The techniques, tools, and materials for installing stamped concrete have improved tremendously in recent years.

The stamping tools were made of rigid metal and produced impressions similar to those made with cookie cutters, without any surface detail.

Today's insoles are made from polyurethane or rubber and are molded from the materials they mimic, resulting in stunningly authentic textural effects. These range from semi-rigid insoles that bend slightly to conform to contours in concrete, to multi-layered artificial leathers with bird feather edging that overlap to produce textures without pattern lines.