I'm a concrete contractor and I talk to lots of people out estimating and considering work for my business. Often people think stamped concrete is completely unique of regular concrete and it's really a completely different product. This is somewhat true, however the basics of the two are the same and they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in exactly the same application. For example, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they'll generally function as same thickness and also have the same design strength.
Regular concrete can be your everyday concrete found 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 base that is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is designed for its application. For instance, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified which is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas which have severe winters. That's the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. concrete experts is placed, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, like a broom. After that, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the easy way with a membrane forming curing compound.
Stamped concrete is very similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all the steps will be the same except the finishing steps. The concrete can be colored which is usually put into the mix. It is also colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an intrinsic color. After bull floating is when things the process changes with stamped concrete. Some contractors go one step further and trowel the concrete to get the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area due to 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 the concrete sets 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 can be used to help keep the stamps from sticking to the concrete. Some contractors will put curing paper on the concrete to cure it till the very 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 apart from what they look like on the surface. Many 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 is the texture of the stamped concrete. Within an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete can get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.
