Stamped concrete on the Costa Blanca

Stamped concrete on the Costa Blanca is everywhere once you start noticing it: villa driveways, terraces, paths round the pool. In Spain it is called hormigón impreso. In the UK you may know it as pattern imprinted concrete. It is a concrete slab with a pattern pressed into the surface while it is still fresh, so it looks like stone, slate or tiles but is one solid surface. We pump the concrete, place it and finish it.

What stamped concrete is

Stamped concrete is a poured slab coloured and imprinted with a pattern before it sets.

The concrete is pumped and levelled like any other slab. While it is still workable, a colour is worked into the surface and the pattern is pressed in with large mats. Once it has cured the surface is cleaned and sealed. The result looks like laid paving but has no joints for weeds to grow through and no individual slabs to rock or sink.

Where stamped concrete works well

Stamped concrete suits outdoor areas that get a lot of use: driveways, patios, terraces, paths and pool surrounds.

• Driveways: a strong slab that takes the weight of cars, with a finish that looks better than plain concrete.
• Patios and terraces: a large, even surface for outdoor living.
• Pool surrounds: one surface from the house to the water's edge.
• Paths and steps: joining up different levels on a sloping plot.

Planning a bigger outdoor area? Our page on concrete driveways and patios covers the base, thickness and preparation.

Why pump stamped concrete?

Pumping places the whole slab in one go, which gives an even surface and time to imprint the pattern.

Stamped concrete has to be poured, levelled and imprinted while it is at the right stage. If the concrete arrives in barrows over two hours, one end is setting while the other is still being poured, and the pattern won't be consistent. With a pump the concrete flows straight from the mixer to the slab at a steady rate. That matters even more on Costa Blanca villa plots, where the patio is often behind the house or down a level. Our mini concrete pump for narrow access sets up on the road and runs the line to the back.

Preparing the ground

A good stamped slab starts with a firm, compacted sub-base and the right thickness of concrete.

Old tiles, soft ground or roots have to go. The sub-base is compacted, edges are formed and falls are set so rainwater runs off and doesn't pool against the house. Synthetic fibres can be added to the concrete to help control surface cracking. We can talk this through with your builder, or with you directly if you are organising the job yourself.

Working with your builder, or directly with you

We pump for builders and pool contractors on their schedule, and work directly for homeowners too.

Everything is agreed before the day: the area, the thickness, the pattern and colour, the access and the price. One point of contact talks to the owner, the builder and the Spanish concrete plant, so there are no misunderstandings on pour day. The price is fixed and covers pump, operator and lines, with the concrete arranged by us. When we leave, the street and your drive are washed down.

Don and Oliver were awesome, on time, excellent clean up and they clearly know what they are doing. Highly recommend and will have them back for some other work in the future

Bruce Ketcheson

Stamped concrete prices

The cost of stamped concrete depends on the area, the slab thickness, the access and the finish.

Measure the length and width of the area and tell us how thick the slab needs to be. Length times width times thickness gives the volume in cubic metres. A WhatsApp photo of the area and the access is enough for us to come back with a fixed price. Read more on our prices page or send a quote request.