Decorative concrete in Santa Barbara CA - color and pattern that suit your slab
Plain gray patio, walk or floor that looks unfinished? We stamp, stain and overlay concrete, and we test stain on your own slab first.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What can decorative concrete do for my patio, walk or floor?
Decorative concrete in Santa Barbara means giving a slab color or pattern, either by stamping a pattern into fresh concrete or by staining or overlaying a slab you already have, so a patio, walk or floor looks finished instead of plain gray.
Most people call Premier Santa Barbara Concrete with a sound but dull slab they want to dress up, or with a new concrete patio they'd like stamped or colored from the start. The price moves with the size of the area, whether we're pouring new or working on the slab you have, the pattern and number of colors, and how much ground work the base needs. The schedule mostly turns on whether the job needs a permit and how the test patch comes out. The written estimate we send after measuring spells out what's in it, so you see your own figure before anything is decided.
How do you know your slab is ready for a decorative finish?
You're about to pour
If a new patio or walk is on the way, that's the easiest time to add pattern or color, because stamping has to happen while the concrete is still fresh. Pour it plain and decide later, and your choices narrow to stains and overlays on a finished slab.
Plain gray beside the house
A slab that's sound but looks unfinished next to stucco, tile or plantings usually doesn't need tearing out. A stain or overlay can change how it looks, though how well it works depends on the slab, which is why we test before committing.
Cracks or a sinking corner
Color sits on top of the slab, so if the concrete is cracked through or one side has dropped, the problem is usually underneath in the base. Coloring it anyway spends money on a surface that will keep moving, so we'll tell you if it needs replacing first.
How we do decorative concrete work
On a new pour, we dig out and pack the base, set the forms, pour, then press stamping tools into the fresh concrete for the pattern and lift them off before it sets. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather keep the base work and simplify the pattern, because nobody sees the base on day one, but a fancy surface on ground that settles will crack and sink anyway. On a slab you already have, we clean it and try a test patch before we stain the whole thing, because nobody can say how a given slab will take color until it's tried, and acid stain makers' own instructions call for that trial too. On older slabs and outdoor work, I'll tell you plainly which stains and colors make sense and which ones don't.
Decorative work often sits next to other concrete jobs. A stamped patio cut into a slope may need concrete retaining walls to hold the ground behind it, and a stained interior finish starts with a flat, true slab from our concrete floor installation work.
Stamped pattern on a new pour
This suits a new patio, walk or pool surround where you want the look of stone, tile or brick, because the pattern goes into the concrete itself. It means pouring new, so it usually costs more than coloring a slab you already have.
Stain on an existing slab
This suits a sound slab you'd like to keep, indoors or out, since stain soaks into the surface instead of covering it. Results vary more from slab to slab than with the other options, so this is where the test patch matters most.
Overlay on a worn slab
This suits a slab that's solid but too worn or patchy to stain well, because an overlay puts a thin new layer on top that can be colored or textured. It won't fix a slab that's cracking or settling underneath.
Get a written estimate for your stamped or stained concrete
We reply within one business day. The estimate is free, done in person and comes with no obligation, and after I measure the job I send a written estimate that spells out what's in it.
(805) 869-0160- Based in
- Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What happens when you call about decorative concrete in Santa Barbara?
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's how a decorative job runs and what you'll have in hand before you decide anything.
Call or send the form
Tell us what you have in mind, and we'll set a time for me to come out. A rough size and a few photos of the area help me come prepared.
I measure and check the slab
I measure, look at the ground and how water moves across it, and ask how you'll use the concrete. Then I send a written estimate that lists each part of the job, so you can see where the money goes.
We check rules and prep
Before the pour, we check what the job needs from the city or county and get the site fully ready. On a stain job, this is when the test patch goes down.
We finish and walk it
Our crew forms, pours and finishes, or stains the slab, with me on site. When it's done, I walk the finished work with you.
