Brickform in Rialto, CA
Brick has a warmth that few paving materials match, and people have built patios, walks, and driveways out of it for generations. The catch is the labor. A real brick surface gets laid one unit at a time over a prepared base, and over the years those individual bricks can heave, settle, and let weeds work up through the joints.
Brick stamped concrete gives you that same warm, classic brick look in one poured slab, with the strength of concrete and a price that comes in under hand-laid brick.
The look comes down to two things: a stamp pattern that captures the rectangular units and recessed mortar joints of a brick course, and a color approach that mimics the fired, earthy reds and buffs of real clay. Get both right, and a finished patio or walkway reads as brick from across the yard.
What Is Brick Stamped Concrete?
Stamped concrete is poured-in-place concrete that gets imprinted with patterned mats while it is still wet. Brick stamps are cast from the real thing so they impart lots of character that looks like genuine bricks. Different stamp mats create different brick layouts, so you can get a wide range of looks depending on the pattern you choose.
Layering color helps further recreate the look of real brick. A base color goes into or onto the slab to set the brick tone, then a contrasting release color adds variation. A skilled contractor can blend reds, buffs, and browns so the units vary slightly, the way a pallet of real brick does. See our guide to coloring concrete and the stamped concrete color chart for more on this process.
Because it is one monolithic slab, brick stamped concrete doesn't have the weaknesses of real brick paving that can shift, settle, and sprout weeds in the joints. For the full side-by-side, see stamped concrete vs. pavers.
Once it is sealed, upkeep is simple. A reseal every few years keeps the color sharp, as covered in our notes on sealing stamped concrete and how to clean and maintain the surface.
What Brick Patterns Are Available?
Brick is one of the most versatile stamp looks because the same rectangular unit lays out so many ways.
- Running bond — the classic straight-course layout
- Herringbone and basketweave — turn the bricks to create woven, more decorative fields
- Brick fan or circular — works well on round patios and entries
- Brick border — a sharp band run around a field of another pattern
Running Bond New Brick
Texture Description: A running bond pattern with smooth joints.
Herringbone New Brick
Texture Description: A wire-cut common brick texture with sharp corners and few indentations or irregularities over the surface.
Brick Driveways
Solid Rock Concrete Services; Custom DesignCrete, Inc
Brick Patios and Walkways
Elite Decorative Concrete LLC; Superstone, Inc
Browse the full stamped concrete patterns library and more stamped concrete pictures for ideas.
How Much Does Brick Stamped Concrete Cost?
Real clay brick is not cheap to install. A brick paved surface runs roughly $15 to $30 per square foot installed. Since each unit is laid by hand over a compacted, edged base, the labor adds up fast.
Brick stamped concrete delivers the same look for about $12 to $18 per square foot for a mid-range job with a couple of colors and a brick stamp. Of course, plain gray concrete costs less, but it will not look like brick.
What drives your final price is the detail:
- The number of colors
- Custom borders
- The size and shape of the pour
- How intricate the layout gets
A simple running-bond patio in one base color and a release sits at the low end. A driveway or entry with a herringbone field and a contrasting brick border lands higher.
When you are ready to price your own project, get quotes from decorative concrete contractors near you and compare the full cost ranges (see Stamped Concrete Cost).
Video: See How Brick Stamped Concrete Is Made
Watch how brick-pattern stamps are positioned and pressed into fresh concrete to create the look of individual brick units.
Watch how brick-pattern stamps are used to create a realistic brick look in decorative concrete.
See it in Action: Brick Stamped Concrete Projects
Here are some examples of real projects using brick stamps:
SureCrete Eco-Stain
Integrally colored driveway with a stamped brick border
To keep costs down on a large pour, this driveway's field was left broom-finished, while the edges were stamped with a brick pattern border and stained a deep crimson. The combination gave the driveway a decorative accent without the cost of stamping the whole surface. Read more: Integrally Colored Driveway with Stamped Brick Pattern.
Solid Rock Concrete Services in Gravette, Ark.
Brick stamped valet driveway and matching curbs
This 13,000-square-foot driveway uses a custom herringbone brick stamp colored brick red at its roundabout valet, with matching bands repeated every 20 feet down the drive. Even the concrete curbs were stamped and colored to look like real brick. Read more: Stamped and Colored Concrete Driveway Creates an Impressive Entrance.