protected by a layer of insulation from both below and above.
Working with bad weather conditions(cold, hot, damp).
Untimely application of the fixer: if the concrete "seized", the composition does not penetrate into the deeper layers, binding only the surface, which leads to peeling after the first winter.
Insufficient slope - water stagnates, spoils the view, in places of accumulation it gradually seeps into upper layer and as saturation begins to destroy the concrete. According to the technology, a slope of 1.5 cm is required for each running meter canvases.
Lack or insufficient reinforcement - the concrete slab will begin to deform.

As an alternative to decorative paving slabs you can buy or make printed concrete with your own hands. Technology for the production of stamped concrete allows you to create decorative surface garden path imitating stone, wood flooring, paving stones or even animal skins.

Thus, stamped concrete provides unique opportunity combine pattern floor covering with the overall architectural design of the building.

History of technology creation

Various concretes designed for decorative design appeared in the USA in the middle of the last century. Initially, this development was intended for the design and arrangement of runways for military airfields. But stamped concrete turned out to be a very reliable and durable coating.

He quickly gained popularity among urban planning companies, and after - and among private customers. The production technology of stamped concrete made it possible to transform the appearance of large cities and small towns, reconciling architectural styles past centuries with modern office centers and shopping pavilions.

Pros of using

The advantages of stamped concrete are represented by the following qualities:

gradual spread of decorative concrete;
absolute environmental friendliness of the process. The production technology of stamped concrete does not provide for the use of harmful and toxic substances, and even during long-term operation, decorative concrete coating is absolutely safe for humans and environment;
the surface of the coating, made of stamped concrete, is resistant to aggressive environments and is easy to clean with improvised means;
decorative concrete coating is able to maintain its qualities in the temperature range from -50°C to +50°C, while maintaining the brightness of colors and the internal structure of concrete;
Compared to natural materials, stamped concrete has a low cost and longer term operation;
the main stages of production and installation are quite simple and do not require special skills and knowledge.

Photo gallery

Stages of manufacturing a decorative coating

If you want to create a colorful and quality coating, then decorative concrete- this is exactly what you need. But in order not to complicate your life, you should adhere to when making decorative concrete established technology and consider expert advice.

In order to make stamped concrete, choose a warm, dry day. The air temperature should not be lower than + 5 ° C, the minimum humidity will contribute to the rapid drying of the workpieces. With the help of pegs and a rope, they enclose the area chosen for covering.

On the selected area, the top layer of soil is removed. If the coating is intended only for pedestrians, a layer of about 158 cm is removed.

For the site on which the movement of vehicles is provided, the soil is removed to a depth of 20 cm.

A mixture of crushed stone and sand is poured into the resulting formwork. The resulting pillow is carefully rammed. A polyethylene film is laid on top of the compacted pillow with an overlap of about 10 cm, a reinforcing mesh is placed on top.

kneading

For the production of printed concrete, Portland cement of the M400 or M500 brand with the addition of various plasticizers is best suited. For decorative coating it is recommended to add polypropylene fiber to concrete.

For one cube of concrete, 0.6 kg of this additive is enough. Polypropylene fiber significantly increases the service life ready concrete and prevents the formation of chips and cracks on its surface. To make decorative concrete with your own hands, the following components are needed:

three parts of sand;
three parts of crushed stone fraction 5-20 mm;
plasticizer C-3-0.5% by dry matter. It should be noted that the plasticizer is added to the mixture in the form of an aqueous solution;
Portland cement M-400;
polypropylene fiber 0.6 kg per 1 cubic meter

The mixture prepared in this way is laid out in the formwork, distributed and compacted. For the smoothness and evenness of the surface layer, a rule is used. It is also possible to roll the surface of the hardening mixture with a roller, this will ensure the removal of small particles of the hardening printed concrete to the surface, and the deposition of large parts of the mixture.

Along the entire perimeter of the formwork, the surface is smoothed with an angle trowel.

Applying a decorative layer

Before applying the top decorative layer, the work surface is treated with a fixer. About 70% of the right amount the fixer is manually applied to the matte concrete surface and smoothed with an aluminum trowel. After that, the rest of the fixer is scattered and the surface is smoothed with a steel trowel.

