Decorative concrete in Riverside CA - color and pattern on a solid base
Your patio or driveway looks plain, stained or worn out. We add color and pattern on a slab that's solid underneath.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Is decorative concrete right for my patio or driveway?
Decorative concrete in Riverside is a regular slab finished with color, pattern or texture, like stamped concrete pressed while it's fresh to look like stone or brick, so a patio, walk or driveway looks finished instead of plain gray.
Most calls start with a patio or driveway that's gray and tired, stained or cracked, and the first question is whether to cover it or start over. The price turns on the size of the area, whether your old slab can take a new finish or has to come out, the pattern and color method you pick for stamped concrete or any other finish, and how much base work the ground needs. The schedule mostly turns on whether there's tear-out and on the wait for the concrete to cure before it's sealed. I'll leave you a written estimate that says what's in it, so you can see where your money goes before anything gets poured.
How we do decorative concrete
Before we talk color or pattern, I look hard at the slab you've got. If it's sound, an overlay may make sense, which is a thin decorative layer bonded to the old surface, and if it's heaving or broken clean through, I'll tell you it needs to come out first. On a new pour we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and we check which way the water runs so the slab sheds it away from the house. Then we set forms and rebar, the steel inside that keeps cracks from spreading apart. We pour, color and stamp while the concrete is still soft, then cut control joints, shallow grooves that give it a planned place to crack. After that it has to cure, the wait while it hardens and gains strength, before anyone walks on it or it gets sealed. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you pick a simpler pattern than skimp on the base, because nobody sees the base on day one and it's the part that decides whether the pretty top stays flat.
Decorative work often sits next to other jobs. We build concrete retaining walls where a slope crowds a new patio, and we handle concrete floor installation when you want a colored slab indoors.
Integral color for patios and walks
The pigment runs through the full depth of the concrete, so a chip or saw cut shows the same color as the top and the slab ages without pale scars. It suits patios and walks where you want the most forgiving finish and you're happy with softer tones.
Color hardener for driveways
This is worked into the top surface, which gives richer color and a harder wear surface, so it's the usual pick for driveways and other spots that see traffic. The color lives only in that top layer, so deep damage shows gray, and if it goes on unevenly the color can look blotchy.
If your slab is starting to heave or crack through, call before you pick colors, because it may need to come out, and we reply within one business day.
What happens when you call about decorative concrete in Riverside?
Here's how a decorative concrete job runs with us, from the first call to the walkthrough. I do the estimate myself and run the crew on the job, so you're dealing with the same person throughout.
Call or send the form
Tell us what you have in mind, and we'll set a time for me to come out. We pick up the phone seven days a week, so evenings and weekends work.
I look and write it up
I look at the slab and the ground, ask how you'll use the concrete, and leave a written estimate. It spells out what's included, so you can see whether it covers tear-out, base work, the color method, the pattern and sealing.
We pour and walk it
Once you say go, we settle the permit question, prep the ground, form and pour, then walk the finished job with you. Satisfaction is guaranteed on every job.
Get a written decorative concrete estimate
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at your slab and leave a free written estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
(951) 589-3080Decorative concrete rules and jobs in Riverside
If your job includes a driveway that meets a county road, the Riverside County Transportation Department issues an encroachment permit, its OK to work in the county's public road right-of-way, and either the contractor or the homeowner can apply for it. We check what the city wants before we start, and when a permit is needed we pull it ourselves or help you apply. On licensing, California's minor work exemption, which lets someone without a contractor's license take small jobs, stops at $1,000 and covers only work that needs no permit, and it doesn't apply if that person employs anyone on the job, so anyone bringing a crew to pour your patio needs a license. We're licensed and insured. We're based in Riverside and work in many of the cities around it in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, so if yours isn't listed, call and ask.
A lot of our decorative calls are for a plain gray patio, walk or driveway that came with the house, and the first step is sorting out whether that slab can carry an overlay. We see the same kinds of slabs on jobs in Jurupa Valley and Moreno Valley, and we handle them the same way.
Decorative concrete questions from Riverside homeowners
How much does a stamped concrete patio cost in Riverside?
Pouring a stamped concrete patio in Riverside usually costs about $9 to $18 per square foot, and that's the going rate around here, not a quote from us. Where your job lands depends on the pattern, the color method, how much tear-out and base work it needs and how easy the spot is to reach. My written estimate lists each of those for your slab.
What is the best way to fix a worn concrete patio without tearing it out?
A decorative overlay is usually the best way, as long as the slab underneath is sound and the overlay can bond to it. On a slab that's just worn, stained or dated, an overlay costs a fraction of tearing out and re-pouring, and you get the space back sooner. A heaving or cracked-through slab still comes out first, for the reasons above.
Will a new decorative concrete slab crack like my old one?
It can, because all concrete can crack, but a slab on a packed base with control joints cut on time usually cracks along those joints instead of through the middle of your pattern. If your old slab cracked because the ground moved under it, I'll look for that at the estimate, since a new finish over the same problem won't hold up.
How long do I wait to seal new stamped concrete?
One maker's guide says stamped concrete should cure 72 hours or more before it's washed and sealed, so sealing comes days after the pour, not the same day. When it's sealed, ask for two thin, even coats, because one installation guide warns that a heavy flood coat can bubble, turn white and get slick when wet.
How often does stamped concrete need to be resealed?
One installation guide recommends resealing stamped concrete every 2 to 3 years. It's a repeat chore, so count it in what the surface costs you over the years, not just on the day it's poured.
Is stamped concrete cheaper than real stone or brick?
It often is, because stamped concrete gives you the look of stone or brick pavement on a slab poured in one piece. Real stone still looks like real stone up close, so it comes down to the look you want against the budget you have, and I'm happy to talk through both at the estimate.
Related concrete work around a decorative slab
A sloped yard can push soil and runoff onto a new patio, so a poured wall that holds the ground back gives the decorative slab a fair chance.
If you want a colored slab indoors, in a shop, studio or room addition, it starts with the same packed base and careful pour we use outside.
Get your decorative concrete estimate on site
Have the slab's size, whether it's a patio or driveway, and photos of any cracks ready when you call (951) 589-3080, so I can tell you early whether it's an overlay or a tear-out.