Professional Guidelines For Concrete Resurfacing

If your home has a damaged, aged or weathered slab, you might have heard about a process called concrete resurfacing. If you haven’t, concrete resurfacing is a process where, opposed to replacing the concrete, a thin layer of concrete-like material made of portland cement, fine sands and polymer modifiers that are meant to be laid in thin layers no larger than half an inch. Concrete resurfacers are stronger than the average concrete slab as well, with a compressive strength of around 4,500 PSI, so when they are properly installed, you could have a very durable coating. Ready to see what the pros do to install a resurfacing agent? You can find our professional guidelines to concrete resurfacing down below:

Depending on the materials you buy to resurface your slab, they may advise that resurfacing is an option if the concrete has not cracked through or if the damage is limited to cosmetic issues. While it might be hard to tell in some cases, the best way to tell if your concrete has cracked all the way through is if you notice that the adjoining sides of the cracks have offset heights, it is likely that your concrete is not the ideal candidate for resurfacing. Signs of damage that can be repaired include small cracks, chips, or spalls where aggregate has become loose. But if you choose to work with a professional to resurface your slab, you can repair bigger problems with resurfacing

The key to a long-lasting resurfaced concrete slab is the preparation for installation. To prepare the slab, professionals will repair significant damage to the slab using a concrete patch or epoxy injection( depending on crack sizes or location of the slab), a pressure washing and the removal of any grease, oil or paint. But after the surface has been repaired, the next step is the profiling of the concrete slab. Profiling the concrete is basically roughing up the concrete, allowing for the resurfacing agent to form a tighter bond with the concrete. There are 2 ways that you can profile your concrete, with a diamond wheel grinder or a shot blaster. Diamond wheel grinders are the most common form of profiling as shot blasting can make a mess. Grinders and shot blasters can be rented from local hardware stores if needed.

Because the concrete resurfacer is meant to be applied in thin coats, it is a very simplistic process. To mix the material, a dry powder is mixed with water to form a slurry which will make spreading the material over the concrete with a long-handled squeegee an easy process. Because most resurfacers are self-leveling, you won’t have to overwork the material to create a level finish, all you will need to worry about is making sure the entire slab has been coated, unlike repouring concrete where you would have to trowel the surface to create a level finish. When working with concrete that has expansion joints, they can be filled with weather stripping or duct tape to make sure they are not filled with the resurfacer.

When applying the concrete resurfacing agent, most contractors will begin refinishing the concrete in the morning when temperatures are cool and no sun is present. If the weather is too hot or exposed to the sun, the material can begin to dry as you are placing it, resulting in the material not having enough time to self-level and will provide an inconsistent finish. The ideal temperature to install a concrete resurfacing agent is above 50 degrees but below 80 degrees Fahrenheit and you will want to make sure that temperatures stay above 40 degrees for the next 24 hours. If you are resurfacing an exterior slab, you will also want to make sure that no rain is in the forecast for at least 8 hours.

Dirt, grit, and debris are abrasives that can be rough on the resurfaced concrete when left unattended for too long. To remove these hazards you can use a soft-bristle broom to remove debris and follow it up with a mop paired with mild soap will have your resurfaced concrete looking good and even increase its service life! To remove stains, use a mild detergent and a nylon brush to scrub stains away. But if your resurfaced concrete is properly sealed, you won’t have to deal with stains so often. On a properly sealed surface, just make sure to remove oil, grease and thick liquids as soon as they make contact with the slab.

Well, there you have it, the professional guidelines for concrete resurfacing. We hope that you have found our article informative but if you want the best-resurfaced slab, we recommend hiring a professional contractor, which can save you time and money! No matter what you do, we wish you the best of luck on all of your home renovations in the future!