The next step is to apply the hardener. This component is a blend of permanent pigments, filler and binder. Each layer of hardener is rubbed into the surface until outer layer stamped concrete will not become smooth and evenly colored.

Create relief or simulation on a surface

If your task was to make the surface of stamped concrete embossed, imitating stone, boards or bricks, after applying the hardener, the wet surface should be treated with special presses that will give the concrete the desired shape.

This operation should be carried out with concrete that has not yet hardened, while its surface is easily amenable to finger pressure.

Laying

Prepared matrices are laid on the concrete surface. The first row is usually laid along the outer edge of the formwork. To achieve perfectly even lines, the matrix should be pressed tightly against each other. It will take about two days for the final curing of decorative concrete. After that, the concrete surface is cleaned, excess material is removed with hard brushes with a long pile. The surface is washed and dried.

Application of the acrylic layer

For the final finishing of decorative concrete, a protective acrylic layer is applied to its surface. This protective measure will reduce harmful effect environment and significantly increase the life of printed concrete.

Forms, tools and all necessary materials can be purchased at Domask - www.domaskbeton.ru

Making stamped concrete with your own hands will require special attention, careful selection of components and precise adherence to technology. But such a coating will wonderfully decorate the interior of your house or cottage and give architectural ensemble your home your own unique flavor.

Technology of laying decorative stamped concrete.

1. Terms of work

Perform work in dry weather at a temperature not lower than +5 C.

2. Site preparation

remove the top layer of soil, level, compact
pour a layer of crushed stone 15-20 cm, level, compact
put a plastic film with an overlap of 10 cm
set up the formwork
make reinforcement depending on the load

3. Feature concrete mix

the concrete grade must be at least M-300 on Portland cement 400-500 with a plasticizing additive SP1 or C3
concrete mix mobility 10-15 cm (P3)
in the manufacture of concrete, we recommend using reinforcing polypropylene fiber (fiber) at the rate of 0.6 kg per 1 m3, which prevents cracks and improves performance characteristics concrete

The composition of concrete during its preparation for construction site(by volume):

cement PC 400 - 1 part
sand with a particle size modulus of at least 2.2 mm - 3 parts
rubble ( hard rock) fractions 5/20 mm - 3 parts
plasticizer C-3 - 0.5% by dry matter (given in the form of an aqueous solution).

4. Concrete laying

put the prepared concrete mixture into the formwork
evenly distribute, compact with a vibrating screed or internal vibrator, level with a rule
then roll the surface of the concrete with a roller, while upsetting a large aggregate and bringing small particles (a mixture of sand and cement) to the surface
smooth the surface of the concrete with an aluminum trowel (large or small, depending on the area)
to process the edges of the concrete around the entire perimeter with an angle trowel

5. The device of the decorative layer

before applying the color fixer, make sure that there is no excess water on the surface of the concrete (the surface of the concrete must be matte)
apply evenly by manual dispersion method 70% of the application rate of the fixer (3 kg/m2 for dark colors and 4-5 kg/m2 for light ones), the surface should be evenly painted
smooth with an aluminum trowel, process the edges of the concrete
sprinkle the remaining 30% of the fixative, smooth with a steel trowel
finish the edges with a corner trowel
before imprinting with textured polyurethane forms, the prepared surface must be coated (sprayed) with a hydrophobic decoupler using a long-haired brush, in a thin even layer (consumption 0.2 kg per 1 m2)

6. Printing a pattern using texture matrices

imprinting of prepared concrete should be carried out without delay, while it is still amenable to light finger pressure
laying the first texture forms to begin, moving along the entire length of the concrete pad along the formwork.
to avoid sagging, press the matrices firmly against each other, this creates straight lines at the junctions
depending on the plastic hardness of the concrete mix at the time of imprinting, press the matrix over the entire area into the concrete by pressing with hands, feet or rammer (for even distribution of the load over the entire area)

