Decorative concrete in Bellingham WA - a finish you can keep looking good
Plain gray slab, or a patterned one that's faded and flaking? We pour and seal a decorative finish matched to the upkeep you'll actually do.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does decorative concrete involve, and what sets the price?
Decorative concrete is concrete with color, texture or a pattern built in. In Bellingham we pour it for patios, walks and other flatwork, the flat slabs around a house, so you get a hard-wearing surface that looks finished rather than plain gray.
Most people who call us have a plain slab they're tired of, or an older patterned one that has lost its color, and they want to know what a new finish costs and how long the yard will be tied up. The price moves with the size of the area, how much old concrete has to come out, how much work the ground underneath needs, and how many colors, borders and details the design carries. The schedule depends on getting the ground ready, the curing time before you can use the surface and before it can be sealed, and any permit your project needs. We check whether your property sits inside city limits or in the county, so that any paperwork goes to the right office. If you're starting from bare ground or a broken slab, the base is built the same way as our concrete patio construction, with the decorative work planned in from the start, and your written estimate spells out the full scope.
How can you tell your decorative concrete needs work?
Color that has gone dull
The surface looked rich when it was new, but now it's flat and gray in places, and water soaks in where it used to run off. That usually means the sealer has worn thin, and the longer it goes, the more water and stains get into the concrete itself.
Thin flakes on the surface
Small patches of the top layer peel or flake away, often near steps or wherever salt went down in winter. That's surface scaling, the most common frost damage to concrete and one tied to de-icing salt, and it spreads and roughens the pattern if it's left alone.
Cracks across the pattern
A crack runs right through the stamped design instead of along a joint, or one section sits lower than the next. That usually points to a base that settled or joints that were cut late, and waiting lets water get underneath and loosen more of the slab.
How we handle decorative concrete from base to sealer
Before you choose anything, I walk you through how much upkeep each design takes, because the finish you can keep up matters as much as the one you like best on paper. Then we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and check where the water runs so the surface slopes away from your house. We pour early enough in the day to finish the top properly. Next we add the color, pattern or texture you picked and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a chosen place to crack. Once the concrete has cured long enough, we seal it. The sealer coat is what protects the surface from de-icers and stains, so it's part of the plan from the first visit.
Decorative work often sits next to other concrete. A patio cut into a hillside may need concrete retaining walls along its edge. The same stain and polish methods can also go on an interior slab when we handle concrete floor installation for a basement or shop.
Integral color or exposed aggregate
Color mixed through the concrete, or stone left showing at the surface, suits someone who wants a good look with less upkeep, because there's no thin colored layer on top to wear through. It's the choice I'd point you toward if you'd rather not think about the patio for a while.
Stamped pattern, stain or dye
A pressed pattern or a stained surface suits someone who wants the look of stone, brick or tile and doesn't mind resealing when it's due. The sealer is what keeps that color protected, so it's a finish for people willing to keep up with it.
Get a written estimate for your decorative concrete
We reply within one business day to set a visit, and the on-site estimate is free, with no pressure to book. Tell us the rough square footage, the design you like and whether you're in the Lake Whatcom watershed.
Call (360) 312-3799- Based in
- Bellingham, WA 98225
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call us about decorative concrete
Here's how a decorative job runs from your first call to the walk-through at the end, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send the form
Thank you for reaching out. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out to your property.
Walk the site together
I look at the site, measure, and ask how you'll use the surface and how much upkeep you're comfortable with. You then get a written estimate with the scope spelled out, so you can see what the base, the finish and the sealer each cover before you decide anything.
Prepare, pour and seal
Once you're ready, we sort out the permit side with the right office, prepare the ground, pour and finish. In the Lake Whatcom watershed, the city and county allow grading and exposed soil only from June 1 to September 30, and the soil must be covered by October 1. Before we leave, I walk you through caring for the new concrete, including when it will be ready to seal.
Why Bellingham homeowners call Craftsman Bellingham Concrete Company for decorative work
I give the estimate myself
I come out to look at each job and give the estimate, and then I work the job alongside our crew. That way, the person who heard what you wanted is the one on site making it.
