Decorative concrete in Kent WA - a surface that keeps its color and its grip
Plain gray slab looking tired next to your house? We pour and seal a decorative finish that holds its color and isn't slick underfoot.
Is decorative concrete a good fit for your Kent yard?
Decorative concrete in Kent is a regular slab finished with a stamped pattern, color or texture and then sealed, so your patio, walk or driveway looks finished instead of plain gray and the color stays even as long as it's resealed every few years.
Most people who call us have a worn patio or walk they're tired of looking at, or they're planning a new one and want more than a broom finish, the brushed texture an ordinary slab gets for grip. The price mostly follows the size of the area, how detailed the pattern and color are and how much prep the ground needs. The schedule follows the weather, since pouring and sealing both wait on dry days, and it also follows a permit if your job needs one, which we check for and take care of. If a pattern is what you have in mind, our stamped concrete page goes further into it, and your written estimate lists each part of the job so you can see where the money goes.
How we build and seal decorative concrete
I start by talking through the upkeep before the look, because a decorative surface needs fresh sealer every few years to keep its color and you should know that before you pick a design. Then our crew digs out and packs the subgrade, the soil and gravel the slab sits on, sets the forms to the measurements I took, pours, adds the color and pattern, and cuts control joints, the planned lines that give the slab a place to crack where you won't notice it. If the budget gets tight, I'd simplify the pattern before I'd skimp on the base, because the base is hidden on day one but it's what decides whether the slab settles with the dirt. Once the concrete has cured, meaning it's had its days to harden before anyone uses it, we seal it, ask whether you want grit mixed in so the surface isn't slick, and wait for a dry stretch to do it.
Decorative work often sits next to other concrete jobs. A sloped yard may need concrete retaining walls to hold the soil back before a patio can sit flat, and a colored or sealed surface indoors starts with concrete floor installation done with the same care underneath.
Why Kent homeowners call D&L Kent Concrete Construction for decorative concrete
I measure and walk your site
I come out for the estimate myself to measure and walk the site, and then our crew does the work while I run the job. The person who took your measurements is the one checking the forms against them before we pour.
Doing concrete work since 2013
I started this business in 2013 after years in an office job, having learned the trade on a crew from the ground up. Those 13 years taught me that layout and prep decide how a slab holds up, so that's where we spend our time.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and we'd rather you check than take our word for it. The questions below show you how to look up any contractor with the state before you sign.
Pours and sealing planned around rain
Western Washington rain can damage fresh concrete, which is why contractors here cover it while it cures. We set your dates around the forecast and would rather move a day than seal a surface that won't hold its color.
On a decorative job, the base under it and a plan for the sealer matter more than the pattern you pick. Call (253) 398-9060 or send us a few details with the rough size of the area, the finish you want and your timing, and I'll set up a time to come out.
Get a written estimate for your decorative concrete
We reply within one business day, and the estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation. I come out to measure and walk the area, and then you get the estimate in writing with each part of the job listed.
Decorative concrete finishes and patterns
What to know before choosing decorative concrete
How much does stamped concrete cost around Seattle and Kent?
Stamped concrete in the Seattle area usually costs about $12 to $28 per square foot, and that's the going market range, not our price. A simple single-color pattern on an open, flat area tends to sit lower in that range, while a detailed design with more than one color pushes toward the top. For a figure on your own Kent project, we'll measure on site and put it in writing.
How often does decorative concrete need to be resealed?
As a rule of thumb, busy and sunny areas like a driveway or an open patio need new sealer every two to three years, while lighter-traffic and indoor areas can last four to five. When the color looks faded, patchy or uneven, especially when it's wet, it's time to reseal, and you can ask for grit in the sealer again each time so it stays grippy. In winter, keep in mind that de-icing salt is linked to surface scaling, the most common kind of frost damage.
How long does new sealer need before I can use my patio or driveway?
Keep furniture and cars off a freshly sealed surface for a full 24 hours, and sealing only goes ahead when no rain or condensation is expected for 12 hours. So plan on a dry day and a day of parking somewhere else, and we'll pick the date with you around the forecast.
Do I need a permit for decorative concrete in Kent, WA?
Some concrete jobs need one, so we check which city or county office covers your address and take care of the permit when yours does. In Kent, building and residential permits come from the city's Permit Center, which works by appointment, and we keep you posted on where your permit stands. In most cases the contractor you hire is the one expected to pull the permit, so it's worth asking about early.
How do I check a concrete contractor's license in Washington?
Look the contractor up with the state labor and industries department's Verify tool, which shows whether they have an active license and are bonded and insured. If they have workers on the job, the same tool shows whether their workers' comp account is current. Kent also requires every business working in the city to hold a City Business License, so you can ask about that too.
Is it safe to seal a decorative concrete floor inside my house?
Not with a solvent-based sealer, because those have a strong odor and are flammable, and sealer guidance keeps them out of any home people are living in. That matters most near an open flame like a water heater pilot light or gas logs, so tell us what's in the room when we talk about an indoor finish.
Other concrete work that often goes with it
- Concrete retaining walls
If your yard slopes toward the spot you want a patio, a wall holds the soil back so the new surface sits level and the dirt stays put.
- Concrete floor installation
When you'd like a colored or polished-looking surface inside a basement, shop or addition, it starts with a well-prepared indoor slab poured to the right height and level.