Plain, cracked patio or walk? We pour stamped concrete with a stone or brick look over ground dug out, packed and sloped to drain.
Stamped concrete services in Oxford, MS press a stone, slate, brick or paver pattern into a fresh slab, so your patio, walk or driveway gets that look without paying for natural stone.
Most calls start with a plain slab that's cracked, sunk or holds water, or a bare spot where you want a patio. Before I talk patterns, I look at what's under it, because most of the broken concrete I patched for years failed from the ground up, not from the top. A stamped finish on a bad base just cracks prettier.
The price moves with the size of the area, how much digging and base work the ground needs, whether an old slab comes out, the pattern and colors, and how close we can get the truck. The schedule turns on dry ground, the weather on pour day, any permit check and the cure, the wait while fresh concrete gains strength before you use it. You'll get your own figure on the written estimate after I've seen the site.
The pattern is what you'll notice. These three things decide whether it still looks right years from now, and they're where low bids usually cut.
The subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, has to be dug out and packed, not just raked level. Raked dirt keeps settling after the pour, and the slab goes down with it. We dig to firm ground, bring in base and pack it in layers so the slab has something solid to rest on.
Before we set forms, I check where rain comes off the roof and yard and where it'll go once there's concrete in the way. A slab that falls toward the house sends water at your foundation every storm, so we pitch it away and make sure the low side has somewhere to drain.
Concrete shrinks as it dries and moves with the ground, so some cracking is normal. Control joints are cuts that give it a line to crack along out of sight, and on stamped work we line them up with the pattern. Rebar, steel set inside the slab, helps hold the pieces together if it does crack.
Here's how a stamped job goes with us, from the first call to the last walk-through, so you know who you're dealing with at each step.
Call (662) 550-8149 or use the form and tell us roughly what you have in mind. Most times I'm the one who calls you back to set a time to come out.
I come out myself, measure, look over the ground, the drainage and the access, and talk patterns with you. Then I send a written estimate that spells out what the price covers and what it doesn't.
Once you say go, we sort out any permit and inspections, dig out and pack the base, set forms and pour. The crew stamps the surface while it's at the right stage, and I'm on site running it.
When it's done, I walk it with you again so you can see the joints, the drainage and the finish. We'll tell you how long to stay off it while it cures and, on a driveway, when it can take a car.
The pattern has to go on while the concrete is at just the right stage. Too wet and the texture slumps, too far along and the stamps won't bite. So before the truck shows up, the stamps are laid out and there are enough hands on site to work the whole slab in time. We also stay out of the midday heat, because a top that sets too fast can turn weak and dusty later.
Here's the trade-off I'll name on every bid. The base is the part you can't see on day one, so it's usually the first thing people want to trim. I won't trim it. I'd rather put a simpler pattern on a well-packed, well-drained base than a fancy one on raked dirt. Our bid also says plainly whether sealer is part of the price, so you're not guessing.
Stamping isn't only for patios. We pair it with concrete sidewalk building when you want a walk with a brick or slate border that matches the patio, and a plain walk with a broom finish, a light brushed texture for grip, costs less. Inside the garage you want a smooth, hard surface, so that's garage floor concrete, not a stamp.
Stamping the whole slab gives the most stone-like look. A stamped border around a broom-finished center costs less, is easier to keep clean and gives better footing where people walk most.
Color mixed through the whole batch means a chip shows the same shade underneath. Color worked into the top gives a richer, more varied look, but it lives in the surface and depends more on the sealer.
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day, and most times it's me calling. The estimate is free and done on site, with no pressure to book. I'll set a time to walk the job with you, then send your written price.
(662) 550-8149Inside Oxford, the city's Building division issues permits, does inspections and enforces the city's erosion control rules, which come into play when we dig out bare ground for a base. Out in the county, Lafayette County requires a building permit for houses in subdivisions and all commercial buildings. Whether your stamped patio or walk needs one isn't something I'll guess at, so we check with the office that covers your address before work starts.
When a job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork and line up the inspections so you're not chasing them. If you'd like to ask on your own, the city's Development Services Department helps homeowners with building development, plan reviews and field services. On licensing, the state contractors board requires a license for residential remodeling or additions over $10,000 and new residential construction over $50,000, so ask about it on bigger jobs.
We're based in Oxford and work across Lafayette County and the cities around it, including Batesville and Holly Springs. What we see most are older plain patios and walks that have settled or tipped toward the house, and rentals where a landlord wants something that looks better and doesn't need patching again.
I spent years doing upkeep for a property management company, patching walks, steps, drives and slabs, and I started Oxford Concrete Company in 2023 to build it right the first time. I come out myself to look at the job and write the estimate, and I'm on site running the work with our crew. Landlords and property managers call us for the same reason homeowners do, one person and a straight answer.
We're licensed and fully insured. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. If you're weighing stamped concrete against stone or pavers, call (662) 550-8149 or send us the form, and I'll come walk the ground with you before you settle on a pattern.
A new walk from the driveway to the door puts people on solid footing across the yard and can match the patio's stamped border if you want.
If the garage slab is cracked, sunk or flaking, a new floor gives you a smooth, hard surface that stands up to cars, tools and spills.
We pour stamped patios, walks and drives past the Oxford city line too. Pick a city below to see how we work there and what we run into on jobs nearby.
Installed stamped concrete usually costs about $15 to $25 per square foot across the US, so treat that as a national range, not our price. The gap between stamped concrete and stone or pavers often isn't as wide as people expect, so price both before you choose on looks alone. Your own number comes from the on-site estimate.
It can, with the right base and joints. One Mississippi guide says pavers handle swelling clay better because their joints give a little, but slabs work with control joints, steel reinforcement and a uniform, stable base, built thicker to allow for heave, the clay pushing up. About 14% of Lafayette County's soil area is that clay, below the state's 19%. Ask how each bid covers it.
Yes, stamped concrete normally gets sealed to bring out the color and protect the finish. Some contractors include a basic sealer and others price it separately, so compare bids on that line. One sealer maker says each coat can make it slicker unless sand or another anti-skid goes into the wet sealer, and a stamping maker says an antiqued color needs its sealer coat redone periodically.
You're off it from the dig-out until the slab has cured, and a driveway waits longer than a patio because it has to carry a car. Rain and wet ground can push the start back. I'll give you the walk-on and drive-on timing for your job before we pour, so you can plan around it.
You can, but it's a risky way to save, because stamped concrete isn't a forgiving DIY job. The surface has to be at the right stage when the pattern goes on, and once it sets there's no going back to fix it. Weigh that timing against what you'd save before you rent stamps.
A rough size of the area, whether it's a patio, walk or driveway, and the look you're after, like slate, brick or stone, is enough to start. Photos of the spot help, and so does knowing where water stands after a rain. I'll take it from there when I come out.
Call (662) 550-8149 or send the form before you settle on a pattern, because what the ground needs can change which look makes sense for your budget.
