Stamped concrete services in San Bernardino CA - the look of stone on a solid slab
Plain gray patio or a worn-out drive? We pour, color, stamp and seal a slab that looks like stone, brick or wood.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does stamped concrete involve, and is it right for your patio or drive?
Stamped concrete is a regular slab that San Bernardino Concrete Company colors, presses with rubber stamp mats while it's still soft, and then seals, so your patio, walk or driveway in San Bernardino looks like stone, brick, wood plank or tile but sits on the same flatwork, the plain poured slabs under patios, walks and drives.
Most people who call me have a gray slab that's cracked, sunk or just plain, and they want something that looks better than a plain concrete patio. The price moves with the size, how much digging and base work the ground needs, whether old concrete has to come out, the pattern and how the color goes in, and the schedule mostly turns on whether a permit is needed and how long the slab cures before we can seal it, so the written estimate spells out what's in it and what isn't.
How we handle stamped concrete, from the ground up
The big choice on stamped work is how the color goes in, and I'll walk you through which method holds up better where cars drive and which shows less if it ever chips. Before that I want to know where your water runs and what the slab will carry, because a patio that falls toward the house won't stay pretty for long. Our crew digs out and packs the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, then sets forms, pours and stamps when the concrete is firm enough to hold a clean imprint but still soft enough to take the detail, a point that comes sooner on a hot day. Once it's cured we seal it in thin, even coats, since a heavy flood coat can bubble, blush white and leave the surface slick when it's wet. If the budget gets tight I'd rather simplify the pattern than skimp on the base, because nobody sees the base on day one but it's what decides whether that pattern stays flat.
Stamped areas usually connect to plain concrete, so it pays to plan them together. We pour concrete sidewalks that lead up to a stamped patio or porch, and garage floor concrete for the slab a stamped drive runs into, setting the edges and heights so it all drains and reads as one job.
Integral color for patios and walks
Integral color mixes the pigment through the full depth of the slab, so a chip or a saw cut shows the same color as the top and it ages without pale scars. It suits patios, walks and pool-side areas where you'd rather have forgiving color than the deepest, brightest tones, which it can't reach.
Color hardener for driveways
Color hardener is spread over the fresh surface and gives it a harder top skin, which is why it's the usual pick for driveways and anything that takes traffic. The color lives only in that top layer, so deep damage shows gray underneath and an uneven spread comes out blotchy, which is one reason I'm there when it goes down.
Stamped concrete rules in San Bernardino
In San Bernardino, the city's Building and Safety Division issues building permits for structural work, with a few minor exceptions, and it exempts driveways and sidewalks that sit no more than 30 inches above the ground, aren't over a basement or a room below, and aren't part of an accessible route, the path laid out for wheelchair access. A stamped patio isn't named on that list, so we check with the city for your address first, and if a permit is needed we take care of it and set up the inspections. If your drive meets a county-maintained road, building the approach where the driveway meets the street or redoing a sidewalk in the road right-of-way comes under the county's encroachment permit, so we sort out which office has the say before anything gets torn out.
Most of the stamped work we're asked for is a front walk and drive tied together, or a back patio replacing a slab that's cracked and sunk, and it's the same work we do on jobs in Highland and Redlands. We're based in San Bernardino and work across the cities around it, so you get the same crew and the same care with the base wherever you are.
Why San Bernardino homeowners call us for stamped concrete
I see every job first
I come out to look at every job myself, and our own crew does the work with me there for the pour and the stamping. That way the person who talked through the look with you is standing there when it goes in.
Running our own jobs since 2020
I spent years as the right hand to another concrete contractor here, walking jobs and running the crew, before I started this business in 2020. I've called the stamping window on plenty of pours, and that judgment is most of what makes a clean imprint.
Licensed and insured
We're licensed and insured. The city issues permits only to contractors with the right state license and a current city business license, and those with employees show proof of workers comp, so that's a fair list to ask any contractor about.
If you've got a look in mind or just a slab you're tired of, tell us about the job or call (840) 222-9185.
Request a quoteGet a free written estimate for stamped concrete
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I'll come out, look at the spot and ask how you'll use it, then give you a free written estimate with no obligation.
What happens after you call about stamped concrete in San Bernardino?
Call or send the form
Call (840) 222-9185 or send the form with what you're picturing, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Our hours run 7 AM to 10 PM, seven days a week.
I walk the site with you
I check where the water runs and ask whether the slab will carry feet or cars, since that steers the color method. You get a written estimate that spells out the base work, pattern, color and sealing, plus what isn't included, so the price holds no surprises.
We pour, stamp and cure
If a permit's needed we handle it first, then our crew preps the base, pours and stamps. The slab cures before we seal it, and I'll give you the timing for yours.
Seal and look it over
We seal it once it's ready, and I go over the finished job with you. I'll also show you what a tired finish looks like, so you know when it's time to reseal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does stamped concrete cost in San Bernardino?
The price comes down to the size of the area, how much digging and base work the ground needs, the pattern and the color method, so I give you a written figure after I've seen the site. Tearing out an old slab, adding a border or a second color, and tight access all push it up, while one pattern on an open, easy site keeps it down. Call (840) 222-9185 and I'll come out and price it.
How long does stamped concrete need to cure before it's sealed?
It needs to be fully cured, or cured to a set point, before sealing, and one industry standard puts full cure at 28 days. The location, the time of year and the sealer all change that, so I'll tell you the timing once we know which sealer your slab is getting.
What causes stamped concrete to crack?
Most cracks start below the surface, with a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, or with joints that were cut late or skipped. Control joints are grooves cut into the slab so it cracks along a line we chose instead of across the pattern, and on stamped work I lay them along the pattern lines so they blend in. No slab is crack-proof, but those two things are what usually keep cracks where you won't notice them.
How often does stamped concrete need to be resealed?
There's no set number of years, so reseal when water stops beading up, stains start soaking in or the color looks flat. Sealing every year to keep a high gloss builds up layers that take a lot of time and money to strip off, which is why we go by how the surface looks rather than the calendar.
What is the best way to choose a stamped concrete pattern?
Pick it by how the area gets used, because a deep stone texture that looks great on a back patio is harder to sweep and roll things across on a walk or drive. Matching the color to your house, or tying the pattern to a walk you already have, keeps it from looking stuck on, and we can go through options when I come out.
Can an unlicensed contractor do stamped concrete in California?
Only on very small jobs, because state law lets an unlicensed person take on minor work up to $1,000, and only when it needs no permit and they don't employ anyone on the project. Stamped work takes a crew, which puts it outside that exemption, so you want a licensed contractor.
Other concrete work that goes with stamped
Concrete sidewalk building
A new walk from the street or driveway to your door gives a stamped patio or porch a clean lead-in, and we can pour it plain or stamped to match.
Garage floor concrete
If your stamped driveway runs up to a garage with a cracked or uneven floor, redoing the slab inside lets the two surfaces meet cleanly without a trip edge.
San Bernardino, CA
Plan your stamped patio or driveway
Have the rough size and a photo of a look you like handy when you call (840) 222-9185 or send the form, and the first visit goes quicker.