Tile or Real Stone versus a Stamped Overlay | Ultimate Concrete Coatings
HOMETile or Real Stone versus a Stamped Overlay
Posted by UltimateCoatings on Monday, March 21, 2011 ·
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Sometimes when we tell someone how much we charge for a stamped overlay, people will respond with “I can do tile for that amount.” We would like to explain the differences between using tile or real stone versus a stamped concrete overlay.
When tile or real stone is applied over existing concrete, the pieces of tile or stone go directly over the movement joints. What this means is when your concrete moves (and it almost always does over time) the tile or real stone will pop off or crack. At minimum, the grout lines or cement used between tile or stone will crack and most often, pieces fall off over time. With our stamped overlays, we honor all movement joints, meaning our product goes into the edge of the joint. Then we hand cut the joints to make sure they are open. This encourages the concrete to expand and contract in the joints where it is supposed to.
Another drawback of tile or real stone is they both are very slippery when wet. Our stamped overlays have the texture of granite, slate, or flagstone which in and of itself helps with slipperiness, but on top of that we apply clear nonskid on every coating. If you have ever had the unfortunate opportunity to walk on real tile after it rains or if the sprinklers have gotten it wet, it is slippery and can be very dangerous. Of course, no surface is 100% slip proof, but the presence of the textured stamped surface along with the nonskid that is applied during the sealing process greatly helps reduce the chance of falling.
Tile or real stone is also very hot here in Arizona. Have you ever walked on pavers barefoot when it’s 110 degrees? Of course not, you would burn your feet. Our clients are always telling us that the texture of our stamped overlays actually makes the surface temperature very comparable to kool deck.
We have removed tile on many projects and replaced it with our stamped overlays. We try to educate homeowners with what we have learned over the years on the advantages of our stamped overlays versus tile or real stone, but ultimately it is up to you, the homeowner to decide, which surface is best for you.