It’s possible you’ll trowel concrete resurfacer over your worn walkway for a model new, sturdy ground with uniform shade. Sooner than you get started, check out this how-to video on working with concrete.
Before now, when a concrete patio or driveway started to level out extreme indicators of getting older, using a jackhammer or bringing in a bulldozer had been the one restore decisions. At current, there are further wise choices. Resurfacing gained’t restore predominant cracks or sinking, nonetheless it may really help delay the lifespan of structurally sound concrete. We’ll stroll you through the tactic of constructing use of a concrete resurfacer to supply new life to your pitted and worn concrete.
Problem particulars
Expertise
Worth
About $33 for a 40-pound bag of resurfacer
Estimated Time
6 to 10 hours
How To Restore Pitted Concrete
“Spalling—the pits that sort in concrete—happen when an extreme quantity of water is utilized in a concrete mix, weakening it,” says This Outdated Dwelling’s Tom Silva. As long as your walkway isn’t cracked all through, you presumably can restore this problem. Coat the slab with a concrete resurfacer, a no-shrink mixture of Portland cement, sand, and polymer parts that fills divots and makes a uniform finish. Its pure shade is darkish gray, so buy ample to cowl your full stroll. One 40-pound bag coats about 35 sq. toes. Should you want a novel shade, you presumably can add a concrete tint.
What Temperature Should It Be When You Pour Concrete?
Sooner than resurfacing, clear your concrete ground by striping off any paint or sealers—and watch the local weather. The ground temperature of the prevailing concrete ought to be on the very least 50°F for 8 hours after the resurfacing and above freezing for 24 hours after that. For optimum outcomes, work on a day with low humidity, no rain, and an air temperature ranging between 70°F and 75°F.
How Prolonged Does Concrete Resurfacing Take?
Resurfacing takes most of the day, nonetheless your walkway shall be once more in pristine type if you’re executed. Sometimes, the resurfaced concrete is about ample to walk on after six hours and ready for driving or parking after 24–48 hours.
How To Resurface Worn Concrete
The resurfacing course of consists of cleaning, patching, and spreading the resurfacer. Thankfully, you gained’t need to create all new concrete. Don’t skimp on the preparation, since cleaning permits the resurfacer to stay accurately to the prevailing concrete, and patching will help delay the lifespan of the resurfacer.
Step 1: Clear the Concrete
- For ground preparation, placed on heavy boots and defending glasses and blast off ground grime with a gas-powered pressure washer that will attain on the very least 3,500 kilos per sq. inch (psi).
- Match the wand with a 25-degree fan tip, and preserve it 6—8 inches from the ground as you clear the concrete with sluggish, even sweeps.
- To remove mildew or algae, use a concrete wash.
Step 2: Patch Spalled Areas
- Whereas the concrete is damp, mix up ample resurfacer to fill any divots. Combine one half water with seven parts resurfacer in a 5-gallon bucket and blend with a paddle mixer hooked as much as a corded drill.
- Fill the recesses with resurfacer and simple with a finish trowel.
- Go to the next step if you presumably can stand on the patch with out indenting it, which is ready to take about two to five hours.
Step 3: Unfold the Resurfacer
- Fill the walkway joints with peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping, and dampen the concrete if essential.
- The resurfacer is workable for about 20 minutes, so mix merely half a bag of powder with 5 1/2 cups of water at a time. That’s ample to cowl two sidewalk slabs, or about 17 sq. toes.
- Pour the resurfacer on the stroll. Don’t forget that concrete resurfacer models quickly, so mix small portions at a time and work in sections.
Step 4: Trowel Out the Resurfacer
- Unfold the resurfacer until it’s between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick.
- For a slip-resistant finish, wait 5 minutes, then sweep a nylon-bristle concrete broom all through it, 90 ranges to the foot web site guests.
- Take away the weatherstripping after 20 minutes. Wait six hours sooner than strolling on it. Cowl supplied that rain threatens inside the meantime.
Devices Needed For Concrete Resurfacing
Our Conclusion
When pits develop in concrete surfaces over time, these imperfections can every detract from the final look and doubtlessly pose hazards. Resurfacing concrete to restore these factors may appear like an issue, nonetheless most DIYers can type out the mission inside a day. Should you occur to’re confronted with pitted concrete, use this info to resurface your concrete and restore its genuine appears and efficiency. If utilized accurately, the resurfacer may final so long as 10 years.