Decorative concrete in Sioux Falls SD - a finish planned for our winters
Tired of a plain gray patio or a walk that flakes every spring? We help you pick a finish you'll like and can keep up.
What can decorative concrete do for a plain slab in Sioux Falls?
Decorative concrete in Sioux Falls, SD gives a patio, walk, steps or floor color and texture instead of plain gray, using a pattern pressed into a fresh pour, a stain or an overlay on existing concrete, and many of those can be combined for a look of your own.
Most people call me when a slab looks tired or has started to flake, and they want something better without guessing at what it'll take. Sterling Sioux Falls Concrete Company is based in Sioux Falls, works in Brandon, Tea, Harrisburg and other cities around it, and is licensed and fully insured. If you already know you want a stone or brick look, our stamped concrete services page goes deeper on that one finish.
The price moves with the size of the area, the finish you pick, how many colors or patterns you layer and whether the old slab has to come out first. The schedule mostly turns on the weather, and on a permit when the work reaches a city sidewalk. Your own figure comes on the estimate, with what's included written out.
- Patios, front walks, steps, pool surrounds, driveways and indoor floors can all take a decorative finish.
- Control joints, the cuts that tell a slab where to crack, planned into the pattern.
- Tear-out and haul-away of a worn slab when it's too far gone to finish over.
What happens after you call us about decorative concrete?
Here's how a decorative job goes with us, from the first call to the day we hand it back. I'm the one who comes out, and I'm there when our crew pours.
Call or send the form
Call (605) 305-1165 or use the form, and have the rough size of the area, the finish you're after and whether it touches a sidewalk or driveway approach. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
Walk the site with you
I look at the slab and the ground around it, listen to what you want and walk you through the finish choices. The estimate spells out what's included, so you can lay it beside other bids and see what you're paying for.
Set the date and pour
Once you say yes, we line up any permit and set the pour date around the forecast, because rain or a hard frost can spoil a fresh finish. Our crew forms, pours and finishes, and I'm on site for the work.
Go over care together
Before we leave, we go over how to look after the new surface, starting with the first weeks while it cures. That way you know what to do before the first snow, not after it.
Stamped, stained and colored concrete surfaces up close
These photos show the kinds of finishes people ask about, from pressed patterns to colored surfaces. Tap a photo to see it larger, since texture and color are easier to judge up close.
Covered concrete patio beside a swimming pool, with a wooden ceiling, outdoor dining area, bar seating, and grill.
Decorative stamped concrete patio with a curved edge and dark gray finish beside a house and landscaped garden.
Wet dark stamped-concrete driveway between two buildings, patterned in small rectangular pavers.
A smooth gray concrete driveway with straight control joints meets a black metal fence and a leafy garden.
Stamped concrete patio beneath a wooden pergola, bordered by a low curved stone retaining wall and lawn.
A backyard concrete patio with a tan stamped finish sits beside a house, with a dining table, umbrella, and stepping stones across the garden.
Get a written price for the decorative finish you want
Send the form or call (605) 305-1165, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, walk you through the finishes and write up a free estimate with no obligation.
(605) 305-1165Questions about decorative concrete in Sioux Falls
These are the questions I hear most when someone's weighing a decorative finish here. Most come down to cost, winter and timing, so that's where the answers start.
How much does stamped concrete cost in Sioux Falls?
Stamped concrete in Sioux Falls usually costs about $12 to $25 per square foot installed. Where yours lands depends on the pattern, how many colors you want, whether the old slab has to come out and how much base work the ground needs. The estimate shows each of those, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
What causes concrete to flake after a Sioux Falls winter?
Flaking, which the trade calls scaling, is the most common winter damage on driveways, walks and steps, and deicing chemicals can make it worse. Water soaks into tiny spaces near the surface, freezes and expands, and small flakes of the top pop loose. That's why the mix and the care afterward matter as much as the finish you pick.
What is the best concrete mix for an outdoor decorative patio?
Nebraska extension guidance calls for air-entrained concrete with the proper cement content on all paved surfaces to prevent scaling. That mix carries tiny air bubbles that give freezing water empty space to push into, so the pressure doesn't break the surface. Ask for it on outdoor decorative work, and I'll go over the mix with you at the estimate.
How do I protect decorative concrete from salt and winter damage?
Sealing it and picking the right deicer are the two jobs you handle after we leave. A sealer keeps the surface from soaking up water and salt, which helps against flaking, and I'll tell you which one suits your finish. When you buy a deicer, the Nebraska guide says ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate tend to do more damage than sodium chloride or calcium chloride, so check the bag.
How long does new concrete need before the first freeze in Sioux Falls?
Nebraska extension guidance says new concrete should be cured, meaning given its slow wait to gain strength, and air dried for at least 30 days before the first freeze. Cold slows that strength gain, while wind and dry air can still pull moisture out fast and raise the risk of early cracks, so a fall slab needs protecting longer. If you want a fall pour, we set the date early enough to give the new surface that time before it freezes.
Who is allowed to repair a driveway approach in Sioux Falls?
The city requires driveway approach repair to be done by a bonded and insured contractor registered with the city. Contractors working in the public right-of-way, which covers jobs like grading, paving and sidewalks, also need a bond and general liability insurance, and the work follows the city's own construction standards. The city won't recommend a specific contractor, so ask everyone you're comparing, us included, whether they're registered for that work.
Decorative concrete in Sioux Falls and the cities nearby
In Sioux Falls you need a sidewalk permit before a sidewalk is installed, replaced or repaired, and we pull it ourselves. We do the same work in Brandon and Harrisburg, checking local rules first.