Groundwork done before the finish
I made this a full business here in Bellingham in 2020, and in six years we've become known for careful work on the base, the drainage and the joints. Those are the parts you can't see once the concrete is down, and they decide whether a decorative surface stays even.
Licensed and insured, easy to check
We're licensed and insured. You can look up any contractor's registration, workers' comp account, safety violations and claims against their bond with the state's L&I contractor lookup, and it's worth doing before you hire anyone.
Thank you for considering us. When you're ready, ask for your estimate or call (360) 312-3799, and I'll come take a look.
Decorative patios, walks and permits in Bellingham
In Bellingham, the city issues a stormwater permit when new development that needs a building permit adds 300 square feet or more of hard surface. The city also requires one before work begins when new development disturbs more than 500 square feet of land. Homes in the Lake Whatcom watershed have a separate rule. The watershed program counts patios as hard surface, and in the City of Bellingham any new or replaced hard surface of 120 square feet or more needs mitigation, which is added work on the site that benefits the runoff. Whether your project needs a permit depends on its size and location, so we settle that for your job before we plan it. We handle the paperwork with that office when the job calls for it. If you'd rather apply yourself, we'll give you what you need from our side.
We see plenty of tired gray patios and walks behind older houses here, and many yards slope enough that the drainage check matters as much as the color. It's the same on jobs in Ferndale and Lynden, where we dig down to firm ground before any decorative finish goes on top.
Questions about decorative concrete in Bellingham
Call (360) 312-3799Do I need a permit for a decorative concrete patio in Bellingham?
A larger patio can need one, because the city's stormwater rules and the Lake Whatcom watershed rules both set size limits, described in the section above. The City of Bellingham Permit Center can tell you whether your project needs a permit, and we'll go over that with you during the estimate.
Which stamped concrete design is easiest to keep up?
A basic design with one pattern and one color is the easiest to maintain, and it usually costs less too. Designs with several colors, borders and custom inlays add curb appeal, but they cost more and need maintenance more often, so it's worth weighing how much time you'll give the patio each year.
How often does stamped concrete need to be resealed?
Stamped concrete is resealed when it needs it, not on a fixed schedule of years. Resealing is the most common upkeep it gets, and the time to plan it is when the surface stops shedding water and stains the way it did, or the color starts to lose its depth.
How long does new stamped concrete have to cure before it's sealed?
New stamped concrete needs to be fully cured, or cured to a certain point, before it's sealed. The industry standard for a full cure is 28 days, but the right wait depends on location and time of year, so we'll check that for you on your job and tell you when it's ready.
How much does decorative concrete cost in Bellingham?
We price each decorative job after seeing it, because the size of the area, the design and the condition of the ground underneath make the biggest difference. If the number needs to come down, I'd suggest a simpler design before trimming the base, since a fancy surface on a base that settles will crack like any other slab. Your written estimate lists everything that's included.
What is the best sealer for stamped concrete?
Penetrating water-repellent sealers protect concrete from water and staining, but most of them leave the color as it is rather than deepening it. The right sealer depends on whether protection alone is enough for you or you want the color brought out, and we'll talk that through when we choose one for your finish.
Related services that often go with decorative work
Concrete retaining walls
If your new patio sits on a slope, a concrete retaining wall holds the soil back so the decorative surface stays level and the yard stops creeping.
Concrete floor installation
Want the stained or polished look inside a basement, shop or new addition? We pour the interior floor slab with the finish planned in from the first day.
Cities where we pour decorative concrete
Craftsman Bellingham Concrete Company is based in Bellingham, Washington, and works across the cities and areas around it in Whatcom and Skagit counties. We have pages for nine of them, including Blaine and Mount Vernon, and we work in other nearby cities as well.
Bellingham, WA
Plan your decorative concrete before the pour
Call (360) 312-3799 or send the form, and a short visit lets me see your slope and ground so your estimate is based on your yard, not a guess.