Concrete driveway stain may not be as popular as stamped designs, but they should be! First of all, it is much cheaper to stain an existing driveway than it is to rip it all out, pour new concrete and then stamp it. To many in the industry, the difference in the look simply does not warrant the added costs associated with stamping the concrete. Driveway stain can be used on new or old concrete slabs and will bring to life a more rustic or sophisticated look almost instantly. The stains can simply be placed on top of the dry concrete to create almost any color you want. It just requires a quick cleaning and sealer afterwards.
Many contractors prefer to use stains because of the versatility in the coloring scheme. It is much easier to change the color of a driveway stain than colored pigment. Mixing colors and adding accents is common with stains whereas with pigment powders in stamped concrete it is usually one solid color throughout. These bold colors are usually what customers are looking for when they decide to make a statement on their driveway. Also, the stain is unlikely to fade over time because they penetrate deep past the surface of the concrete and bond for a permanent look.
Common artisanal practices include applying multiple colors of driveway stain that makes the concrete look like natural stone. Stencils and sawcuts are also common to give a tiled and artistic look to the driveway. Stained borders have replaced the common practice of adding brick to the outside edges of the driveway and really adds ‘pop’ to the front of a house or building. Check out our customer projects for more insight.