Calgary basement pour, why does everyone rave about stamped concrete?

I checked out a basement reno in McKenzie Towne last week and the contractor pushed stamped concrete for the floor like it was a gift from God, but charging $9.50 a square foot for something that cracks in a -35 snap seems like a waste, has anyone else had better luck with plain stained slabs?

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jessew833d ago

Look at the math on this differently. You're paying 9.50 a foot for something that takes a beating and still looks decent after the kids drag sleds across it all winter, not for perfection. A plain stained slab will show every little scratch and water mark, and you'll be staring at those spots every single day. The cracking thing is mostly about the prep and the control joints, not the stamp pattern, and any half decent contractor knows how to handle a Calgary deep freeze with the right mix. Plus if you ever sell that place in McKenzie Towne, stamped concrete is the thing buyers notice and remember, it makes a basement feel finished instead of like a storage room. I'd take the stamped floor over a plain grey slab any day, even if I have to patch a hairline crack every five years.