I'm a concrete contractor and I speak to many people out estimating and looking at work for my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely unique of regular concrete and it's really a completely different product. That is somewhat true, however the basics of both are the same and they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete can be used for a driveway, they will generally function as same thickness and have the same design strength.
Regular concrete is your everyday concrete used in sidewalks, driveways, patios, roads, and anytime regular pavement is constructed. It's generally placed on some type of gravel or native soil base that's compacted. The region is then formed with lumber or manufactured forms. Reinforcement is normally installed in the bottom which is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is created for its application. For instance, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is normally poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas which have severe winters. That's the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is placed, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, such as a broom. From then on, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the simple way with a membrane forming curing compound.
Stamped concrete is very similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all of the steps will be the same except the finishing steps. The concrete is also colored which is usually added to the mix. It can also be colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an intrinsic color. After bull floating is when things the procedure changes with stamped concrete. Some contractors go one step further and trowel the concrete to have the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete in our area because of the harsh winters, which isn't supposed to be troweled so we usually just obtain it smooth as you possibly can with a magnesium bull float. After Browse around this site to a desired hardness, the concrete is imprinted with the rubber like stamps. A release agent which is an antiquing colored release, or liquid release agent is used to help keep the stamps from sticking with the concrete. Some contractors will put curing paper on the concrete to cure it till the next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.
So to conclude stamped and regular, there is not much difference between the two other than what they appear to be on the surface. Lots of people they think stamped concrete is just not as durable as regular concrete and that's just not the case. The thing that could make it less durable may be the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete will get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.