While using a screed and darby gives you a roughly smooth surface, floating helps smooth out further imperfections, compact the concrete, and prepare for additional finishing steps. Place the new mortar and go. A 50 lb. I've never done that myself so you'd have to find out if that's possible for you. Choose a product specifically made for skim coats, like micro-topping. When you want to make sure that you patio has a fresh new look that is ready for partying or even just simple relaxation, consider what this technique . Step 2 Scrub and clean the surface of the repair area with a stiff bristle brush. Soften the edges with a damp rag or sponge to blend the patch and color into the slab. A. paint roller frame, tray & extension pole. Step 1 - Move Furniture Start by removing everything from the room that covers floor space, including furniture and area rugs, and place it all in an adjacent room. How do you smooth rough concrete? Mist the patio with water, using a garden hose with a sprayer attachment. bag of self-leveling overlay mix is about $30.00 and covers 50 square feet at 1/8" thick. You can smooth the concrete after it dries by sanding the whole surface area and then washing the concrete. Self-leveling compound 1. That would make the most sense.Grinding down exposed aggregate just seems like opening a can of worms. Stencil of your choice- this one is also awesome. Put down your thinset and place tile. Attach the sandpaper to your floor grinder and start sanding the concrete patio in one corner. Add a little more water or resurfacer, if necessary, to create a pourable mix that has the consistency of syrup. Improve this answer. So if you want the coating to stick to the concrete it has to be at least a little rough. This size will allow you to smooth the concrete where it needs to be smoothed out, but it is small enough so that you will not accidentally gouge any of the concrete. Before you choose the type of finish that you want, you should consider your budget and time, as well as your needs and wants. With patio concrete staining, you can enjoy the natural look of brick or stone while still using concrete, which is simply the most affordable and easy to maintain building material out there. Remove any shards of concrete by breaking away the shards with a cold chisel and hammer. Start working when the concrete slab is dry. Resurface with several thin coats or use a stampable overlay mix, about 3/8 to 1/2 inch. Followed by rinsing the area with pressure washing; at least three times a day, using the pressure washer to remove the solution. This is where you'll need to look for cracks and other imperfections. Let these repairs cure for 24 hours. But, shouldn't be more than $4-5 a square foot to form & pour the new one. The product is mixed with water, pumped or poured into place and spread evenly with . You should repeat the steps for 6 to 10 times. When the sealer dries, they create a rough surface underfoot, especially when wet . Resurfacing the concrete patio First, make sure you have all of your resurfacing tools ready. Clean thoroghly and let dry. To smooth a rough concrete surface, use a broom to remove any debris, then a mop with neutral cleanser and warm water to remove the dirt. Make multiple passes over the entire surface to ensure it is smooth. Step 1 To clean concrete, you need to scrub it with a concrete cleaner. You can use a trowel to smooth over small areas or a screed board and bull float for large areas. It is possible to go up in grits, but you will go through more pads, and it can be costly and time-consuming. There are two things you can do fix the rough finish. Have it painted with epoxy flake. maybe it's just me, but painted concrete stepping stones would look terrible even when it's new. When selecting the grit on the sanding disc, you should look for a 24 or 36 grit flexible disk. From past experience, I knew that doing a thin coat of . Clean the floor carefully with vacuum or damp rag. Re-wet the concrete if it has dried. Restore concrete by resurfacing it with an overlay to bring new life to your home or yard. Step-4: With the previous steps: we must have all the surfaces clean and free of impurities. We have a poured patio off the back of the house. Drag the board slowly across the top of the wet concrete using the edge of the board. To make our stairs wider, we placed them about a foot out on either side of the stairs. Make It Smooth. Use small, radius strokes with the float to finish the face of the porch where the form was . That looks like it was gone over with a float or a darby, should have at least been bull floated and broomed, i don't think it's a good idea to start grinding it, your going to expose the coarse aggregate if you do, probably best to leave well enough alone, your call though. To remove dust, use a push broom. really burn it in, rub till satisfied. Dry the floor after sweeping. Labor prices will vary depending on the amount of prep, repair, and type of overlay finish you're going after. One is, you could grind or polish the surface which would remove the rough broom finish and smooth the surface of the concrete. I recommend wetting color patch materials with a 50:50 blend of concrete bonding polymer and water. get them