7. Washing and applying a protective layer

after two days (at least) of hardening of stamped concrete, sweep away excess release agent from the surface using long-haired brushes
rinse the surface clean water, use brushes to remove excess disconnector, if necessary, apply a 3% hydrochloric acid solution
prime the surface with acrylic impregnation, on a dry, clean and not hot surface of washed printed concrete (surface temperature should be from +5 C to +30 C) apply protective acrylic impregnation with a brush, roller or sprayer at a rate of 200 g per 1 m2
after at least 60 minutes, on a dry and not hot surface (surface temperature should be from +5 C to +30 C), apply a finishing layer, protective acrylic impregnation (matte surface) or varnish for stone and concrete ( glossy surface) with a consumption of 200 g per 1m2

8. Temperature shrink joints

to prevent the formation of uncontrolled shrinkage cracks, saw through the seams with a grinder with a diamond blade or a joint cutter to 1/3 of the thickness of the concrete. The thinner the boards, the closer the seams should be. If possible, the slabs should be square, in extreme cases, their length should exceed the width by no more than 1.5 times.

9. Operating conditions.

walkable 4 hours after applying the topcoat impregnation with acrylic or lacquer for stone and concrete
it is not recommended to load the finished surface in the first 12-14 days (drive by car, trolleys, etc.), only light foot traffic is allowed
it is contraindicated to use anti-icing reagents
do not use metal objects to remove ice and snow
update top coat(varnish or impregnation) 1 time in 2 years, in places with high traffic every year (parks, squares, alleys, squares, etc.) to restore the original shine, protect against moisture and wear

Stamped concrete (or press concrete) is a technology for finishing a horizontal surface with the final imitation of natural stone, tiles, paving stones or any other material. Printed is becoming very popular these days due to some of its characteristics. Firstly, this material is very durable and reliable, resistant to temperature extremes (from -50 to +50). Secondly, it does not wipe off and retains its color (and you can give any color and shade to a decorative printing solution). And thirdly, the material looks aesthetically pleasing and harmonizes perfectly with any architectural style.

Printed is strong, durable and resistant to various weather conditions.

And thanks to its immunity to acid and alkali, it can be used in various workshops and in a manufacturing plant.

The laying technology differs from the usual laying only in that it involves the procedure of reinforcing, coloring the top layer, its formation and sealing.

Marking and preparing the trench

Laying should begin with the preparation of the base. future site decorative mortar marked with twine. If a pedestrian zone is planned, then a 30 cm layer of soil is removed, and for a transport section - 50 cm. The bottom of the resulting trench is leveled and compacted, a vibrating plate can be used. Then the formwork is installed along the edges of the trench, and gravel is poured onto its bottom, which is compacted. From above, the gravel is covered with a layer of sand, filled with water and compacted again.

To achieve optimal plasticity, plasticizers are added to the solution, from 0.3 to 0.8% of its mass. The essence of adding plasticizers is that they reduce the amount of water during mixing, which reduces the number of pores in concrete and prevents its destruction from temperature changes.

Necessary raw materials for laying: cement (it is desirable to use M350 and M400), water, sand, plasticizers, protective sealant varnishes, fiber fibers and dyes.

Cooking and styling technology

A mortar is prepared in a concrete mixer from cement and sand with the addition of fiber fibers. For one part of cement there are three parts of sand, and for 1 cu. m of concrete add 1 kg of plasticizers.
The prepared mortar is laid slightly above the level of the formwork in order to easily level the coating in the future. To give decorative qualities dye is applied to the surface. For 1 sq. m accounts for 2 kg of paint.

The surface is suitable for the molding process after 4-5 hours. Before forming, a special component is applied to the surface, which prevents the surface from sticking to the molds.

The technology of drawing a picture, or "printing" is very simple. It is performed using special molds with a relief pattern. After their laying, the surface is pressed with a rammer. Then the forms are carefully removed, and the seams are made with a marker chisel.

Concrete becomes hard after 2-3 days, and after this time, the release agent must be washed off the surface. After another 5 days, the surface is treated with a sealant varnish.

Stamped concrete is popular among gardeners and summer residents due to its low cost and ease of operation, and its laying technology is quite possible without the involvement of specialists.

Increasingly, technologies appear in construction that can create works of art from familiar coatings and materials. Such a transformation is possible even with such an ordinary material as concrete. Through the use of polyurethane or metal stamps, a dull concrete surface can look like stone paving, wood decking or slate slabs. Such concrete is called stamped, printed or press concrete. About him, as well as the possibility of creating a printed surface on your own, we will now talk.

