By Bennett's Concrete and Excavation, Norwich, NY. Updated October 2026.
Seamless slate
A natural stone texture with no grout lines. From a few feet away it reads like one big slab of slate. It's forgiving, looks good in almost any color and works well on patios and hot tub pads. We poured a seamless stamped hot tub patio in North Norwich.
Ashlar slate
Rectangular cut-stone blocks in a random layout, with stamped grout lines between them. It's more formal than seamless and looks sharp on front entries and big patios. The entryway in our Norwich photos is ashlar slate.
Wood plank
The look of weathered boards, without rot or splinters. Popular on porches and walks along the house. One Preston customer wanted a patio that looked like a hardwood floor. That's wood plank.
Color borders
A band of contrasting color and pattern around the edge, like the red borders in our walkway photos. Borders frame a walk or patio and make a plain field color look finished.
Choosing color
Most stamped jobs use a base color plus a release that leaves darker accents in the low spots, so the texture shows. Lighter colors stay cooler in the sun. Darker colors hide dirt but show salt residue. Look at real jobs in daylight before you decide.
Slip resistance and sealing
Sealer brings out color and protects the surface, but it can make the surface slicker when wet. Around pools and hot tubs we add a slip-resistant additive to the sealer. Plan on resealing every few years. When water stops beading, it's time. See our sealing guide.
