Decorative concrete in Ridgecrest CA - color and texture chosen to suit your slab
Tired of a plain gray patio or walk? We'll help you pick a color and texture that suits the slab you have.
I look at your slab myself
I come out to see the job and give you the estimate myself, so your price comes from someone who's looked at your slab, not a guess over the phone. Our own crew does the work, and I run it on site.
Running a small crew since 2017
I learned the trade as a helper on a small concrete crew, hauling forms and pushing mud one pour at a time. I still run a small crew and answer my own phone, so the person you call is the one who comes out.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. If you'd like to talk over a finish for your patio or walk, call (442) 294-1117 or send the form on this page.
Decorative concrete in Ridgecrest, from the slab up
Decorative concrete in Ridgecrest, CA, is color, texture or a pattern worked into a slab, either stamped into a fresh pour or stained onto concrete that's already there. It's for homeowners who want a patio, walk or floor that looks finished instead of plain gray.
The first decision is whether we're pouring new or working with what you have. On a new pour, stamping means pressing molds into the concrete while it's still soft, and the color can be mixed into the batch, broadcast on top as a dry shake or color hardener, or added with a powder or liquid release or a stain. On an existing slab, acid stain or a thin stamped or stained overlay can give the concrete a new look without tearing it out.
Price comes down to the size of the area, how involved the pattern and colors get, and the shape of the ground or old slab underneath, and you'll get your own number at the estimate. The schedule turns on the weather and the wait for curing and sealing. If your job needs a permit, I'll tell you then and we'll pull it before we start, including a Caltrans encroachment permit for any work in a State highway right of way.
Decorative finishes and the slab work under them
Checking an older slab first
On older concrete, I look the slab over before we talk colors and tell you honestly how evenly color will take, because some slabs are good candidates and some aren't. Indoors it's the same question, and if an old floor won't stain well, a new concrete floor installation gives you a fresh slab to color. Since color and texture come down to taste, one sealer maker recommends a sample patch done by the same crew that'll do the job, and it's a fair thing to ask any contractor for before you commit.
The base comes before the pattern
Most of what goes wrong with concrete starts under it, so on a new pour we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, instead of raking it level, and we check where the water runs so the slab falls away from your house. On a sloped yard, a concrete retaining wall may need to hold the ground first. The base is hidden on pour day, so it's the first thing people want to trim, but I'd rather simplify the pattern than skimp underneath, because a fancy finish on a settling slab still cracks.
Pour timing, curing, then sealer
Heat trouble can come any time of year but usually shows up in summer, which is when we plan hardest in Ridgecrest, because hot, dry air hits fresh concrete harder as the wind picks up. We keep the pour out of midday heat, then cure the new work properly on its own, letting it harden slowly instead of drying out. The sealer goes on last as a finish, not a fix, since sealer doesn't cure concrete and won't rescue a slab that was poorly cured. Whoever you hire, ask how they'll cure the slab apart from the seal.
Get a decorative concrete estimate at your property
We'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free with no obligation, and it helps to note the rough size, whether it's new or existing and the finish you like.
(442) 294-1117How a decorative concrete job goes
You call or send the form
Call (442) 294-1117 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out to your property. If you've seen a finish you like, a photo or two helps me understand what you're picturing.
Walking the site together
I look over the slab or the ground, ask how you'll use the space and go over the estimate with you. Ask as many questions as you like, because I'd rather explain something twice than have you guess.
Our crew, start to finish
Once we start, I'm on site with our crew from the ground work to the finish. When we're done, we walk the job with you before we pack up, and I'll tell you how long to keep off it.
Decorative concrete questions from Ridgecrest homeowners
What does a stamped concrete patio cost in Ridgecrest?
A poured stamped concrete patio in Bakersfield, California usually runs about $9 to $17 per square foot. That's a market figure from there, not our price, and your own cost depends on the size, the pattern and colors, and the ground work under it, so I'll price your patio at the estimate.
Will acid stain work on my older concrete patio?
It can, but older outdoor concrete may not color as evenly as an indoor floor, and any rock showing through worn spots won't take stain at all. Acid stain gives every slab its own mottled look anyway, so if your patio's too worn for that to look right, a thin overlay is the other way to go.
How soon can I use my patio after it's stained?
Plan on staying off it for at least three days. One industry specification keeps stained concrete closed to traffic that long and protected from spills until it's sealed, so it's smart to move the grill and patio furniture elsewhere and hold off on gatherings until the sealer's on.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in California?
Yes, for all but the smallest jobs. The state licensing board's concrete classification covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete, including flatwork like patios, walks and driveways. Work up to $1,000 is exempt only when it needs no permit and the person doing it has no one working for them.