Decorative concrete driveway in Pittsburgh
A decorative concrete driveway takes a much harder life than a patio. The pattern has to sit on a thicker slab, the sealer has to handle hot tires and road salt, and on a Pittsburgh hill the surface has to keep its grip in winter.
What changes for a driveway
A driveway isn't just a large patio. These are the extra steps we take when a pattern has to carry cars.
- A thicker slab, with steel
- A deeper stone base under wheel paths
- A flatter pattern that plows and shovels ride over
- Sealer with grit, as a gloss film is slick on a slope
- Joints set in the pattern, about every 10 feet
Use the pattern where it shows
A full stamped driveway is a big bill. Many homeowners get the look for much less by keeping the pattern to a border, an apron or the area near the house, and leaving a plain broom finish along the wheel paths. Plain concrete wears better there anyway, and it gives more grip on a hill.
Winter care matters more on a driveway than anywhere else. Road salt falls off cars and sits on the slab, and that wears away both the sealer and the color. Rinse the slab at the end of winter, and reseal it when water stops beading.
Is it right for your driveway?
On a steep driveway, or where a plow service clears the snow, a deep pattern and a shiny sealer are a poor match. A plain textured slab with a stamped border may be a better idea. We'll tell you if we think so. See what moves the price in our stamped concrete cost guide.
How the job goes
- Check the slope
We look at grade, drainage and plowing.
- Choose
You pick a pattern and where it goes.
- Remove and base
The old driveway comes out, and stone goes in.
- Pour and stamp
Steel, concrete and pattern go in.
- Seal
Sealer with grit protects the surface.
Common questions
Are pavers cheaper than stamped concrete?
Usually not. Pavers often cost a little more to install, though they're simpler to repair.
More services
- stamped concrete
- stamped concrete patio
- concrete patio contractors
- stamped concrete walkway
- stamped concrete steps and porches
- stamped concrete pool deck
- stamped concrete overlay
- stamped concrete sealing
- stamped concrete repair
- concrete staining
- decorative concrete
- colored concrete