Decorative Concrete in Pico Rivera CA - a patterned slab with color that shows
Tired of a plain gray patio or a worn slab? We pour colored, stamped concrete and seal it so the color shows.
Get your decorative slab priced
Have the rough size in square feet and a few photos of your current slab ready when you call (562) 271-1038, so we can get right to your options.
What is decorative concrete, and is it right for your yard?
Decorative concrete in Pico Rivera is mostly stamped work, where we color the concrete, trowel it and press a pattern into it while it's fresh, so your patio, walkway or driveway looks like stone, brick or tile instead of plain gray. A sealer goes on later, once the slab has cured, to bring out the color and protect it.
Most people who call Standard Pico Rivera Concrete about decorative work have a sound but plain slab they're tired of, or they're planning a new patio or walkway and want stamped concrete instead of plain gray. We're based in Pico Rivera and do this work in Downey, Whittier, Norwalk, Montebello and the cities around them. The price moves with the size of the area, how involved the pattern and color are, and whether we pour new or go over what you already have, while the schedule turns on the weather around pour day and the cure that has to happen before sealing. The written estimate I send lays out each of those pieces, so you know what you're paying for.
Why Pico Rivera homeowners call Standard Pico Rivera Concrete for decorative work
The owner prices and runs it
I come out to look, measure and write the estimate, then run the job on site with our own small crew. The person who priced your patio is the one watching the pour.
Full-time in concrete since 2017
I learned by working next to older finishers and have run this as a full-time business since 2017. I'd rather answer a question three times than leave you guessing what you're paying for.
Licensed and insured for city work
We're licensed and fully insured, which the city asks for before it permits sidewalk or driveway approach work. It's worth asking any contractor for proof of both before they start.
On decorative work the color gets the attention, but the base and joints under it are what keep it looking right. Send us a message or call (562) 271-1038, and I'll come out and take a look.
How we do decorative concrete
We start with the part you won't see, because it decides how long the pattern looks good. Our crew digs out and packs the subgrade, the layer the slab sits on, so it won't settle the way loose, raked dirt does, then sets the forms and the rebar, steel that holds the slab together if it does crack. We pour the colored concrete early in the day when we can, since midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top, trowel it, lay down a powder release or a plastic sheet so the stamps come away clean, and press in the pattern. Control joints, cuts that give the slab a planned place to crack, go in on time and along the pattern lines where they blend in. If you want the color to really show, we'll talk about a topical sealer and put it on as its own step once the concrete has cured. When a budget gets tight, I'd rather simplify the pattern than thin out the base, because a nice pattern on a weak base cracks anyway.
Decorative work often sits next to other projects. If your yard steps down where the new patio goes, concrete retaining walls hold the higher ground in place so the slab isn't fighting it. Indoors, concrete floor installation gives you a level slab that can take a stained or sealed finish later.
New stamped slab
This suits a new patio or walkway, or a slab too broken to save, because we build it from the base up. You pick the color and pattern, and we pour it to match.
Overlay on your existing slab
An overlay is a bonded layer of cement-based material placed over existing concrete to restore or level it and give it a new look. I'll check your slab at the estimate and tell you whether an overlay makes more sense than tearing it out.
How do you know your stamped concrete needs attention?
Color looks dull or chalky
If your stamped patio looks washed out, the sealer has usually worn thin and lost its depth of color. Resealing usually brings it back, while waiting lets wear reach the bare surface.
Spills soak in and stain
When spills soak in instead of beading, the sealer has lost its water and stain repellency. Stamped concrete is resealed as needed, not on a schedule, and stains sink deeper while you wait.
Flaking or chipping on top
A top layer that flakes or chips usually means a weak surface from how it was poured or finished. Left alone, more pieces break loose and the pattern loses its edges.
Cracks or sunken sections
Wide cracks or a section that has dropped usually mean the base underneath gave way. A new finish won't fix that, and the longer it goes, the more the edges break up.
What happens after you call about decorative concrete in Pico Rivera?
Call or send a message
We set up a visit, and I come out to look at the site, measure and answer your questions. Afterward you get a written estimate that lays out each part of the job.
We prep, pour and stamp
Once you say yes, we handle any permit the job needs, then prep, form, pour and stamp the slab. If you chose a sealer, it goes on later, after the cure.
Walk the finished slab together
When the work is done, I walk the slab with you and go over how to treat it until it's sealed. We pack up after you've looked it over.
Questions about stamped and decorative concrete
These are the questions I hear most about decorative work around Pico Rivera. If yours isn't here, call or send a message and I'll answer it for your own slab.
How much does stamped concrete cost in Pico Rivera?
Stamped concrete in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $15 to $30 per square foot. That's the going rate around here, not our price, and where a job lands depends on its size, how involved the design is and local contractor rates. My written estimate lists each part of your job so you can see where the money goes.
What is the best way to seal stamped concrete?
Most stamped concrete gets a topical, film-forming sealer, because it deepens the color while it protects the surface. Most penetrating water repellents keep out water and stains without enriching the color, so they suit people who care more about protection than looks. We'll talk through which one fits your slab at the estimate.
How long does new stamped concrete need to cure before sealing?
It should be fully cured, or at least well along, before it's sealed, and the industry standard for full cure is 28 days. The real time shifts with where the slab is and the time of year, so we plan sealing as its own visit after the pour instead of rushing it.
Who issues permits for a driveway approach in Pico Rivera?
The city's Public Works Department issues permits for any construction in the public right-of-way, which includes driveway approaches, sidewalks, curbs and gutters. A dumpster set on the public right-of-way needs a city Encroachment Permit first, and building permits go through the Building Division at (562) 801-4367. Requirements can change, so check the city's posted permit requirements or ask Public Works for the current list.
What license should a concrete contractor have in California?
The state's concrete contractor license covers forming, pouring, finishing and installing flat concrete work, which is what a decorative slab is. For permits in the public right-of-way, Pico Rivera asks for a Class A or Class C-8 license, a valid city business license and city-approved insurance, so ask any contractor about all three before approach or sidewalk work.
Can I hire someone without a license for a small concrete job in California?
Only for jobs up to $1,000 that need no permit, and only when the person you hire employs no one on the project, under the state's minor work exemption. If any of those three doesn't hold, including a sidewalk or approach that needs a city permit, the job calls for a licensed contractor.
Get a written estimate for your decorative slab
Put in the rough square footage, the finish you want and photos of any existing slab. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free, no-obligation visit, and then I'll send a written estimate.
Decorative concrete finishes
Other work that goes with it
Concrete retaining walls
When a new patio sits against a slope or a raised planter, a retaining wall keeps the ground behind it from pushing onto your finished surface.
Learn moreConcrete floor installation
If you want a concrete floor indoors, in a shop, studio or room addition, it starts with a solid, level slab poured to suit the finish you plan.
Learn more