Concrete Patio Resurfacing
This was a challenging concrete patio resurfacing project that we started up in Keller, TX. The challenging part was the two layers of epoxy paint that had been rolled over certain parts of the patio that needed to be removed.
The homeowner had already tried to chemically strip it but that didn’t pan out, so we knew we were just going to have to grind it off.
The problem with grinding epoxy is that, as the grinding stone heats up, it turns the epoxy into a gooey mess that just swirls around. We didn’t have a choice, so we just pushed through with frequent stops to clean the stones.
All concrete patio resurfacing projects need to be properly prepped. This can be done by grinding, as we did here, or by power washing and/or acid etching prior to applying the overlay. This helps make sure that the overlay material will tightly adhere to the concrete.
Usually, the concrete patio resurfacing will be done in two steps. The first is where we apply a skim coat that fills in small imperfections in the concrete and sticks tightly to the floor.
The second step is the actual trowel down. It is the same overlay material we used in the first, but while putting it down, we “hand whip it” to create a textured surface.
Once this textured layer had dried, we can proceed directly to staining it or, as in this project, score (cut) it into a random stone pattern.
To score a pattern, we first chalk out a stone pattern on the floor as a guide and then use an angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut it directly into the floor. The scoring process creates random stones so that the floor has a pattern to it on top of having a stone like texture.
After scoring, we apply concrete stains to the floor. Usually we will put down two to four highlight colors depending on the look you want.
We can do subtle highlights like you see here or stain each individual stone a different color. Finally, to wrap up our concrete patio resurfacing project, we applied a sealer to protect the floor.
We always include a material called “Shark Grip” in our sealer that consists of tiny plastic beads that makes the floor less slippery compared to a sealed floor that does not have this material.
We completed this project just as the sun was setting. As we were putting the finishing touches on, our Keller homeowner came out and turned on the pool and patio lights for the last pictures. It really looks beautiful, and what a difference from where we started!
Here is a video from our youtube channel that shows the entire concrete patio resurfacing process from start to finish