Anybody have experience with stamped concrete driveways?

I have zero experience, but it can look very pretty. My one caution is I live in a place now that does a lot of driveways by laying down some sort of material in large sections, and it tends to crack over time. I don’t know how prone the stamped concrete is. If you live in a place with temperature change, the ground expands in the winter. In FL I had a type of brick driveway, can’t remember what it’s called. Pretty little “bricks” in varied shapes, and those could move with little shifts in the earth and so nothing ever cracked.

Brick pavers, that’s what they were called.

My experience with stamped concrete only extends to hotels that have used it in surfacing the pavement under porte-cochères or around a pool. In both cases, the initial appearance is classy, no matter what pattern and natural color is chosen.

Over time, the finish can wear away. At poolside, the chlorinated water discolored it. In the car ports, it held up under the onslaught of motor oil, which could fairly easily be scrubbed away. Over time though, the finish wears off if not maintained.

@JLeslie Good point about the potential cracking. Asphalt, and of course stones, are more forgiving.

@Pied_Pfeffer I would think you can seal the concrete to keep it clean and new looking? Or, do you mean the color fades?

@JLeslie Stamped concrete comes with a sealant. It’s much like putting a coat of clear finger polish over one’s painted nails. The top coat eventually wears away in high traffic areas, or in the case of pool areas, due to the chemicals in the water. A sealant needs to be reapplied in order to maintain the color of the of the original stain.

Welcome to Fluther.

Do you live in a snowy climate? The consideration that I would have with a stamped driveway (they are often very attractive) is that the stamped surface would make plowing, shoveling and snowblowing a pain, as the dips and ridges would catch the edge of the snow-clearing device (whatever it was).

If you live in a place that doesn’t have to consider snow removal, then it sounds like a fine idea.

@CWOTUS I agree, I don’t think this would weather well up north. My father actually has a driveway, front walk, etc. that are black, stamped pavers. It’s pretty cool-looking, actually – kinda looks like cobblestones. However, he lives here in FL and I doubt his driveway would look that nice if he had to deal with the snow, ice, salt, etc. Down here it’s already lasted approximately 15 years or so and still looks great.

It does not weather very well in the north where there is salt on the roads.