sanded. Did the winter weather conditions take a toll on your concrete surface? It may take more than one acid application to get the right look. We screwed four 1 by 8 treated yellow pine boards into the front of the stringers to create the new wood risers. Use back and forth strokes to clean all of the concrete completely. Step 2: Mix the resurfacer Too hard to clean. Repair broken concrete and remove any that is mold- or rust-stained by chipping it out. Once over lightly with a concrete stone, then mix cement and 200# silica into thick paste. use masking tape to give clean lines at interface of smooth to broom finishes. Even if the concrete isn't totally smooth, when you install the tile you can smooth the rough surface of the concrete with the mortar. I recommend Butterfield T1000 Stampable Overlay. Nope. 1. You can float concrete by hand or by using a machine. Muriatic acid for etching. These are the 5 types of concrete finishes for patios: Stamped concrete. A gray, broom-textured concrete is the most basic outdoor concrete finish. If you have low spots, this is probably going to be the best method. The concrete needs to be leveled out before it solidifies. Make use of chisels and hammers to level off any spots that are uneven. Rough pored concrete.Will pain help smooth it? You can simply vacuum and mop the floor or if it's a complete and utter debacle, you may need to utilize a pressure washer to appropriately clean the surface. You can choose an eco-friendly concrete cleaner to make sure it doesn't damage the concrete. Plug the power washer in, connect it to a water source, and turn on the machine using the switch. Once the concrete has lost its sheen, go over it with a wood float, using arcing motions to smooth the surface. We also used the putty knife to apply the Stone Effects to the lip of the concrete that abuts the lawn, so that the finish wraps down the side of the patio. Use a trowel to smooth out the concrete. Place the tip of the chisel at the base of the shard and strike the chisel head with the hammer to cut through the shard. Find any damaged areas in the concrete, such as cracks or flakes and spalled areas. Widening the crack and creating a V-shape will help the patch materials stick better. Now switch to a grit paper that is finer. After that, finish the conrete with a stiff-bristled broom to make the surface nonslip. Mixing is best accomplished using a paddle mixer attached to a power drill. A common misconception with rough concrete is that by applying a high build epoxy coating (like a self leveling) on uneven concrete the floor will magically become smooth and level. TIP: unsound or flaking concrete can be removed by using a hammer and chisel or with a masonry grinding disk and a portable drill. When added to a clear sealer, they disappear to the naked eye. But unlike concrete, it flows easier and sets up much faster. Preparing The Surface. Concrete paint in your stencil color. I thought of a couple of ways on how to smooth the grout lines (since I knew that the crazy little pattern would show through whatever paint/pattern I decided to do with): Re-grout them on top of the old grout. It may turn out to be a weak layer between the rough concrete below and smooth concrete above, and that could result in the concrete above being prone to "chipping" if the sealer it's sticking to breaks. It is easiest to spread the grout evenly across the floor, making sure it gets into every empty crack. Start sanding by using the coarsest diamond sanding pad that you have. How to Rough up Concrete. Fill in the cracks and divots with your freshly mixed resurfacer and smooth it all out with a finishing trowel. But, for now, let's start talking about each finish type! We did TWO coats of the Stone Effects finish. Remember, the more work you put in, the more wear you put on the pads. Hold the end of the power washer 3-4 inches (7.6-10.2 cm) from the surface of the concrete and pull the trigger to shoot out water. This is a cement based mix that is meant to be troweled on 1/16" to 1/8" thick. about 2 sant to 1 cement. Floating concrete is a critical step to achieve a smooth surface. Make sure to sand thoroughly and wipe down any debris using your sponge. Think we will try a self leveling compound. Apply the cleaner, then rinse with water. Salt finish. I suppose it's a turnkey operation, bust & haul out the old concrete, etc. Put fresh water in a 5-gallon bucket. You will require the following items: Paddle mixer bit Trowel Broom and brush Protective gear When you're ready, follow these simple steps. I know - I just had a 37x48 foot 5" thick floor poured for about 5 times that amount. How to Smooth Rough Concrete Patio 1. Need to decorate a plain concrete patio.Paint or any other suggestions?? Make sure the floor is clean. 