Decorative concrete in Mountain View CA - a finish that suits the slab you have
Tired of a plain gray patio or a worn slab? We'll help you pick stamping, an overlay or stain, and do it right.
Decorative concrete gives a slab a new face. Here's when it fits.
When someone in Mountain View asks about decorative concrete, they usually mean one of three things: stamping a pattern into fresh concrete so it looks like stone or brick paving, laying a cement-based overlay over the slab you already have, or staining what's there.
Which one fits depends more on the slab than on the look. One acid stain maker says its stain may not work on older, weathered concrete or on a slab under runoff or dripping water. If a slope keeps sending dirt and water onto your patio, we may need to talk about concrete retaining walls before any finish.
The price moves with the size of the area, the finish you pick and how much repair the old slab needs before anything goes on it. The schedule turns on that prep and on curing, the weeks new concrete needs to harden. The written estimate gives you your own figure, and we're fully licensed and insured.
Your slab tells you. Is it time for decorative concrete?
A patio that looks tired
Faded, blotchy gray concrete is often still sound underneath, which makes it a good candidate for a new finish. Waiting mostly costs you a space you don't enjoy using.
Chipping or a dusty top
A top that flakes or turns to powder often goes back to how it was poured or finished, like a pour in midday heat. Left alone, the flaking spreads and leaves less sound surface to work with.
Cracks or old patches
Cracks can just be the slab shrinking, or they can mean the dirt underneath has settled. I want to know which before we put anything new on top, because a moving slab takes its finish with it.
Your decorative concrete job starts on site. I come out myself.
You call or send a message, and I come out myself to look the slab over and ask plenty of questions, like how old it is and where the rainwater goes. I'll tell you honestly whether stain suits it, since stain shows what's already there and older or damp concrete can fight it.
After the visit I send a written estimate for the work we talked through. On a cracked slab, we go over the chance of old cracks showing back through an overlay before you decide, so you're choosing with the whole picture.
Once you're ready, our lead hand runs the crew and I check in at the key steps. One stain maker warns its runoff can mark nearby surfaces or harm plants, so we protect your planting beds before any stain goes on. Then we clean up and walk the finished job with you. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Thinking about decorative concrete? Tell us about the slab.
Send photos, the slab's rough age and size, and the look you want. We'll reply within one business day to book a free, no-obligation estimate on site.
(650) 447-1063Decorative concrete around Mountain View. Who you hire matters here.
We're based in Mountain View and do this work there and around it, in cities like Sunnyvale and Los Altos.
If your city requires a permit, it also wants a licensed contractor's signed statement with a current license number, and the state contractors board says a small add-on to a bigger job still needs a licensed contractor. Whether your job needs a permit is your city building office's call, so if it's unclear we check first and handle the paperwork.
Questions about decorative concrete. Straight answers below.
Read through the answers below before you pick a finish. If your question isn't covered, call (650) 447-1063 and I'll talk it through.
Can stain hide the cracks and marks on my old patio?
No, stain won't hide them. One stain maker says its colors are translucent and aren't meant to cover blemishes or construction problems, so marks already in the slab show through the finish. If hiding them is the goal, an overlay or a new pour usually makes more sense.
Will old cracks come back through a decorative concrete overlay?
Some can, even with good prep. Priming and repairing cracks before the topping goes on helps limit them, but it can't make sure none come back. If your slab is cracked, plan for that chance, and if it's still moving, I may suggest a new slab instead.
How soon can you stain a new concrete patio or driveway?
One acid stain maker says concrete should be fully cured, 28 days, before its stain goes on. So on a new slab, stain comes as a second step once those 28 days have passed, and the same goes for an indoor slab from our concrete floor installation work.
Does a stained concrete patio need to be resealed?
Yes, from time to time. One acid stain maker says the sealer should be checked for thin or traffic-worn spots and reapplied as needed. So plan on that upkeep, mostly on the paths and steps people use every day.
What license does a concrete contractor hold in California?
California's contractors board describes a concrete contractor as one who forms, pours, places, finishes and installs flat and other concrete work. Ask whoever you hire for their license number before any work starts, and I'm glad to go over ours on the visit.
Ready to rethink that gray slab? Call Precision Mountain View Concrete.
Tell me how old the slab is and how the water runs off it, and I'll set a time to come look before you settle on a finish.
Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
