Pro tip: Don't skimp on release agents for stamped concrete

I just wrapped a driveway in Austin where I compared a cheap $8 gallon of release agent from the big box store against a $25 gallon from my local supply house. The cheap stuff made the stamps stick and pull up the edges on two sections, cost me an extra 4 hours of patching and re-stamping. The good stuff let me pull clean patterns all day. Anyone else learn this the hard way with release agents?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_perry4413d ago

Hold on though, cheap release agents from big box stores aren't always the same thing as the powder stuff you mix yourself, which can actually work fine if you get the ratio right.

blairstone13d ago

Mixing your own isn't hard if you measure right. Too much water makes it thin and useless, not enough and it binds instead of releases. Stick to the ratio on the bag and stir it real good before each use.