I'm a concrete contractor and I talk to lots of people out estimating and considering work for my business. Many times people think stamped concrete is totally unique of regular concrete and it's an entirely different product. That is somewhat true, however 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 be the same thickness and also have exactly the same design strength.
Regular concrete is your everyday concrete found 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 bottom that is usually rebar or wire mesh. The concrete is specified to a desired thickness that is created for its application. For instance, a driveway that handles car and light trucks is usually poured four inches thick. The concrete mix is also specified which is usually a 4000 psi mix here in areas that have severe winters. That is the strength the concrete reaches in 28 days. Concrete is positioned, 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 are the same except the finishing steps. The concrete is also colored that 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 obtain the concrete really smooth. We use air entrained concrete inside our area due to harsh winters, which isn't supposed to be troweled so we usually just obtain it smooth as you possibly can with a magnesium bull float. After 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 is 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 very next day when the concrete will undoubtedly be washed and sealed with a higher gloss sealer which is also a membrane forming cure.
So to conclude stamped and regular, there is not much difference between your two other than what they look like on the surface. Many people they think stamped concrete is just not as durable as regular concrete and that is not the case. https://www.lasvegasconcretepros.com/ that could make it less durable is the texture of the stamped concrete. Within an environment that gets snow, stamped concrete can get damaged by snow removal equipment like snow plows.