The essence and possibilities of using this technology

Stamped concrete is ordinary concrete, on the surface of which decorative embossing is applied with special stamps. A relief pattern can imitate any material: brick, paving stones, boards, animal skins, weathered stone, cracked earth. You can pick up stamps with leaf patterns, dinosaur footprints, animal figures.

Stamped concrete is especially popular in the design of patios, pool areas, garden paths, sidewalks, gazebos, floors in restaurants and exhibition halls. This technology becomes indispensable with complex restoration work. For example, when it is necessary to recreate the destroyed part of the old pavement. Finding exactly the same materials, naturally aged, is often not possible. And with the help of stamped concrete technology, exact copies of an existing old brick or half-worn stone are easily created.

Variety of Stamped Concrete Dies

The first stamped concrete dies were made of cast aluminum and were massive molds equipped with handles. Such matrices are well suited to imitate ordinary brick or stone patterns. But they can't copy complex textures. A completely different matter is modern polyurethane stamps. They are cast on real materials, the texture of which must be copied. As a result, incredibly authentic textural effects can be achieved with polyurethane molds.

Ready-made stamps can be purchased from many construction stores or centres. When choosing, pay attention to the degree of rigidity of the form. The denser the stamp, the easier it is to make a clearly visible pattern with it. Forms that are too soft and pliable are more difficult to work with and require more effort during the printing process.

Self-production technology

Stamped concrete technology is quite simple, but you need to take it up only with a certain amount of already existing skills in working with concrete. Otherwise, the result may not be what you expected. Problems may arise for the following reasons:

concrete quickly hardens, after which the use of stamps does not give a clear embossing on the surface;
to perform embossing with stamps, physical force must be applied;
errors in embossing a concrete surface are difficult to correct;
stamped concrete technology requires the worker to be able to handle special tools to form and smooth the surface.

If you are confident that you can deal with potential problems, you can begin to create a concrete pad and perform stamping work.

Step 1. Site preparation

The basis for stamping - the usual concrete pad with reinforcement, made of concrete grade M350 and higher.

Technology for creating such a site:

with the help of a peg and a cord, they indicate the boundaries of the site on which stamping will be carried out;
remove the top layer of soil (depth 15-20 cm), ram the soil bottom;
poured into the bottom of the hole crushed stone pillow(thickness 10-15 cm), ram it;
formwork from boards is installed along the site boundary;
a reinforcing mesh is laid in the formwork, raising it above the ground level by at least 3-5 cm (by placing stones and bricks under the mesh);
concrete is kneaded manually, using a concrete mixer or ordered ready-made;
concrete is poured into the formwork to obtain required level sites use a metal rule;
compact concrete with a vibrating screed;
the top layer of concrete is smoothed with a trowel, achieving smoothness and uniformity of the surface.

Step #2. Application of colored hardener

A colored hardener is applied to still fresh concrete, which simultaneously colors the surface and increases its strength. Color hardener is a powder, which contains coloring pigments, astringent filler and ground particles of granite and quartz sand. Due to the dispersion of the mixture, its particles penetrate into the pores of the concrete and fill them. The concrete surface becomes denser and stronger. At the same time, the particles give the concrete a lasting color (about 30 tones - to choose from).

Work on applying a colored hardener begins after the initial setting of the concrete surface. You can navigate at the moment when all the water that has come out from the surface has evaporated.

Color hardener powder is spread over the concrete surface by hand, from the center of the site to the edges. At the same time, they perform movements similar to throwing a bowling ball. They scoop up a portion of the powder, take their hand back and throw the mixture forward with a sharp movement from waist level. This principle of powder application minimizes the number of particles flying through the air.

The first layer of hardener should be absorbed into the concrete, which takes 5-10 minutes. During this time, the surface of the concrete is smoothed by rubbing the dye into it with a magnesium trowel. Corners are also processed with corner trowels to make them bent, neat.

Then a second layer of colored hardener is applied. It is necessary to more evenly color the surface and seal it. The powder is applied in exactly the same way as in the first case. After application, the surface is leveled with a steel trowel.

