Decorative concrete in Orange CA - color and pattern on a solid, packed base
Plain gray patio or walk? We color and stamp new concrete in a pattern you pick, over a base that's dug out and packed first.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Reseal the old slab or pour new?
I check the concrete under the finish first, because color and sealer only hold up on a sound slab. If it's moved or cracked through, I'll tell you new concrete is the better spend.
A reseal is enough when:
- The slab is flat and solid
- Cracks are few and hairline
- Water runs away from the house
- The color is dull, not gone
- Water no longer beads up
A new pour makes sense when:
- Sections have sunk or tipped
- Water runs toward the house
- Cracks are wide or still growing
- Deep chips show gray everywhere
- You want a different pattern
How a decorative job goes
You call or write
Call or send a message with what you have in mind and roughly how big the area is, and we'll set a time for me to come out.
A visit on the calendar
I look at the site
I measure, check the ground or slab that's there and see where the water runs, then explain what I'd do and why.
A clear plan
Your written estimate
The estimate spells out the pattern, the color method and the sealer, plus exactly what the price covers and what it doesn't.
A written quote
Permits, base and pour
Once you say yes, we handle any permit steps, pack the base and check every form with a string line before the truck backs in.
Checked forms, poured slab
Finish, clean-up, walk-through
We color, stamp and seal, clean up, then go over the finished work with you, including how long to stay off it while it cures and hardens.
A finished, sealed slab
What our decorative concrete work includes
Digging out and packing
We dig out soft soil and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, until it's firm.
Forms and steel
Forms go up to a string line, and rebar, the steel that holds cracks tight, is sized to the job.
The right thickness
We pour to the thickness the slab's use calls for, heavier where cars will drive than on a garden path.
Color
Color goes on the surface or through the whole mix, depending on what the slab carries and the tones you want.
Stamping and joints
We stamp while the concrete's still soft, then cut control joints, the planned crack lines, along the pattern so they disappear.
Sealing
We finish with a sealer that forms a coat on top, the usual choice on stamped work because it deepens the color.
What decides the cost of decorative concrete?
Size and shape come first, since curves, steps and borders take more forming than a plain rectangle. What's there now matters too, because breaking out an old slab costs more than starting on bare dirt. Reinforced concrete runs more per square foot than unreinforced, and a driveway needs more thickness and steel than a garden walk. Each extra color, a hand-detailed border or color mixed all the way through adds to it.
If you need to trim, drop the border or second color before base work, because the base is buried on day one and decides whether the pattern stays flat. Weather and curing, the wait while the slab hardens, set the schedule, and your estimate lists each part.
Why Orange homeowners call us for decorative work
I learned under a foreman who ran a string down every form and made us tear out anything that was off, and I still check forms that way. I started this business in Orange in 2017, I come out to look at each job myself, and our own crew does the work from the first form to the final cleanup.
Decorative work only looks good while the slab under it stays sound, so the base, forms and steel get the same care as the finish. Our crew also builds concrete retaining walls and handles concrete floor installation, so a patio and the wall or floor beside it can be planned together. If a finish isn't worth doing on your slab, I'll say so.
- I look at every job myself
- Our own crew, form to cleanup
- Backed by our satisfaction guarantee
Get a free estimate for your decorative concrete
Tell us the rough size, what it's for and whether it reaches the sidewalk or a creek. We reply within one business day, then I come out for a free, no-obligation estimate.
(714) 787-1676Decorative concrete questions from Orange
How is stamped concrete made?
Stamped concrete is poured concrete that's colored, pressed with rubber mats while it's still soft, then sealed. That's how you get the look of stone, brick, wood or tile from a poured slab. Under the pattern it's still a regular slab, so ask anyone bidding how they handle the base, the thickness and the steel.
How much does a stamped concrete patio cost in Orange County?
A stamped concrete patio in Orange County usually costs about $9 to $18 per square foot. That's the going rate for patios around here, not our price, and the pattern, the color and any old concrete that has to come out decide where yours falls. Your written estimate gives you your own number.
What is the best way to color a stamped concrete driveway?
For a driveway, a color hardener is usually the better pick, because it forms a harder skin that stands up to traffic. Its color lives in that top layer, so a deep gouge shows gray and careless work comes out blotchy. Color mixed all the way through keeps chips the same shade, though it won't reach the deepest or brightest tones.
How do I know when stamped concrete needs resealing?
Reseal when water stops beading, stains start soaking in or the color looks faded, rather than after a set number of years. Resealing is the most common upkeep stamped concrete needs, and I'll show you what to watch for when we finish.
Do I need a permit if my decorative concrete reaches the sidewalk in Orange?
Yes, work that reaches into the public right-of-way, which often includes the sidewalk and the parkway strip by the curb, needs an Encroachment Permit from the city's Public Works Department. Lots in the mapped flood areas near the Santa Ana River, Santiago Creek and Handy Creek also need the city's approval and a Grading Permit before building. When your job needs a permit, we pull it, schedule the inspections and tell you up front what the city will want to see.
Does a decorative concrete contractor in Orange need a license?
Yes, California treats anyone who forms, pours, finishes and installs flat and other concrete work as a concrete contractor, and the only way around a license is a job worth less than $1,000 that needs no permit, done by someone with no employees on it. We're fully licensed and insured, so ask to see the same from anyone else bidding.
Decorative concrete around Orange
We're based in Orange and do the same work in Tustin, Santa Ana and the cities around them. Pick your city below, or call if yours isn't listed.
Get a Cornerstone Orange Concrete quote in Orange
Call (714) 787-1676 or use the form, and I'll tell you what your slab needs first.