Stamped concrete services in Hawthorne CA - the look of stone or brick in one pour
What do stamped concrete services in Hawthorne involve?
Liberty Hawthorne Concrete pours stamped concrete in Hawthorne, CA. We color the fresh concrete, press a pattern into it with rubber mats while it's still soft, and seal it once it has set. You get the look of stone, brick, wood or tile in a single poured surface.
Most calls start with a plain gray patio or walk that looks tired, or a new area the homeowner wants to look like more than bare concrete. I come out myself, look at the space and how you use it, and help you pick a pattern and color you'll be glad to keep up, because a busy driveway and a quiet back patio don't need the same design.
Under the color, this is still flatwork like any driveway or patio, so our crew digs out and packs the subgrade, the soil the slab rests on, and sets rebar, the steel that helps hold the slab together. If a budget has to give somewhere, I'd rather simplify the pattern than skimp on that base, because nobody sees it on day one and everybody sees it if the slab settles.
We count sealing as part of the job rather than an extra, because the seal is what keeps the color looking right. Stamping isn't only for patios, since a stamped border can dress up a plain concrete sidewalk. If the slab you have in mind is inside the garage, garage floor concrete is its own job with its own page.
What the job takes
- Base dug out and packed firm
- Slope that sends water away from the house
- Thickness and steel matched to the use
- Even color, then the pattern pressed in
- Joints placed to suit the pattern
- Sealer included, not added later
What to weigh before booking stamped concrete
What shapes the cost
The size of the area, how detailed the design is and how much prep your ground needs move the price most. Your written estimate lists what's included and what isn't.
What the timing depends on
The schedule turns on ground prep, a pour day without midday heat, and curing, the wait while the slab gains strength before you walk or drive on it.
Simple or detailed design
A single pattern and color costs less and is easier to keep up. Borders, inlays and several colors look richer but need upkeep more often to hold their look.
Stamped concrete questions from Hawthorne
What is the best way to color a stamped concrete driveway?
For a driveway, color hardener is usually the better choice, because it gives a harder surface that stands up to traffic. Its color sits only in the top layer, so a deep gouge can show gray concrete underneath, and it has to be spread and floated evenly or the color comes out blotchy. Our lead finisher is on site for that step.
Does stamped concrete need to be sealed, and how often in Los Angeles?
Yes, stamped concrete needs sealing, because the sealer protects the color and surface from water and wear, and an unsealed slab fades, dusts and stains. One Los Angeles cost guide says upkeep here is mostly about protecting the surface from sun and wear, and that it should be resealed every two to three years. That's the upkeep to plan for after we finish.
How much does stamped concrete cost in the Los Angeles area?
Stamped concrete in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $15 to $30 per square foot. That's the going rate for the work across the area, not our price, and the size and design detail covered above, along with local contractor rates, decide where a job falls in it. I'll put our figure in writing once I've seen your area.
How do I keep cracks from showing in stamped concrete?
The usual way is to plan control joints, the grooves we cut so the slab cracks along a chosen line instead of at random. With patterns whose grout lines run roughly parallel, those joints can sometimes hide in the lines, while random patterns tend to show them however they're made. If hidden joints matter to you, that can steer which pattern you pick.
Do I need a permit for stamped concrete in Hawthorne?
If the work reaches the right-of-way, the strip along the street that the city controls, it needs a permit from the city's Engineering Department, which issues permits for all work there. The city's specifications also require its engineer to approve special finishes before work starts, and a city inspector checks the forms once the base is ready and before we pour, because the city won't accept concrete placed without that inspection. If your job needs a permit, I'll tell you at the estimate, and we handle the application and arrange the inspections.
Does a stamped concrete contractor need a license in California?
Yes, a California contractor needs a license whenever a project needs a building permit, uses employees, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The Contractors State License Board is the state office that licenses contractors. We're fully licensed and insured, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Stamped concrete near you
We're based in Hawthorne and pour stamped concrete in many of the cities around it, including Inglewood and Gardena. Choose your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.
Other services we offer
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Slab foundation building
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
Get a free estimate for stamped concrete
Note the area's size, its use and your design ideas. We reply within one business day, then I come out and write a free estimate, with no obligation.