WE REPAIR, SEAL & RESTORE
And give your concrete that brand new look
WHAT WE DO & DON'T DO
Endura Stamped Concrete DOES NOT install stamped concrete. Also known as 'impressed' or 'patterned', concrete. We only provide sealing and repair services for it.Toronto & GTA
Endura stamped concrete services homeowners in and around Toronto and the GTA. We have helped homeowners by restoring the look of their damaged stamped concrete driveways, walkways and patios with our stamped concrete sealing and repair systems.
Don't Just Live With It
Your options are no longer limited to the exorbitant cost of total removal and replacement. We can give you the 'brand new' look back with our highly cost effective sealing and repair systems. Don't let damaged stamped concrete negatively affect the value of your property, we can help.
Enhanced Protection Sealer
In terms of maintenance, the single most important thing for stamped concrete is regular applications of a high quality concrete specific sealer. The sealers job is two fold. First, it enhances the color and texture of the slab by giving it the 'wet look'. The second, and more important, the responsibility of the sealer is to give the concrete protection from the environment.
Fight Salt & De-Icer
All the municipalities around the GTA use salt as a de-icer on the roads. If you have stamped concrete installed on your driveway or front porch, you are dragging in salt on to your property and the stamped concrete. Salt is the number one enemy of concrete bar none. It will, if left unchecked, mercilessly eat away at the surface strength of the concrete until it has weakened it enough to actually penetrate through it.
Protect The Surface
Without regular resealing structural issues in the concrete take years to become serious. Surface issues in the form of of pitting, flaking or crazing can be immediate. Because you have a coloured, three dimensional surface on a stamped concrete slab, any damage whatsoever to the surface is immediately apparent. Whether the colour was integral in the truck or dry broadcast on top while finishing, surface deterioration is, unfortunately, very obvious right away.
Save Money
Not resealing with a high quality concrete sealer and letting the surface deteriorate to the point of damage requiring repairs, or even total removal and replacement, defeats the purpose of paying the extra cost of stamped concrete over regular concrete in the first place. If there is damage to the stamped concrete already, Endura Stamped Concrete has repair systems that are very successful and extremely cost effective. Crack repairs are easily performed as long as we can determine that it is not a structural issue. Pitting of the surface, which is holes that show through to the aggregrate undereath the surface, can be filled in with extremely close colour matching. And larger areas of damage can be completely overlayed with polymer modified cements that actually exceed the strength rating of the concrete itself. Colour issues such as colour fading of the entire slab, or, if you just want to change the colour because you're not happy with it, can also be accomplished with tinted sealer in the colour of your choice.
STAMPED CONCRETE SEALING
Repair, reseal and retain the 'slick' look
Canadian made for Canadians
Endura Stamped Concrete uses a sealer that is manufactured in Canada, and is designed to deal with Canadian conditions. In fact, we will not seal without the anti-slip additive as we feel the minimal cost of the additive itself is well worth the extra safety and security it provides in low friction conditions.
Anti Slip Safety
We use an integral anti-slip additive which will give the traction required on snow and ice. In fact, we will not seal without the anti-slip additive as we feel the minimal cost of the additive itself is well worth the extra safety and security it provides in low friction conditions.
Prep Work
The area must be powerwashed with a high pressure power washer THE DAY BEFORE sealing is to take place. This is to ensure that there is absolutely no trace moisture left on the stamped concrete slab, especially in the 'control cut' lines. Otherwise, moisture will react with the sealer and leave a 'white film' over the affected spots after the sealer has dried and the only way to get rid of this 'haze' is to reseal that area again.
Weather
Sealing of stamped concrete cannot take place if the temperature is very high, over 35C, the UV index is very high, or if there is high humidity. It is possible that if sealing is performed on stamped concrete in one or more of the above mentioned conditions, the sealer will, after it has dried, start showing bubbles. The 'bubbling sealer' phenomenon does not affect the integrity of the sealer itself but it is certainly unsightly to look at. Again, the cure is to reseal the areas involved until the bubbles dissolve and re-emulsify within the sealer.
Sealing Process
Sealing of stamped concrete must be done with 2-3 light coats, instead of one heavy coat. This ensures the carrier can evaporate more easily and quickly and leave a solid film of sealer on the surface of the stamped concrete. A too thick coating of sealer also promotes bubbling in certain instances.
