We don't recommend installing stamped concrete as a DIY project, and the main reason is that you only have one chance to get it right. You can't finish it later if you run out of time and you can't take it apart and re-do it.

With all of the things that can go wrong from sub-base preparation and concrete mix, to gauging the proper time to start stamping and actually finishing before the concrete hardens, and everything in between, it's really a job best left to the pros.

What's more, the stamping tools and materials you'll need can cost hundreds of dollars and aren't really worth the investment unless you plan to use the tools on multiple projects. Read the nine reasons stamping concrete is not for do-it-yourselfers.