Faded stamped patio in Westboro: resurface, reseal or replace?

Whether a faded stamped patio needs resealing, resurfacing or replacing depends on what is underneath the surface. If the slab is structurally sound, flat, and the pattern is intact, resealing is worth considering. If the surface is scaling, spalling, or has cracks that run through the slab, a resurfacing overlay or full replacement becomes the conversation.

We found no published price for resealing or resurfacing alone, so get those scoped and itemized in writing. For a full replacement, plain broom-finish concrete runs about $9 to $15 per square foot installed, and stamped concrete roughly $15 to $45 or more per square foot depending on pattern and colours. Small jobs often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500, according to Ottawa price pages. Removal and demolition of the old slab runs about $1,000 to $5,000 or more for a project, and you should ask whether that is included.

What the decision depends on: the condition of the existing slab below the sealer, whether the pattern has worn or chipped into the concrete itself, whether there is any heaving or cracking from frost, and whether the base is still performing. A contractor looking at it in person can tell you whether the surface will hold an overlay or whether the slab needs to come out. The National Research Council's Canadian Building Digest 116 notes that scaling is most severe on horizontal surfaces subjected to both freeze-thaw cycling and de-icing salts, and that air entrainment has a "remarkable effect" in improving frost resistance, so the history of salt use and the original mix both matter to that assessment.

On the City side, the contractor doing any of this work needs a City of Ottawa Hardscaping Contractor Licence, which has been required since March 1, 2026. The licence costs $319 for 2026 and requires commercial general liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence and automobile liability of not less than $2,000,000. The City's March 2026 guidance says to ask the contractor to show you a copy of their business licence and to check the City's published list of licensed hardscaping contractors yourself. Ottawa Concrete Pros does not verify anyone's licence or insurance. The City also requires the contractor to provide a written contract and give you a copy of the City's Landscaping Education Guide.

For permits, the City's patio page says a patio is exempt from a building permit if it is supported directly on the ground, not raised, and meets the other conditions on that page. We found no City statement on resealing or resurfacing an existing patio; if the slab is being removed and replaced, confirm with the City's Building Code Services before work starts. If any digging is involved, whoever digs is the excavator under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012, and a locate request must go through Ontario Dig Authority before the ground is broken.

Ask each contractor to walk you through the condition of the existing slab and base, and to put their assessment of why they are recommending resurface versus replace in the written quote.