I'm a concrete contractor and I talk to lots of people out estimating and looking at work with my business. Often https://casagrande-concrete.com/ think stamped concrete is totally different than regular concrete and it's an entirely different product. This is somewhat true, but the basics of the two are the same plus they are usually specified exactly the same, when used in exactly the same application. For instance, if stamped concrete or regular concrete is used for a driveway, they will generally function as same thickness and also have the same design strength.
Regular concrete is your everyday concrete used in sidewalks, driveways, patios, roads, and anytime regular pavement is constructed. It's generally positioned on some form of gravel or native soil base that's compacted. The region is then formed with lumber or manufactured forms. Reinforcement is usually installed in the base which is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is created for its application. For example, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix can be specified that is usually a 4000 psi mix within areas that have severe winters. That is the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is placed, striked off, bull floated then gets a non slip finish, such as a broom. From then on, the concrete is cured with either water and burlap, or the easy way with a membrane forming curing compound.
Stamped concrete is quite similarly placed to regular concrete. Generally all the steps will be the same except the finishing steps. The concrete can be colored which is usually put into the mix. It can also be colored with a color hardener, but most contractors use an intrinsic color. After bull floating is when things the procedure changes with stamped concrete. Some contractors go one step further and trowel the concrete to get the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area due to the harsh winters, which isn't said to be troweled so we usually just obtain it smooth as you possibly can with a magnesium bull float. Following the concrete sets to a desired hardness, the concrete is imprinted with the rubber like stamps. A release agent which is an antiquing colored release, or liquid release agent can be used to help keep the stamps from sticking with the concrete. Some contractors will put curing paper on the concrete to cure it till the next day when the concrete will be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer that is also a membrane forming cure.
So to conclude stamped and regular, there is not much difference between your two other than what they appear to be on the surface. Many people they think stamped concrete is simply not as durable as regular concrete and that's just not the case. The thing that could make it less durable may be the texture of the stamped concrete. In an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete will get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.