STAMPED CONCRETE REPAIR
restore the look of damaged stamped concrete to it's original, brand new condition
Canadian made for Canadians
Endura Stamped Concrete uses a sealer that is manufactured in Canada, and is designed to deal with Canadian conditions. In fact, we will not seal without the anti-slip additive as we feel the minimal cost of the additive itself is well worth the extra safety and security it provides in low friction conditions.
Anti Slip Safety
We use an integral anti-slip additive which will give the traction required on snow and ice. In fact, we will not seal without the anti-slip additive as we feel the minimal cost of the additive itself is well worth the extra safety and security it provides in low friction conditions.
Prep Work
The area must be powerwashed with a high pressure power washer THE DAY BEFORE sealing is to take place. This is to ensure that there is absolutely no trace moisture left on the stamped concrete slab, especially in the 'control cut' lines. Otherwise, moisture will react with the sealer and leave a 'white film' over the affected spots after the sealer has dried and the only way to get rid of this 'haze' is to reseal that area again.
Weather
Sealing of stamped concrete cannot take place if the temperature is very high, over 35C, the UV index is very high, or if there is high humidity. It is possible that if sealing is performed on stamped concrete in one or more of the above mentioned conditions, the sealer will, after it has dried, start showing bubbles. The 'bubbling sealer' phenomenon does not affect the integrity of the sealer itself but it is certainly unsightly to look at. Again, the cure is to reseal the areas involved until the bubbles dissolve and re-emulsify within the sealer.
Sealing Process
Sealing of stamped concrete must be done with 2-3 light coats, instead of one heavy coat. This ensures the carrier can evaporate more easily and quickly and leave a solid film of sealer on the surface of the stamped concrete. A too thick coating of sealer also promotes bubbling in certain instances.
FAQ
Answers to common questions on Stamped Concrete Repair and Maintenance
How often should a stamped concrete driveway be sealed?
For stamped concrete driveways, every 2 to three years is a good rule of thumb to follow. The constant use of salt by the municipalities as a de-icer guarantees that salt, concrete's number one enemy, will get tracked on to your driveway. Salt will attack and wear out the sealer prematurely, especially compared to an area that does not receive salt.
For stamped concrete patio's, which will likely never see salt, sealing every 3 to 4 years should be more than sufficient.
Is it better than to just re-seal every year?
No. It is not necessary, and frankly, a waste of money to reseal yearly. In fact, building up too much sealer on the surface of stamped concrete can cause as many problems as not having enough sealer can.
I followed the maintenance recommendations of the installer and I still have massive surface damage on my stamped concrete. What happened?
Stamped concrete is a unique product, in that, it is manufactured and placed on site at the same time. It takes an immense amount of skill and craftsmanship to properly place and finish. Even then, however, there are factors that have nothing to do with the ability and skill of the installer which will still have a significant impact on the long term durability of the concrete.
It takes 28 days for concrete to fully cure and gain 100% of it's strength. If, during that month long curing process, there are extreme environmental conditions like heavy rainfall, extreme temperatures or even extreme temperature swings, the natural curing process of the concrete will have been disrupted and the slab will not attain maximum strength. Structurally, there is usually no problem. However, since the slab's strength is weakened, the decorative impact of the product will ultimately be compromised with the appearance of surface damage. Regardless of whether the homeowner has followed proper maintenance procedures or not.
Can everything be repaired?
If you throw enough money at it, everything can be repaired. However, we analyze each case individually and work withing the homeowners budget to achieve maximum value. For repairs, each case is unique and must be addressed accordingly. There have been times when we have had to say that 'it is a waste of time and money to try to fix this and, unfortunately, your only option is to remove and replace everything.
Is crack repair possible?
Crack repair is possible and routinely done. However, it depends on what kind of crack it is. If we determine that it is not a 'moving' or 'structural' crack, we can repair it and it will be fine. For structural cracks that are still active, we don't recommend repair as it will just have to be redone again eventually.
What are the white stains running down the step faces on my porch?
Efflorescence. Water is seeping out, draining, from under the stamped concrete on the porch. The white stains are mineral trails, or hard water deposits. They can be removed with a mild concrete cleaner and gentle agitation.
Can oil stains on a stamped concrete driveway be removed?
If the oil has not penetrated into the concrete due to a lack of sealer, they can. If the oil has penetrated, it will be virtually impossible to get rid of the stain.