Concrete Porch Installation In Los Angeles

Whether it’s a mid-century modern, Craftsman style, cottage, Spanish style or bungalow you live in, Los Angeles is filled with homes with amazing porches to sit on and watch the sunset. You may be looking at your porch right now, thinking, this needs a face lift. Or, if you’re lucky enough to live on a hillside, you may be checking out the cracks in your porch and thinking about revitalizing it.

Whether it's a small concrete landing and stairs welcoming people to your door, or a wrap-around patio with room for seating, the porch is an important design element. It’s one of the first elements someone sees of your house. How can you make your porch -- and your house -- dazzle? Why, with concrete, of course!

What types of Los Angeles cement porch styles are there?

Gone are the days when you have to make due with a drab grey slab concrete porch or patio, or paint over the slab to make your porch stand out. With stamped concrete, acid-stains, decorative overlays, and other stained color elements, you can give your porch a one-of-a-kind look, or go more traditional. With concrete, the choices are almost unlimited. 

Decorative Concrete Overlays on Los Angeles Porches

Want to give your tired old porch a fresh lease on life, but don’t want to completely replace it? A decorative overlay is what you want.

What is a decorative overlay? Simply put, a decorative overlay is a new, fresh surface on top of your old grey slab. You can put any kind of design elements in the overlay -- from stamping and staining, to stenciling and using acid-stains.

First, your contractor will check your porch to make sure it is structurally sound and fix any major cracks that may be marring the look of your porch. You want to make sure there isn’t any moisture underneath the porch, damaging the structural integrity. 

Then, a fresh new layer is added on top of your original concrete to give it a new look. A new concrete coating is applied over the old surface, offering a variety of color, texture and pattern options. 

Resurfacing old concrete is perfect for:

• Covering old, worn out, unsightly concrete

• Fixing  small cracks

• Hiding surface imperfections

• Updating outdated finishes

• Addressing discoloration

Using Stamped Concrete on Los Angeles Porches

One of the most exciting design elements you can use on your porch is stamped and stained concrete. When you stamp freshly poured concrete, it can mimic the look and feel of other natural materials -- such as flagstone, slate, brick, and even wood!

• Wood: Love the look of a wooden porch, but not sure you want to keep up with the maintenance? Use concrete stamps with wood plank patterns. Add natural looking stain and you can give your concrete the realistic look of wood without the maintenance headaches of periodic staining and sealing. 

• Brick: Want a traditional brick look?  You can get that look with concrete, often at a lower cost and with less effort. Simply imprint the brick pattern with a stamp or stencil. Then, color the brick and grout lines for a timeless look.

• Natural Stone: What about natural stone? Again, concrete offers the look and feel of natural stone without the expensive installation and upkeep. By engraving and acid-staining the concrete, you can create a porch that looks like it is made of flagstone, slate, or other natural stone. 

• Custom Looks: Maybe you want to forgo all these looks and go with something else entirely. You can choose to unify the look of your steps and porch by using the same color and pattern for both. Maybe you want a completely different design, mimicking tile patterns. Whatever the design you want, concrete can create it.

Can’t I just paint my concrete porch in Los Angeles?

Of course you could just paint your concrete porch. It’s an affordable, fast, DIY fix for your concrete porch. You may not be happy with the results, however. Concrete paint is notorious for peeling, bubbling, and wearing away. 

Stained concrete is much easier to maintain -- requiring only a cleaning and resealing every couple of years. That’s because with an acid- or water-based stained, you are coloring the poured concrete itself, instead of just the surface. 

Can I DIY or do I hire a contractor in Los Angeles for a concrete porch?

As with any concrete project, there is a fair amount of planning, preparation and pacing needed to correctly install your pristine porch. And, as with all concrete projects, there is only one chance to pour. There is no second-chance or going back to repair this kind of project.

That’s why we suggest you hire a professional contractor. The contractors at Concrete Decor Contractors have decades of experience with a variety of projects including:

• Driveway apron repair
• Sidewalk repair
• Grass strip driveways
• Driveway extensions
• Concrete patios

They will work with you to ensure that your new porch not only looks fantastic, but is done correctly the first time. Call us at 818-722-8124 to find out how to take your driveway from drab to fab!