Why Santa Barbara homeowners call us for decorative concrete
I come out for every estimate
I do the site visits and estimates myself, so the person who looks at your slab is the one who answers for the price. That matters on decorative work, where the slab you have decides which finishes are worth paying for.
Licensed and insured for concrete work
We're fully licensed and insured. California's concrete contractor classification covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete, so it's fair to ask anyone you're considering which license they carry.
You can ask who's on your job
California now has a home improvement contractor name any subcontractors when you ask, with each one's contact information, license number and classification. Our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing, with me on site.
In business since 2017
I learned the trade on a flatwork crew here in Santa Barbara, pouring and finishing patios, walks and driveways, and started this business in 2017 once I could stand behind every part of the work. Before that I spent years at a desk job where the numbers had to be right, and that's still how I write an estimate.
To set a time for me to come look at your slab, call (805) 869-0160 or use our contact page.
Planning a decorative patio, walk or floor in Santa Barbara
The City of Santa Barbara generally requires a building permit to build, alter or repair a structure, and it exempts some low, uncovered residential walks, so whether your job needs one depends on what we're building and where, and I won't guess at it. We check with the city or county office that covers your address before we set a date, and if a permit is needed, we pull it or walk you through it and plan the schedule around review and inspections. The city also publishes storm water guides that sort projects by how many square feet of new or replaced hard surface they add, so a large stamped patio can fall under a different guide than a small walk, and we look at that when I measure.
We're based in Santa Barbara and work across the South Coast. On jobs in Goleta and Montecito, we see the same calls we get here, older patios and walks people want to dress up and new pours where the color has to sit well beside stucco and tile.
Questions about decorative concrete in Santa Barbara
How much does a stamped concrete patio cost in Santa Barbara?
A stamped concrete patio in Santa Barbara usually costs about $9 to $17 per square foot, which is the going rate in the area and not our price. Reinforced patios run a little more per square foot than un-reinforced ones, and the written estimate I send after measuring shows what yours would include.
How do I know if acid stain will work on my old patio?
One stain expert says acid stain works only as well as the slab can react to it, and an old slab with a lot of sand and stone showing through from age reacts very little. On a slab like that, we'll talk through other finishes with you instead of staining it and hoping.
What stain colors can I use on an outdoor patio or walk?
The same expert says green and blue acid stains are for indoor use only, because the copper in them turns black when it meets moisture. For a patio, walk or other outdoor slab, you'd choose from the other stain colors, and we'll help you narrow them down.
What causes colored concrete to look different from the sample?
One color maker says jobsite conditions, the concrete mix, curing, finishing and sealers can all change the finished color, so some shift across a job is possible. I'd plan for a little variation rather than expect every square foot to match the sample exactly.
Will a stamped concrete patio crack?
Most concrete cracks at some point, and I won't tell you otherwise. We cut control joints, grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, and line them up with the pattern so a crack that does come usually runs where it's hard to see.
Do I need a licensed contractor for a small decorative concrete job in California?
Usually yes, because the state's exemption for unlicensed work tops out at $1,000, up from $500 before, and it applies only when the job needs no permit and the person has no one working for them. Anything larger, or anything that needs a permit, calls for a licensed contractor.
Concrete work that often goes with a decorative finish
Concrete retaining walls
If your new patio or walk sits on a slope, a retaining wall holds the soil back so the decorative slab has steady ground beside it.
Concrete floor installation
Planning a stained floor inside a home, studio or garage? It starts with a new slab poured flat and level, ready to take color evenly.
Cities where we do decorative concrete work
Premier Santa Barbara Concrete is based in Santa Barbara, CA, and does decorative work in the cities around it, including Carpinteria and Santa Ynez. Eight cities have their own page below, and we work in others nearby too.
Santa Barbara, CA
Ask about a stamped or stained finish
Call or send the form with the rough square footage, photos of any slab you have and the colors you like, and I can tell you early which finishes are worth looking at.