concrete flooring interior stamped or smooth?

5 years ago

we are building a new house and are thinking of having the interior floor stamped does anybody have this if so any advice ? pros? Cons? thanks!

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User

5 years ago

It’ll be far easier to grind off the epoxy sealer on flat when you get over it and do something else.

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Comments (13)

PRO
PPF.
5 years ago
Why?

Stamped with what?
User
5 years ago
Right. I've never seen it inside. But hey, maybe!
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love2weed- sounds like you are stressed and frustrated, and building a pool can certainly do that to you!! I wanted concrete like mkfmedic (that looks fantastic, by the way!!) but our builder wouldn't do it, telling me it would not look good around our pool. I had pictures of what I wanted - they had issues visualizing, and probably wanted to make more money . . .Now we have a cast stone product which is super because in 100 degree Texas heat, it is not the least bit hot. However, our contractor is gone and won't make the problems that remain right. What are we to do? We can't match the stuff without him. I say this to say to you - go with something easy and that you and your hubby can agree on. You probably don't want solid concrete around the pool or else any settling will cause you major problems down the road. If they put the saw-cut lines in, or lay the coping and decking with a division between, not only will it add design but will be sturdier. A lot can be done with concrete - pass it on to your other half. Simple is good :)
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qam999
5 years ago
Smooth - it will be easier to sweep and mop clean, and more versatile for decor.
Carolyn T
5 years ago
I would wonder how hard it would be on your feet since it would not have any give.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
Flat. And add sawcuts every 4-feet, or so, in both directions to minimize later cracking. All concrete cracks.
skmom
5 years ago
We just got rid of some poorly done stamped concrete outdoors and I’m so pleased to be rid of it. (Here when we bought the house) It was extremely difficult to sweep. Heck, it was even difficult to hose off with a really strong spray! I would’ve died if something like that had been indoors. Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration... probably wouldn’t have literally died... or would I have? I might have tweaked my back so badly that I’d get some weird ailment from bed rest and I might have died. From concrete stamped floors. LOL! I seriously hated them outdoors though. I’d go with smooth any-day though!
just_janni
5 years ago
Mopping a stamped floor will be a nightmare and will have the water / crud collect in the crevices. Smooth.
SJ McCarthy
5 years ago
Don't do it! If you want "texture" go with a high-end stain+epoxy finish with the LOOK of stamped (some of these guys are ARTISTS who LOVE to create a "look" using stains and etchings...some of them will get a "wood texture look" with just stain...truly stunning).

If you are going to have "finished" concrete floors, you need to tell the concrete slab guys BEFORE they pour, not after!!!! They will need to revise their estimate to INCLUDE a high-end concrete finish = micro-topping. They can do this....so long as you TELL THEM. Don't spring this on them AFTER the darn thing is poured. Your cost will go up astronomically. And I'm not kidding on that.

Poured concrete for a slab is NOT ready "to be finished". Too many people believe they can save money by finishing their slab as "concrete flooring". They find out (later) they were wrong. That "finished" concrete is EXPENSIVE. More expensive than a decent laminate+labor ($4 + $2 /sf). A finished concrete floor is a LIFESTYLE choice (ahem...$Mill homes, condos, etc). They are stunning. They are expensive. And they are often covered up (by regular home owners...not millionaire homeowners) inside of 7 years. Why? Because they are HARD to live with (hard on the feet, ears, etc).

Ask yourself why you want finished concrete. And then ask the concrete people how much they would charge EXTRA to prepare the slab for "finished concrete floors". I think you will be surprised by the up-charge.
PRO
Anglophilia
5 years ago
I had a friend who did this for her "dog/family room" she built on the back of a historic house outside Raleigh. She had the floor stamped (and the concrete dyed red) to look like brick. It was a disaster! Getting dog poop out of the "grout lines" was not fun. It proved to be very hard to keep clean with her 15 dogs.
robin0919
5 years ago
ditto what SJ said.
PRO
Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
5 years ago
A friend did their entire home interior in stamped... and hated it as it was too rough on their feet. Smooth w saw cuts as said above. Use a contractor with experience on residential interior concrete floors not your flatwork contractor learning this for the first time.
Chessie
5 years ago
OMG. No. All day long NO.

concrete flooring interior stamped or smooth?

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Comments (13)

PPF.

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