Stamped Patio Installation

Master Decker has been installing stamped patios since 2014 — in backyards in London's Old South neighbourhood, on waterfront properties along the Lake Erie shore, and on new-build lots from Brantford to Kitchener-Waterloo. Our crews handle the technically demanding process of pattern placement, colour layering, and sealing as a standard offering, not a specialty upsell. We'll help you choose a pattern and colour combination during the estimate and show you installed examples so you know exactly what you're getting before we pour.

The most popular stamped patio patterns we install are Ashlar Slate — which reproduces the irregular cut-stone look of a high-end flagstone patio — and a large-format random stone pattern that suits contemporary outdoor kitchens and pool surrounds. Cobblestone and running-bond brick patterns are popular for more traditional or heritage-style properties throughout London's central neighbourhoods. We also offer a wood-plank pattern for clients who want the warmth of a wood deck without the maintenance.

Colour combines a base tone — applied as a dry-shake hardener broadcast during the finishing pass — with a contrasting release agent on the stamps themselves. The release settles into the recessed lines of the pattern and creates the shadow lines that make stamped concrete read as genuine stone from any distance. We offer a wide range of colour combinations including earthy tones like charcoal and sandstone that complement most Ontario home exteriors.

A stamped patio in Ontario needs the same reinforced base as any exterior flatwork. We excavate to a depth that accommodates a 4-inch compacted granular A base plus a 3 to 3.5 inch concrete slab — thicker where we expect concentrated loads from furniture, fire pit bases, or planters. The slab is reinforced with 6×6 wire mesh or No. 10M rebar depending on the patio size and load expectations, and we pour 32 MPa air-entrained concrete for freeze-thaw resistance.

Control joints are tooled into the slab to align with pattern lines wherever possible, so the slab can relieve shrinkage stress at those lines without creating a visible break in the pattern. The perimeter is thickened slightly to resist edge heave in frost conditions — a detail that matters in London's clay soil where the slab edge is in constant contact with moisture-retaining ground.

Sealing is the most important maintenance step for a stamped patio. We apply a premium acrylic or polyurethane sealer within 28 days of the pour — it locks in the colour, enhances the contrast between high and low points in the pattern, and prevents the staining from tannins, barbecue grease, and organic matter that would otherwise penetrate the porous surface and be impossible to remove. The initial sealer application is included in our installation price.

We recommend resealing every two to three years in Ontario's climate. The clearest sign that a stamped patio needs resealing is colour fade or a loss of the wet-look sheen that fresh sealer provides. Between sealings, a stamped patio needs nothing more than sweeping and an occasional wash with a mild detergent. Avoid using calcium chloride directly on the surface for ice control — use sand instead, and keep the sealer maintained to prevent chloride penetration.