Step #3 Release agent application

The release agent prevents the concrete from sticking to the stamps during the printing process. In addition, it additionally colors the surface of the concrete, giving it subtle shades colors. The release agent is available as a dry powder or liquid. Most often, powder is used, applying it to the concrete surface with a wide brush (maklovitsa).

The brush is immersed in a bucket with a release agent so that the bristles are evenly covered with powder. Then, holding the brush at waist level, they throw their hand forward and “spray” the powder over the surface of the concrete.

After staining, the corners of the site are treated with textured skins.

Step #4 Surface stamping

Before starting stamping, it is necessary to make sure that the concrete has acquired the necessary degree of plasticity and has become similar in consistency to plasticine. If stamping is started too soon, the concrete surface will not be able to bear the weight of the workers and retain the print lines. If you are late, then for a clear print you will have to put more effort on the stamps. In addition, the texture of the stamps may not be imprinted at all on very dense concrete, especially at the end of the work.

To determine the degree of density, just press your finger on the concrete surface at several points on the site. If there are prints with a depth of 4-6 mm, then stamping can begin. You can perform the check in another way: place a stamp on the concrete surface (at the edge of the site) and step on it. The stamp must hold the weight of the worker, not sink into concrete, not slide on the surface.

If all tests are passed successfully, you can start stamping. Stamps are laid out on the concrete surface, one after the other. Manufacturers often number the stamps (1, 2, 3… or A, B, C…) to indicate the desired sequence of their placement in the printed design.

To imprint the texture of stamps into concrete, it is often enough just to step on them. Sometimes light hand rammers are used for this.

After the prints leave the concrete surface to cure for 12-24 hours.

Step #5 Elimination of defects

On the concrete surface, where the dies meet, there is often a slight movement cement mortar. Sometimes, due to insufficient tamping, the seams of the printed pattern may look blurry, indistinct. To correct surface defects, the seams and joints are carried out with a hand roller, the irregularities are smoothed out with textured skins.

Step #6 Cutting shrink seams

Several cut seams in the slab provide stress relief and prevent cracking. Such seams can be made in still fresh concrete using a special cutter. Or cut the seams with a grinder after the concrete has dried.

Step #7 Surface washing

The next day, the surface is washed. Wash off excess release agent with water from a hose. After - acid washing (hydrochloric acid) is performed to obtain the desired effect of combining two colors on the surface. During this process, the pores of the concrete also open, which contributes to a better interaction of its surface with the sealant.

Step #8 Application of sealant

The next day, a sealant varnish is applied to the concrete. It performs a number of functions:

protects the surface from abrasion and wear, as well as from the penetration of oils and chemicals;
gives the surface a gloss of various saturation (from barely noticeable satin to rich lacquer);
enhances the color saturation of concrete;
simplifies the maintenance of the treated surface.

The sealant is applied with a roller, rolling it over the surface. But, if the stamped texture is deeply imprinted, it is desirable to combine rolling with a roller with additional brushing when applying the sealant. Typically 2-3 coats of sealant are required.

After the sealant dries, the stamped surface will be completely ready for use.

I would like to make a few points:

If you are using a stamp for the first time and have no idea what it will look like on concrete, do a test print on packed sand.
Avoid repeating the printed pattern on the surface, especially if the stamps imitate natural materials(stone, wood, etc.). Random compositions will look more realistic.
To get the effect of antiquity on the surface, apply on more liquid concrete a small amount of dry release agent (in powder form). Spray a liquid release agent over it. The liquid will dissolve a light layer of powder, after which color accents will remain on the surface, similar to scuffs.
Make sure that the release agent particles are well pressed into the concrete when printing. Otherwise, it will simply be washed off with water when washing the surface.
Make sure that the person walking on the stamps during tamping wears clean shoes without marks construction debris and dust. Inevitably, these contaminants will get onto the fresh concrete and ruin the desired texture of the stamped surface.

That's all the secrets of stamped concrete technology! But, before proceeding with self-stamping, we suggest that you watch a short informative video. It demonstrates the main stages of the technology: coloring concrete, applying a separating component and creating a surface texture using stamps.