Decorative concrete in Redmond, WA - a pattern and finish you can keep up with

Plain gray slab, or a stamped patio that's faded and slick? We help you pick a pattern, color and sealer you can afford to keep up.

Request an estimate (425) 285-8618

Gray stamped concrete pool deck surrounds a blue swimming pool, with rectangular stone-like patterns and a narrow drain.

What goes into a decorative concrete job in Redmond?

Decorative concrete in Redmond, WA is a slab that's stamped with a pattern, colored or edged with a border, so a patio, walk or driveway looks like more than plain gray, and we pour it over a dug-out, packed base so the pattern isn't sitting on ground that settles.

Most people call because the slab they have is plain, cracked or sinking, or because an old stamped concrete patio has faded and gone slick. The price moves with the size, how busy the pattern is, how many colors and borders you want, and what's under the old concrete, since a bad base has to come out before anything pretty goes on top. The schedule turns on the weather, on whether the city needs to sign off on work near the street, and on the wait before the new slab can be sealed. Your own number comes from looking at your site, because I'd rather see what's there than guess over the phone.

How we build decorative concrete that wears well

I bring up the sealer early, because on decorative work it changes both the color you see and how slick the surface gets in the rain, so we talk through a sealer with a visible shine against one you can't see, and how you'll keep your footing when it's wet. The real work starts underneath, though. I look at why the old slab failed, we check where your water runs so the new one sheds it away from the house, and we dig out and pack the subgrade, the soil and gravel the slab sits on, instead of raking it level and hoping. We set rebar, steel that holds the slab together if it cracks, and pour early in the day, because midday heat leaves a weak, dusty top you'll be sweeping for years. We color and stamp while the concrete is still soft, cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a place to crack where we chose, and let it cure, the slow hardening that keeps going after the pour, before anyone uses it. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather spend it on the base nobody sees than on a fancier pattern, because the nicest stamp in town still cracks when the dirt under it settles.

Decorative work often ties into other jobs. On a sloped lot, a patio usually needs concrete retaining walls to hold the ground beside it, and we build both so the grade and the drainage work together. If you want the same look carried inside to a basement or shop, concrete floor installation is the indoor side of the same work.

Stamped and colored throughout

This suits patios and front walks where you want the look of stone, brick or tile across the whole surface. It takes more finishing time and more care to keep the color even, so it's the choice when looks matter most.

Colored slab with a stamped border

A plain colored field with a patterned edge suits driveways and busy walks, because the open middle is easier to sweep and has fewer textured low spots to hold dirt. You still get a finished look for less upkeep.

Why Redmond homeowners call Groundbreak Redmond Concrete Company for decorative concrete

The person pricing it runs the job

I come out for the estimate myself, so the one who looks at your old slab is the one standing there when the truck shows up. Our own crew does the work with me running it, and nobody hands your patio off to someone who never saw it.

Since 2013, learning from failed slabs

We've been at this since 2013, and I learned a lot of the trade by breaking up old slabs to see why they failed. Before we price yours, I want to know what went wrong with the old one, so the new one doesn't fail the same way.

Licensed and insured, and easy to check

Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the state Department of Labor and Industries and to be bonded and insured, and you can look anyone up there before you sign. We're licensed and insured. Call (425) 285-8618 or use the form to set up a visit.

Get a decorative concrete price for your patio, walk or driveway

We reply within one business day. Send the rough size in square feet, what's there now and the design you have in mind, and I'll set a time to come out for a free on-site estimate, with no obligation. You'll know what you're paying for, and who's handling any permit, before we set a date.

Phone: (425) 285-8618
Email: hi@redmondconcretecompany.com
Location: Redmond, WA 98052
Hours: Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM

Decorative concrete in Redmond, and the city rules that can apply

If your project touches the right-of-way, the public strip along the street, or restricts access to the street or sidewalk while we work, the city's Public Works Director issues the permit for it. That usually comes up with a driveway or walk that meets the street. Before we set a date, we find out which city or county office covers your address and what your project calls for, then tell you plainly who'll handle the permit and the inspections.

Bigger jobs bring in the city's stormwater rules. In Redmond, a project that adds or replaces 2,000 square feet or more of hard surface, or disturbs 7,000 square feet or more of ground, needs a low impact development assessment as part of its drainage report. The city counts turning a dirt or gravel area into concrete as new hard surface, and where rain soaks down to the groundwater that supplies drinking water, it asks for extra care and pollution controls. Redmond also wants concrete truck washout kept off the ground and out of storm drains, streets and streams, so it's fair to ask any crew where theirs will wash out. Around here we see a lot of roof and driveway runoff headed toward slabs, so where the water goes gets settled before the pattern does. We're based in Redmond and work in the cities around it, including Kirkland and Sammamish, and if your city isn't on our pages, just ask.

Questions people ask about decorative concrete

How much does stamped concrete cost in the Seattle area?

Cost guides put stamped concrete in the Seattle area at about $12 to $28 per square foot, which is the going rate for the work, not our price. Where your job lands depends on its size, how complicated the design is and local labor rates. We give you our own number after I've seen your site.

How do I pick a stamped concrete design I can afford to keep up?

Decide first how much upkeep you want, because detailed designs with several colors, borders and custom inlays cost more and need frequent maintenance to keep their look. Those designs can add curb appeal and resale value, so they often earn their keep on a front walk or entry. A simpler pattern in one or two colors usually suits a back patio that just needs to look good and hold up.

How long do I have to wait to seal new decorative concrete?

Industry guidance says to wait 28 days after the concrete is placed before sealing it, unless the sealer is built into the mix. The slab keeps curing for weeks after the pour, so sealing is usually a later step on the calendar, not part of pour day.

How often does a concrete sealer need reapplying?

A penetrating sealer usually needs reapplying every 5 to 7 years, while a topical acrylic sealer gets a new coat whenever it starts to wear. The topical kind sits on the surface where you can see it, and the penetrating kind soaks in and disappears once it's on, so you're choosing the look and the upkeep together. One sealer maker notes the surface can lose grip with each coat and that sand added to the wet sealer can offset it, so ask about that before it goes on.

What causes stamped concrete to flake in winter?

De-icing salt is the usual cause, and that flaking of the top layer, called scaling, is the most common kind of frost damage concrete gets. Guidance says to use sand instead of deicers during the first winter, so keep some sand on hand for icy days that first season.