Decorative concrete in Boston MA - a finish you like on a slab that holds up

Plain gray slab looking tired? We add color, texture or an overlay so it looks the way you want and holds up.

Exposed-aggregate concrete steps and landings lead to the front door of a brick house.

What can decorative concrete do for a plain slab in Boston?

Decorative concrete in Boston turns a plain slab into something that looks finished, using color, stain, stamped texture, exposed stone, polishing and sealer, alone or together, on a new pour or as an overlay on the concrete you already have.

Most people call us when a patio, walk or front step has gone dull and worn and they want color or texture that suits the house. Sometimes that means stamped concrete on a new slab, and sometimes the old slab is good enough to cover. The price mostly moves with the size of the area, how involved the pattern and colors are, and whether we pour new or work over what's there. The schedule turns on the weather and on how long the concrete needs to cure before it's sealed, and your estimate gives you the figure for your own slab.

How we do decorative concrete work

If your slab is still in good shape, I look at whether an overlay makes sense before anyone talks about tearing it out, because there's no reason to pay for demolition you don't need. When the old slab has sunk or cracked through, we take it out and start over with the subgrade, the dirt and stone the slab sits on, which we dig out and pack instead of raking level. That base is buried by the end of the first day and it's the first thing people want to cut, but I'd rather spend there and keep the pattern simpler, because a colored finish only looks good as long as the slab under it stays flat. We check where the water runs so the slab falls away from the house, pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't turn out weak and dusty, and cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the concrete where to crack, while it's still fresh so any cracks land where we chose. Then we let it cure, which is the wait while the concrete gains strength, and we go easy on the sealer, since a heavy coat can spoil the look you paid for.

Decorative work often sits next to other concrete. If your patio steps down a slope, we can build concrete retaining walls to match it, and a stained or polished floor inside a basement or addition starts with concrete floor installation done flat and level so the finish has something solid to sit on.

An overlay on the slab you have

This suits a patio, walk or floor that's still solid and isn't sinking, because the new layer only holds as well as the concrete under it. It saves the work of a tear-out, but it won't fix a slab that's cracked through or heaving.

A new decorative pour

This suits a slab that has sunk, broken up or sends water toward the house, since a nice finish on bad ground won't stay nice. We start from the base, and then you can add color through the mix, stamp a pattern or expose the stone in the surface.

Why Boston homeowners call Heartland Boston Concrete Company for decorative work

I give the estimate and run the crew

I come out to see your slab and give you the estimate myself, and our own crew does the work with me running it. The person who explained the overlay or the base work is the one on site making sure it gets done that way.

Nine years in business since 2017

We've been in business since 2017, and I learned the trade beside older finishers who cared more about the prep than the finish. Ask me why a step costs what it does or why I'd skip a fancier pattern, and you'll get a plain reason, not a pitch.

Licensed and insured, with the price explained

We're licensed and insured. Before any work starts, I walk you through what your price covers, from the base to the sealer, because I'd rather explain something twice than leave you wondering. When you're ready, call (857) 770-0722 or use the form on this page.

Get a free on-site estimate for your decorative concrete

Send us the rough size of the area, a few photos of the slab you have now and whether your house is in a historic district, or call (857) 770-0722. We reply within one business day to set a time. Then I come out, look at the slab and give you a free estimate on site, with no obligation to book.

Phone: (857) 770-0722
Email: quotes@bostonconcretecompany.com
Location: Boston, MA 02118
Hours: Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM

Permits and historic review for decorative concrete in Boston

In Boston, the permits for decorative work depend on what the job involves. The city's Inspectional Services reviews construction projects depending on their scope, and Public Works issues the permits for taking up public space or digging into a public roadway, which can come up when the work reaches the sidewalk or the street. If your house is a designated Landmark or sits in one of Boston's local historic districts, a city commission reviews and approves exterior changes through design review, and in the Historic Beacon Hill District, any exterior work you can see from a public way goes before the district's commission. That matters here because color and pattern are exactly what a reviewer sees from the street. Before we start, we check with the city about what your job may need and help you get the paperwork in order.

We're based in Boston and work across the cities around it, including Cambridge and Somerville. On jobs around here we see a lot of older houses with small front walks, stoops and back patios, and plenty of old slabs that are worn on top but still solid underneath. Our winters freeze and thaw and the sidewalks get salted, and trade guidance calls for a set share of air mixed into outdoor slabs that face that, so if you're planning a new pour, ask how the mix handles it.

Questions Boston homeowners ask about decorative concrete

How much does stamped concrete cost in Boston?

Stamped concrete in Boston usually costs about $10 to $25 per square foot, which is the going range for stamped work around here, not our price. Because it's priced by the square foot, a small back patio and a long driveway land in very different places. Your estimate gives you the number for your own slab.

Can decorative concrete go over my existing concrete slab?

Often it can, because a decorative overlay is a cement-based mix put down over concrete that's already there. Whether it suits your slab depends on the slab, so it's worth asking a contractor before you plan a tear-out. We'll tell you which way we'd go once we've seen it.

What is the best way to seal stamped concrete?

Most stamped concrete gets a topical sealer that forms a film on the surface, because it brings out the color. The other choices are a penetrating sealer that repels water inside the pores, or a hybrid of the two. The slab has to cure before it's sealed, and curing time varies with the method, the temperature, the humidity and the mix, since sealer put on too early can harm the look.

How often does stamped concrete need to be resealed?

Reseal when the surface stops repelling water and stains or the color starts to look flat, not on a set number of years. Resealing is the most common upkeep for stamped concrete, and doing it every year just to keep a high gloss can cause problems of its own.

How do I find out which permits my Boston decorative concrete job needs?

Boston's Permitting Clinic offers one-on-one help from zoning professionals, so you can learn which permits and approvals may be required before work starts. It's a good stop if your house is a Landmark or in a historic district, since those reviews come on top of any permit.