Decorative concrete in Aliso Viejo CA - color and texture that hold up in the sun
Tired of a plain gray patio or a stain that's fading in patches? Get color and texture picked to stand up to the sun.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What is decorative concrete, and is it right for your Aliso Viejo yard?
Decorative concrete is concrete with color and texture built in. That can be mixed-in color, a stain, exposed aggregate, polishing or a pattern pressed into the surface, finished with a sealer. In Aliso Viejo, we use it to turn a plain gray patio, walk or pool deck into something that looks finished and is chosen to keep its color in strong sun.
Most folks who call me have a gray slab that works fine but looks tired, or a colored patio that's gone blotchy, and they want to know whether it's worth redoing or just dressing up. If you're picturing a pattern like stone or brick, that's our stamped concrete work, and it's part of the same decision. The price mostly moves with the size, whether we tear out and pour new or work over what you have, how the color goes in and how busy the pattern is. The schedule turns on how much tear-out there is, whether your HOA has to sign off and the cure time before you can use the slab. Your own number comes from the estimate, once I've seen the slab.
How can you tell your patio or walk is due for a new look?
Color fading in patches
The color on your patio or walk looks blotchy, lighter where the sun hits hardest and darker under the eaves. That's usually surface color or worn sealer giving out, and the longer it goes, the more uneven it gets and the harder it is to match later.
Sealer worn thin
Water soaks in instead of beading up, the surface looks dull, and spills leave stains that won't scrub out. The sealer has usually worn through, and if you wait, stains and grime set into the concrete itself.
Cracks or a sunken section
A crack that keeps growing or a corner that's dropped lower than the rest usually means the base settled or a tree root is pushing up. A decorative finish over that just cracks along with it, so now is the time to find out whether the slab needs replacing.
How we do decorative concrete, from the base up
Before anything else, we sit down with you and weigh the two big choices. One is mixed-in color or color on the surface. The other is a fresh pour or an overlay on the slab you have now. We go through both so you know what each one gives you. On a fresh pour, we dig out and pack the subgrade, the soil and base the slab sits on, because a base that's only raked level settles and takes your new finish with it. We set the forms so water runs away from the house and place rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, where the job needs it. We pour early in the day so midday heat doesn't leave a weak, dusty top. Then we add the color and texture and cut control joints, shallow cuts that give the slab a planned place to crack. We let it cure, the days it sits and gains strength, and then we seal it. If the budget gets tight, I'll tell you to go simpler on the pattern before I let you cut corners on the base. Nobody sees the base on day one, but it decides how that nice top looks years from now.
Decorative work often sits next to other concrete. If your patio steps down a slope or you want raised planters around it, we build concrete retaining walls to match. If you'd like the same stained or polished look inside, that's our concrete floor installation work.
Get a decorative concrete estimate for your slab
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, measure and look things over, and the in-person estimate is free with no pressure to book.
- Based in
- Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about decorative concrete?
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll be talking to and what you'll have in hand.
Call and set a visit
When you call, you talk to me, and we pick a time for me to come out to measure, look over the slab and hear how you use the space. A busy patio with a grill and kids gets a different finish than a quiet front walk.
Get a written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, like tear-out, hauling and the finish. You can line it up next to other bids and see exactly where the cost sits.
We pour, cure and walk through
Our crew sets the forms, then pours and cures the concrete within the city's construction hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or federal holidays. Before we pack up, I walk the finished job with you, and we leave the site cleaner than we found it.
Why Aliso Viejo homeowners call All Star Aliso Viejo Concrete for decorative work
You'll deal with the owner
I come out to every job myself to look it over and write the estimate, then I work on site alongside our crew. The person who talked color and finish with you is the one standing there on pour day.
Raised on my dad's crew
I spent years pouring on my dad's crew before I started this business in Aliso Viejo in 2023. He taught me that the base and the cure matter more than anything you see, and we still build every decorative job that way.
Licensed and fully insured
If something goes wrong on your property, you're not the one left holding the risk. You can look up any bidder, us included, with the state licensing board before you sign.
When you're ready, send us your project with the slab's size, its condition, how much sun and tree cover it gets and any HOA rules, and I'll take it from there.
Decorative concrete and patio planning in Aliso Viejo
If your home is in a planned community, plan on HOA approval first. One Orange County contractor notes that HOAs almost always require it for any visible exterior change, patio resurfacing included. We help you pull together what your HOA asks for, like the color, the pattern and the layout, before we start. We also check with the city's Building & Safety department, at 949-425-2540, on every job so nothing catches us out once the forms are set.
Many of the slabs we see here sit in full afternoon sun, which is why color choice gets so much of our time, and tight side yards mean we plan tear-out access early. We see the same on jobs in Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills, along with the other cities around Aliso Viejo in Orange County where we work.
Questions about decorative concrete in Aliso Viejo
How much does decorative concrete cost in Aliso Viejo?
There's no single price for decorative concrete, because the cost comes down to a few choices you make. A fresh pour carries tear-out and hauling that an overlay skips, mixed-in color and detailed patterns add material and labor, and a slope or a tight side yard slows the work. Call or send the form and I'll come price your actual slab.
Should I resurface my patio or pour new decorative concrete?
If your slab is sound, an overlay can work, but a fresh pour lasts longer. One Orange County contractor notes that a stamped overlay, a patterned layer over a sound existing slab, skips demolition but doesn't hold up as long as new concrete. We won't put an overlay on a slab that's cracked or sinking, because the new layer just follows the old problems.
How often does decorative concrete need to be resealed?
An older national trade guide's rule of thumb is every two to three years for busy or sunny areas, which covers most patios here, and four to five years for lighter-traffic or indoor areas. That guide also says slip resistance should be handled at the first sealing and at every reseal, with a gritty additive mixed into the sealer to help cut down on slips and falls.
How long after sealing can I walk on decorative concrete?
At around 70 degrees, the same trade guide says sealer is typically dry to the touch in 1 to 2 hours and ready for light foot traffic in 3 to 4 hours. Keep furniture and cars off for a full 24 hours or more. The guide also says to seal only when no rain or condensation is expected for 12 hours after the coating goes down.
Who can legally do concrete work in California?
In California, concrete work generally takes a licensed contractor, and the state's concrete contractor classification covers forming, pouring, placing, finishing and installing flat and other concrete work. Unlicensed work is allowed only on jobs under $1,000 that need no permit and have no one employed on them, so ask every bidder for their license before you sign.
What is the best decorative concrete option for a yard with big trees?
In a yard with mature trees, pavers may be the better long-term choice, according to one Orange County contractor. That contractor notes we don't get the freeze-and-thaw cracking colder places do, but roots, settling soil and age still move concrete here. If that's your yard, I'll tell you so, even if it means talking you out of a pour.
Related services that pair with decorative concrete
Concrete retaining walls
Handy when your patio sits on a slope or you want raised planters, since a wall holds the ground back and gives the slab a level, finished edge.
Concrete floor installation
Worth a look if you want stained or polished concrete indoors, since that finish only looks good on a floor that was poured level and cured right.
Service areas for our decorative concrete work
All Star Aliso Viejo Concrete is based in Aliso Viejo, CA, and works across the cities around it in Orange County. The 12 cities listed here, including Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano, each have their own page, and we work in other nearby cities too.
Talk through your decorative concrete options
One look at your slab tells us whether it can take an overlay or needs a fresh pour, and that answer shapes everything else about the job.
Aliso Viejo, CA