13. It is made from the same plastic used to make 2-liter soda bottles, ground into a fine powder. Laura Gaskill you must first grind the pea gravel down to get a "level" surface. Oct 14, 2016. The list of these materials typically includes the following items: an epoxy resin duct tape a floor grinder a mop plastic sheeting a concrete sealer One option would be to paint over the sealer (in small areas at a time) with a "concrete bonding agent" and then trowel a skim coat of feather . Once the grout is dry, wipe it clean with a wet rag. Start in one corner with the sander or buffer, working in 4-foot-square sections. QUIKRETE Concrete Resurfacer will renew and restore your old, worn concrete drivewa. Once the sealer itself has cured, clean up, and congratulate yourself. Step 3: Float the Concrete. Rough concrete can be very difficult to work with. THIS WILL NOT . iriana88w via VistaCreate Gather Your Materials The first thing that you will need to do before you start making your concrete patio smooth is to gather all the materials you will need for that. Spray the solution on the surface, then scrub the acid with a stiff-bristled acid-resistant broom. They did a bad job and I want to put flo Don't want it any longer. 11. What you're describinga condition known as spalling ranks high among the most common issues that afflict concrete. Step 2. 2. While wearing safety glasses and hearing protection, place the edge of the masonry chisel into the crack at a 45-degree angle. Sand The Whole Surface Area And Then Wash The Concrete. Step 1 heheheowowowow. Another option for smoothing a rough concrete surface is to apply a skim coat. Here's a step-by-step process for conducting this job in the most efficient manner: Step 1 Prep the floor area by cleaning it appropriately. Grind too little and you now expose more sharp edges, grind too much and you have a slick surface (much like poured concrete flooring) that is a huge headache in wet areas. After than change to an 80 to 120 grit sandpaper for more smoothing result. Is it concrete? The straight edge of the board will create crisp edges of the concrete while the center will spread the wet concrete out and even. Stenciled concrete. Step 2 If there are any bumps, carefully go over them to completely remove them. Step 4: Fill Cracks Should be $300 or so. Answer this question + 5. Good luck! Clean the area of dust with a broom and dustpan after finishing. Have it polished. 80 - Slight surface scaling (remove Top small layer) 60 - Surface dusting or removing old paint (not for complete removal). To prep your patio for the pavers of your choice, first spread a layer of Quikrete's PowerLoc Jointing Sand over the concrete slab with a utility broom and then smooth it into all cracks and . The best way to do this is by combining 7 parts resurfacer with 1 part water in a 5-gallon bucket. Use 80 grit first if needed to remove paint film. Clean the surface of the damaged area by removing any loose material such as dirt, oil, or grease and unsound or flaking concrete. Concrete paint in your base color. Apply the cleaner and then rinse it off with a hose. Step 2 It is not very likely that you will be able to evacuate a cast iron sink by yourself. Some of the aggregate would be exposed giving you a nice smooth decorative look to your sidewalk and patio. Use a wooden tongue depressor or gloved finger to smear the color patch into the cracks. If you look at the powder under a microscope, the particles look rough and jagged like sand but are clear. To avoid damaging other surfaces, grass and/or plants, you may want to consider gelled acid to control runoff. Here, the top layer of the concrete flakes away, leaving the surface . Is this maybe what you are referring to? First, mix a 1:1 solution of muriatic acid in water. The first step is to sand the entire surface area using a belt sander. apply bonding agent and let cure as per directions. Spread a thin coating of mortar to the underside of tiles before setting them in place on the . These are the 4 steps in how to smooth concrete after it dries: Remove all imperfections on the surface Vacuum up all debris and apply the adherent Apply a new layer of concrete Sand the surface and wash the concrete Apply a layer of vitrifier to protect the concrete plus it'll chip and peel -- esp if it was applied thick enough to smooth over the roughness. D. If it is concrete, in some areas, by building code laws, it is supposed to have a brushed (as with a broom) finish. You don't say how big the floor is going to be. Then, use a pH-neutral cleaner with warm water. To begin this project, we purchased a couple of 4-Step Stair Stringers to put on the outside of the old steps. Use floor patch as a skim coat. Then thoroughly scrub and scrape off any stubborn dirt or deteriorating concrete and rinse off with clean water using a hose to create pressure on the surface to enhance better cleaning. Now you must apply an even coat of concrete sealer. Let the contents rest for a few minutes, and then mix it again. Generally, most people use a concrete grinder to remove minute amounts of concrete or to grind off glues and imperfections. You can provide flipflops for every visitor for the next decade or so . Power washer or a really strong hose and scrub brush. Again clean the floor. It was broomed pretty rough for an 'outdoor' patio. With standard grinding wheels and work, you can expect to take off around 1/16?. Not only does it limit you to the types of tools that can be used to apply an epoxy coating, but it will . Its popularity lies in the fact that it is a durable and economical finish, as well as one that . Make vertical passes along the concrete patio floor with each pass covering half of the previous pass. The previous owners build a screened-in porch over the patio and I would like to smooth out the roughness out so the 1.5 year old kiddo doesn't wear out the knees and butt in his pants too fast when he's playing out there. 