Decorative concrete sells finishes, not just slabs — stamped and exposed-aggregate exteriors, polished floors for retail and warehouses, overlays and epoxy systems. It is the craft-margin side of concrete, sold on portfolio.
Where are you right now?
Learn it. Earn it. Own it. Pick the door that matches where you are.
Not required — manufacturer/ACI systems training is the credential
Path in
Flatwork base → stamping/overlays → polishing capital
Regulated by
Municipality; manufacturers certify installers on systems
Insurance baseline
$2M CGL — finish-failure disputes are the claims
The licensing layer, explained
No trade licence. Business licence, WSIB, and insurance apply; the credibility layer is manufacturer and ACI training — polishing systems (densifiers, grinder progressions), overlay and coating systems, and stamping. Polished-concrete specs for commercial work increasingly name certified installers.
Finish failures (delamination, colour inconsistency, coating peel) drive disputes more than structural issues — document substrate moisture and prep, and carry $2M CGL with completed-operations.
Go to the source
The official pages that govern this trade. Bookmark these, they are the final word on requirements and fees.