Prep your concrete surface for resealing
Contents
Start with a head-start cleaning exercise. During installation of the base layer, ensure all traces of grass, debris, etc., are removed. This will help minimize any potential blocking of elements/groundwaterflow and provide for proper drainage.
If you have existing concrete outside, check its current state. Chances are that there are some cracks surrounding the patio area or pool deck. Note what type of patches were used in the past and consider whether these products can solve your problem.
Cracks could be
filled using common concretesealers
; however, they
might require extra care
(see “Tips” section). Sometimes it is necessary to also apply specialtiesolvers and primingcoatings to achieve successful repairs.
Other
issues may depend
on how old the cement is and if it was repaired previously. If you are putting together an extensive repair plan, take this into account.
Remove old sealant
Most sealants are made of oil-based materials, which can become brittle over time and not perform well in weathering tests.
However, you may have a water-based sealant that contains an organic solvent. Check your warranty or paperwork from when you purchased the house to make sure you are covered by this policy.
If you do not have any form of documentation proving you own the home, contact your local concreting contractor in Canberra.
local city government
. They should be able to help you find out what company owned the place before you did and how to get compensation.
You can
also try calling
the manufacturer directly. However, being as direct as possible with them is recommended to see if they can help cover your expense.
For larger projects you will need to use a professional contractor or specialist. It’s
expensive buying replacement parts
for systems you don’t own, so check into selling through your bank or
real estate agency first
.
Remove old asphalt or concrete
Most surface replacements are done with fresh concrete, but you can
also use new asphalt
or concrete if the patch is smaller. Asphalt replacement patches can be either blacktop cement or bitumen-impregnated paper.
Depending on how much traffic the repaired area receives, you may want to skip the entire process and just replace the damaged section with hot mix mortar
. However, regular pavement flattening should suffice for most applications.
Here’s what you do: First, prepare the ground by tearing out any existing layers of asphalt shingles or putting down some extra protective layer for the new one. Then, get all your tools together and learn the different techniques needed to cut, lay up, and compact the patches.
Repair cracks
When it comes time to resurface your concrete patio, walkway, or pool deck, you’ll need a
concrete patch cutter
that’s thick enough to cut through hardened concrete. You will also want to have an anti-stick agent to prevent the patched area from sticking to the rest of the surface.
Finally, you should be able to find some
foam sleeves designed specifically for cutting concretes patches
. These come in either large (for outdoor applications) or small (better for inside applications).
These work by containing the piece as well as preventing any oil or fluid from leaking out beneath it. Thus, giving it better air flow when doing complex repairs.
However, they are heavier than fabric caps but thinner. Overall, this is a very useful addition to your tool kit if you do lots of repairwork.
Sealing the surface
Once you’ve resurfaced your concrete patio or driveway, it will need to be treated with one of several products to prevent water seepage through the surface.
This can be done in two ways: applying a covercoat, which is a clear sealant that
also contains small glass beads
, or using a drainage mat as part of the treatment.
A
covercoat helps keep liquids
that may get trapped below the surface from leaking back into the ground. The idea is that when you
pour dry powder onto
a wet floor, some of that powder will precipitate out as tiny particles that go right back down into the soil.
By having this transparent coating over the entire thing, they know where to look for leaks. This would only help with water penetration however if there was no drain opening at the bottom of the slab.
A more cost effective way to deal with liquid infiltration is by using a self-
leveling modified asphalt patch
. Of course, this needs to be repaired before the finishing coat of gravel or grit can be applied to give the final finish.
Dry ice pellets are going to do the trick here. By putting these sharp, microscopic flakes directly into the hole and cavity that needs to be filled, it allows the powder to melt away into the surrounding material.
Get ready to spray
Once you’ve emptied your bucket of concrete mix into one of the
scrap yards next
to the driveway, it’s time to get things started!
You’ll need to add water to the mixture to make it smooth and workable. Water will help the cement paste develop its strength, making this method an option for driveways that are cost-effective.
For larger areas, concreting is not ideal due to significant amounts of noise involved and the extensive amount of material needed. Smaller areas can be completed in less time, but with much better results
.
If there are large open spaces around your property, consider having them poured so you can save money. This feature is called “percolation” and comes at a higher price, but is highly effective and very inexpensive.
Percolation is useful for small repairs such as filling tiny gaps between pavers or fixing leaks in outdoor faucets. It cannot solve all of your problems, but it can get positive results.
Do not use cleaner alone
The chemicals in cleaners can damage most ordinary paint finishes. They are especially detrimental to vinyl coatings, which are very sensitive to humidity and temperature.
However, concrete is somewhat insensitive to cleansing agents. Unfortunately,
common household cleansers contain additives
that soften asphalt, causing potential damage to your driveway’s binder layer.
If you have an epoxy resin coating, however, it may be able to handle much higher concentrations of detergent. Test two different solvents on small areas of your finished product to determine if they work well together.
Note also that any chemical solvent will remove the desired sticky residue left by the old wax. There are commercial products available that include several different solvents for various types of grease and oil stains.
Give the surface a scrub to remove dirt and old material
Most concrete surfaces have layers of built up soil and rock. You will need to break this down before you can re-paint it.
There are several ways to do this, including stones, sand, joint compound, or a combination of these.
Following is an explanation of each and what they are used for. Joint Compound
Paragraph: Joint compound is typically used for repairing small holes and cracks in concrete surfaces. It is also useful when painting over patched areas.
To create this method of repair, start by getting some joint compound. This comes prepared in a spray bottle. Then use a putty knife or similar tool to spread around a thin layer of the stuff onto the area that needs fixing.
Once you have enough on the way you want it gone, just press it into the hole or crack and let dry. When it’s completely dried, then go ahead and paint over it with your choice of color.
Once the paint has been laid and dryed, begin filling in the holes and patches with more of the same colored compound.
It should resemble something close to the original composite materials once it’s done.
Use the right sprayer for the job
There are many different types of lawn sprinklers to choose from
If you have an above-ground pool, there’s a wide range of choices for water toys that can help you get your week off to a fun start!
Some cost less than $20 and require no special skills to use. Others let you take advantage of air pressure differences to shoot water hundreds of feet into the air, perfect for small kids who want to play in their pool but don’t quite have the upper hand.
Any type will work, as long as it stays wet. If it dries out, which is usually obvious by looking at the player surface), then they may not function properly or could even break
Be sure you read the instructions on how to turn off the power to the unit while swimming with it to make sure it’s safe. My kids love playing inside but if you go outside, be careful to avoid getting any pool chemicals onto your skin because of the dangers they pose to children (and adults) if ingested.
