How much does stamped concrete cost in Pittsburgh?

What you are paying for

A stamped slab starts as a normal slab, so the base price is the same $8 to $14 per square foot as plain concrete. That covers the digging, stone, forms, concrete and labor. Stamping then adds about $7 to $11 per square foot. Those are real costs, as the job takes more materials and more skilled hands.

Integral color is added at the plant by the yard. The release, which gives the second color, is another material. The stamp mats themselves cost a lot and wear out, and a stamping crew is usually larger than a flatwork crew because the whole slab has to be stamped in a narrow window. After that, there's washing, saw cutting and two coats of sealer. A plain slab needs almost none of that.

To get a rough figure, multiply length by width, then multiply by your rate. A 15 by 20 foot patio is 300 square feet, so at $15 to $25 it's about $4,500 to $7,500. You can try other sizes and patterns in the chooser at the bottom of this page.

What moves the price up or down

Two patios of the same size can be thousands of dollars apart. These are the things that make the difference in the Pittsburgh area.

• Access: if a truck cannot reach the yard, a pump adds $500 to $1,500
• Removal: taking out an old patio adds $2 to $4 per square foot
• Slope: a sloped yard may need fill, a wall or extra forms
• Shape: curves take more form work and more cuts
• Colors: a third color or hand antiquing adds labor
• Steps: these are slow to form and stamp by hand
• Size: small jobs cost more per foot
• Soil: soft or filled ground may need extra stone

Does the pattern change the price?

Most patterns cost about the same, as the crew uses the same steps for each one. Seamless textures are often a little quicker. Patterns with very straight lines, such as brick or wood plank, take more care, because any error stands out. Herringbone and tile patterns also need sharp edges and hand work at the borders.

A border is usually the best value on the list. Stamping a band in a different pattern or color adds perhaps $1 to $3 per square foot on the area it covers, and it makes the whole project look more considered. Our guide to stamped concrete patterns and colors has more ideas.

The cost of keeping it up

Stamped concrete needs resealing, and that's part of its true cost. A cleaning and reseal runs about $1.50 to $3 per square foot, so about $450 to $900 on a 300 square foot patio. Over 20 years with a reseal every three years or so, that adds up to more than $3,000. You can do this yourself for less if you're careful, though a poor job can cloud the surface. Compare that with pavers, which need fresh joint sand now and then but no regular coat. Our stamped concrete vs pavers guide goes through it.

How to compare quotes

The lowest price often means a thinner slab, less stone or a single coat of cheap sealer. Before you compare numbers, make sure that each quote lists the same things: slab thickness, stone depth, steel, color system, sealer type and coats, and who removes the old surface. Ask what happens if the crew finds soft ground. Ask how many people will be on the crew on pour day, too. Three people can't stamp a 500 square foot patio properly on a warm morning.

Ask to see an older job as well. It's easy to make new stamped concrete look good. A slab that still has its color and pattern after five Pittsburgh winters is a much better recommendation.

Why stamped concrete costs more in a tight yard

City lots add cost in ways that a suburban price list won't show. If a mixer can't back up to the slab, the concrete has to be pumped, and a pump comes with a minimum charge. Old material may need to go out by wheelbarrow, one load at a time, down a side passage. That's slow work, and the hauling can cost more than the demolition itself.

Slopes add cost too. A patio on a hillside may need a small retaining wall, and that wall can cost as much as the patio. Steps add up quickly as well, at several hundred dollars for each step once forming and hand stamping are counted. None of this is a reason not to build. It's a reason to get a site visit before you set a budget, since an online price per foot can't see your yard.

Is stamped concrete worth the extra cost?

That depends on what you'll get out of it. For a patio that you see from the kitchen and use all summer, the extra $7 to $11 per square foot is often money well spent. For a side path that nobody looks at, a plain slab does the same job. Remember that the stamped surface comes with a reseal every few years. If you're sure that you won't keep up with that, a plain broom finish or a colored slab will age better, and it'll cost you less over time.

Ways to spend less

Keep the shape simple and the size honest. A patio only needs to be large enough for how you'll use it, and every 10 square feet you trim saves up to $250. Use a stamped border around a plain broom field, which gets you much of the look for less. Booking early helps too, since spring and summer fill up fast. If your old patio is level and sound, consider a stamped concrete overlay at $9 to $15 per square foot, or a concrete stain at $3 to $7.

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