Patios out back
Most people picture a stone or brick look for the patio, and stamping gives you that pattern in one solid slab, with no loose pieces to shift and no weeds coming up through gaps.
Decorative concrete in Manchester NH - a stone look made for New Hampshire winters
Plain, chipped or tired concrete out front? We'll tell you if it can be resurfaced or needs a new stamped pour, then build it right.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What decorative concrete means for your slab
Decorative concrete in Manchester, NH is concrete given a pattern, color or texture, most often stamped to look like stone or brick, and at Manchester Concrete Works we either put it over a sound old slab or pour it new.
Most calls start with a gray patio or front walk that's chipping, uneven or just plain, and you'd like it to look like more than a slab. We're licensed and insured, based in Manchester, and we work in the cities around it across southern New Hampshire and into Methuen, MA, so if your city isn't on our list, ask us.
The price mostly comes down to three things: the size of the area, whether the old concrete can stay or has to come out, and how much pattern and color you want. The schedule turns on that same tear-out question, plus the weather and whether the work reaches the street, which brings the city in. Your own number comes from the estimate, where I walk the site with you and write down what the price covers.
I look at every job myself
Before any price goes on paper, I come out and walk the site with you, and I work alongside our crew on the build, so the person who explained the job is there doing it.
Your old slab gets checked first
We look at whether your old concrete is sound before we talk patterns, because a new finish on bad concrete won't last, and you'd end up paying for the job twice.
Ground work before the pretty part
Good decorative concrete comes from the base and the timing more than the stamp, so that's where we spend our time, even though nobody sees it once the job's done.
How we build a decorative slab, step by step
First I check whether your old slab is sound enough to build on, and if it isn't, I'll tell you so. When it has to come out, we dig down to the subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, and pack a gravel base instead of just raking it level, because loose fill settles and takes the slab down with it. We also check where the water runs so the new surface sheds water away from your house, not toward it. That base is the part people want to cut first, since you can't see it on day one, and it's the last place I'd save money.
We pour in the cooler part of the day where we can, because concrete that sets in midday heat can end up with a weak, dusty top. While it's still fresh, our crew presses the pattern in and works the edges by hand. Then we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack instead of across your pattern. Concrete can still crack, and the joints decide where it does. Make sense? After that it cures, which is the wait while the concrete gains strength, and rushing that wait is how good slabs turn weak.
Decorative work often sits next to other concrete on the same property. A sloped yard may need concrete retaining walls to hold the ground before a patio goes in, and a finish you like outside can carry indoors with concrete floor installation for a basement or an addition. Tell me what else you're planning and I'll explain how the pieces fit together.
Where people use decorative concrete
Front walks and steps
The front walk is the first thing visitors cross, so a pattern or a border there goes a long way. If yours meets the city sidewalk, read the permit question below first.
Worn slabs that are still solid
If your concrete is sound but plain or worn on top, an overlay, a thin new topping, can give it a fresh surface without the tear-out. I'll tell you straight whether yours qualifies.
Driveway borders and aprons
Some homeowners stamp just the border of the driveway or the apron, the stretch right in front of the garage, which brings the look in for less than patterning the whole driveway.
Get a written estimate for your decorative concrete
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, walk the site with you and write down what the price covers, free and with no pressure to book.
The rough size of the area
A length and width guess is plenty, because it gives me a sense of the job before I come out and helps us plan the visit around your space.
Photos of the old slab
Pictures of the concrete you have now, especially cracks, sunken spots or chipping, give me an early read on whether it might take a new surface or need to come out.
Whether it reaches the street
Tell us if the work touches the city sidewalk or curb, since that can bring in a city permit and changes what we check with the city before scheduling.
Concrete patterns, colors and borders to consider
Use these examples of stone, brick and slate patterns, color choices and border layouts to start the conversation about what suits your house.
Questions about decorative concrete in Manchester
These are the questions Manchester homeowners ask most about resurfacing, cost, winter and permits, with straight answers from what we see on jobs.
Can my old concrete be resurfaced instead of torn out?
It can, if the slab is structurally sound enough for an overlay to bond to it. A slab that's heaving, settling or cracked all the way through has to come out instead. Over one that's intact, fairly level and not still sinking, an overlay can give about 10 to 15 years of renewed surface. I'll tell you which yours is on site.
How much does stamped concrete cost in Manchester NH?
Stamped concrete in Manchester usually costs about $13 to $27 per square foot installed, and that's the going range around here, not our price. It often comes in under real stone or brick for the same look. Where yours lands depends on tear-out and how much pattern and color you choose, and the on-site estimate spells out what your price covers.
How late in the fall can decorative concrete go in around Manchester?
Late enough to leave at least 30 days of curing and air drying before the first freeze, which is what one university extension guide recommends, so fall pours need booking early. That guide also says outdoor paving should be air-entrained concrete, with tiny air bubbles that help prevent scaling, the flaking freeze-thaw causes. Ask whether any quote's mix is air-entrained.
Which sealer holds up best on stamped concrete through winter?
One concrete products maker's guide prefers penetrating sealers outdoors for durability through freeze-thaw cycles and deicing chemicals. Topical film-forming sealers are still the most used on stamped concrete because they bring out deeper color. So you're choosing between color and long-term wear, and I'll go over both with you before anything goes on.
Do I need a permit for a decorative front walk in Manchester NH?
Probably, if it reaches the city sidewalk or curb, because Manchester's Department of Public Works issues the permits that right-of-way work will likely need. We check with the local building office about your job and handle the paperwork for our part or help you file it. For curb or sidewalk work out front, the city's 50/50 program can reimburse up to $25,000 per parcel.
How do I take care of new stamped concrete the first winter?
Use sand for traction instead of deicing salt that first winter, because one concrete products maker's guide says salts speed up scaling on new concrete. After that, reseal when the surface stops shedding water and stains or the color fades, not on a set schedule. Too much sealer, or sealer too early, can spoil the look, so ask us how much goes on and when.
Other concrete work that pairs with this
Tell us about your patio or walk
We take calls seven days a week until 9 PM, so call (603) 591-9259 after work or send the form tonight.