If you're in the market for a new driveway, patio floor, or pathway, check out some of the new decorative concrete paving systems. Concrete stamping, stenciling, coating, and more have given concrete paving great character and visual interest at relatively affordable prices.

Concrete stamping companies train and certify installers to stain, color, acid wash, stencil, coat, stamp, and otherwise decoratively treat concrete surfaces. Their services and products are used for both existing and new concrete work. Many different colors, designs, and textures are possible, simulating slate, fieldstone, brick, and a world of other materials.

Cost varies widely, depending on the size of the project, the type of treatment, and your location. For a stamped concrete pathway that looks like brick or stone, you're likely to pay from $6 to $8 per square foot.