7. Step 2. About a coffee can at a time. Remove rust from concrete stained surface with a diamond oscillating sander. Let your concrete surface dry again for the slurry to set in. If the slab you poured has the proper slope make sure each tile is flush with the slab and you'll get the slope you desire. With a black grout float, start rubbing the paste into the surface. Clean any debris from the damaged areas . Once you are confident that it has fully cured, use a grout sealer to finish the job. 12. All you have to do is sprinkle rock salt all over your wet concrete then smooth the concrete out using a trowel. How to make exposed aggregate concrete smooth? Self-leveling concrete can be a fast, cost-effective solution to the problem whenever you need to repair, smooth, or raise a floor. In this way, let dry for at least 24 hours to let the etchant act without humidity. Another easy solution for you to make concrete not slippery is to add rock salt to the cement before it cures. Some of the aggregate would be exposed giving you a nice smooth decorative look to your sidewalk and patio. Good luck. Equip a drill with a paddle mixer bit. Scrub the concrete with an eco-friendly concrete cleaner and a scrub brush. 2. Smooth rough concrete with concrete resurfacer. Sweep the Floor: When smoothing rough concrete, sweep dust and debris first. Use a self-leveller to smooth them completely. Spread the mortar with a notched trowel, allowing the notches to lightly scrape the concrete below. The process. This process may take some time, but it will ensure a smooth and even surface. I'm looking into that myself in Melbourne as I have an exposed aggregate concrete patio that is very rough and loses stones. For something big I would hire a contractor to do the work. After the first pass, go over the floor with a fine or superfine sandpaper disc to finish the surface. Step 2 - Before the Curing Fan the Concrete Once concrete is dry it is still pliable. You should never use regular concrete for this. Rock salt can add texture to your concrete and it is considered to be an attractive finish to it. In order to tackle a concrete pond, you should use a large 8 inch angle grinder. It is commonly used for sidewalks and driveways and, as the name suggests, involves dragging a broom across the surface of the wet concrete to give it a ridged texture. Broom finish. 7. If you have not acid etched the concrete yet, then you are in luck. Self-leveling concrete is a cementitious mixture much like concrete. Typically, you should begin with a 60 grit sanding pad and work your way up to higher grit levels. Step 2 - Evaluate Next, measure the surface with your tape measure and jot these numbers down on a piece of paper. If it's really uneven, the self leveling is a good idea, but if it's relatively smooth, Mark is right. Work back and forth, passing over a little more of the rough concrete each time. Leave the solution for some minutes depending on the type of cleaner being used. scrub brush or push broom for etching. Paint roller for rough surfaces. Share. The 1/8" - 3/8" bag of concrete overlay is about $36.00 per 50 lb. First things first: Thoroughly clean the driveway by means of a pressure washer, using the high-powered tool to remove dirt, dust, and debrisreally, any extraneous material that could potentially. Leave this to dry and harden for roughly five hours. This is so that when it rains, one does not slip and fall. A concrete sealer could be applied with some grit additive to keep it from being too slippery when it gets wet. One is, you could grind or polish the surface which would remove the rough broom finish and smooth the surface of the concrete. Pour the water into a clean 5-gallon plastic bucket, then empty the resurfacer into the bucket and mix for several minutes into a smooth, pourable consistency. Dip a rubber float used for finishing plaster into the water. Trowel finish. Rock Salt. If they want to gouge you for being a small area, $500. Select from up 110 colours to fit your backyard perfectly. However, if it is a small area you have to dig down a depth,put in gravel, sand, build a form to contain the concrete, mix up the concrete,pour and take out any air pockets,smooth the top surface and add some grooves to prevent cracking. Tap the back of the chisel lightly with the hammer to force it about 1/4-inch into the crack. The first coat took much longer, but a second coat is important in order to make sure that you have a solid surface and that you fill in any . Mist the patio with water, using a garden hose with a sprayer attachment. bag, it covers 48 square feet at 1/8" thick. Source: www.stylemotivation.com. The chances are that when you do acid etch, the calcium sulphate will be removed from the surface and leave you with a more porous surface, which in essence . Apply Concrete Patching Compound, sanding down to be flush with the surface about 5 to 8 hours after application. Work methodically across the length and width of the room.