Stamped concrete is plain concrete plus pattern, color, release and sealer, and the extra labor to do all four well. The published figures put it at roughly twice the price of broom finish. What they don't show is the sealing schedule afterward, which this page does.
About the numbers. The ranges on this page are published national figures from HomeGuide, quoted with each page's date because they change. They are not our prices. Our price for your job is written after an estimator measures it, and it lists thickness, base, reinforcement, finish and the apron separately.
Published ranges, 2026
| Surface | Plain | Stamped | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio, per sq ft installed | $4 to $12 | $9 to $30 (stained or stamped group $8 to $30) | HomeGuide, patio page, July 2025 |
| Driveway, per sq ft installed | $6 to $10 | $15 to $20 (additional-cost section $8 to $26) | HomeGuide, driveway page, June 2025 |
| Stamped overlay on an existing slab, per sq ft | $3 to $7 plain overlay | $7 to $20 | HomeGuide, resurfacing page, Feb 2026 |
What's in the stamped premium
- Color. Integral color at the plant, a color hardener on the surface, or both. One color is the base; a second accent color or a hand-applied highlight adds.
- Pattern. Standard patterns (ashlar slate, random flagstone) are the base. Wood plank, cobble and seamless textures with hand-cut joints take longer.
- Borders and bands. A contrasting border or a soldier-course band around a patio is the most common add-on and the one that makes a stamped job look finished.
- Release and detailing. The powder that gives the shadowing, the touch-up after washing, and the hand-tooling of pattern lines at edges.
- Sealing. Two coats of a quality sealer with a slip-resistant additive after cure. Included in our stamped price.
- Crew. Stamping is time-critical: the slab has to be stamped in the window before it sets, which means more hands on the pour than a broom job needs.
The cost of keeping it
A stamped surface in Cincinnati wants re-sealing every two to three years, sooner if it sees de-icer. A re-seal is a cleaning and a sprayed coat, priced by the area; budget for it the way you'd budget for staining a deck. Skipped, the color fades, the surface takes salt damage, and the shadowing washes out, and the job that cost twice plain ends up looking worse than plain. The sealing guide covers the how.
A cheaper route to the look
If the existing patio is level and sound, a stamped overlay at the published $7 to $20 per square foot gives the stamped look without a new slab. The resurfacing page says which slabs qualify.
Questions
Why is stamped so much more than plain?
Color products, release, pattern work, sealing and a bigger crew to stamp the slab before it sets. The concrete itself is the same.
Can I stamp just a border?
Yes, and it's a popular compromise: a broom-finish field with a stamped and colored border, priced in between.
How much is re-sealing?
By the area, every two to three years. Think of it as a maintenance line like deck staining; it's a day's work with a sprayer.
Is stamped concrete cheaper than pavers?
Usually, installed, for the same look, and it's one slab rather than hundreds of units that can shift. Pavers can be lifted and relaid; stamped can't.
Can stamped concrete go on a driveway apron?
The City wants a broom finish in the right-of-way for traction. The driveway on your lot can be stamped; the apron is usually plain.
Does color fade?
Unsealed, yes, over years. Sealed on schedule, it holds. Integral color through the slab fades less than surface color alone.
Get a written price
Tell us the job and where it is. Someone calls back the same day, an estimator measures it in person, and you get a written price with the thickness, the base and the finish spelled out. Nothing is poured on a verbal.