How to Resurface Concrete Surfaces – DIY Concrete Repair

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Concrete becomes dull and worn out after a few years because of the constant exposure to heat, moisture, and other outdoor materials. So, you need to resurface your concrete floors or driveways to keep things in good shape.

Resurfacing the concrete surface is a great way to bring back the shiny and smooth look of it. As it does not require a lot of effort or money but provides a high quality finish to your driveway, walkway or garage floor, it is a popular way that many homeowners go with.

In this post, we will discuss the step by step process by which you can resurface the concrete surface without consulting any professionals. Stay with us!

1. Buy the Supplies

The first thing to do is gathering the essentials. Here are some of the things that you need to keep close to your hand when resurfacing-

1. Long-handled squeegee
2. Power washer
3. Large Plastic Bucket
4. Concrete edger
5. Mixing Paddle
6. Concrete resurfacer bag
7. Concrete patch

If you don’t have a power washer, don’t worry! You can do the work with a water hose and a brush.

2. Clean the Surface

Cleaning the old concrete is an important step to follow before you get into the actual resurfacing job. A dirty surface will prevent the resurfacer from binding with the old surface.

So, use a pressure washer to eliminate all the dust from the surface. Make sure to get rid of any loose concrete slabs also for preventing future problems with the concrete.

In case you don’t have a pressure washer, you can soak the surface with the water with a long hose and brush the surface to eliminate dust, and finally clean it again with water.

3. Repair any Cracks or Holes

The next thing you need to do is repairing any cracks or holes that were build up in the old concrete. For repairing those, you’ll need to use concrete patching compounds.

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People often use resurfacers to patch large holes and cracks, which is a wrong approach. Patching with resurfacer won’t last long. So, do the job with a patch product.

If you have removed any loose concrete slabs from the surface, make sure to make up those with a new concrete block or reusing the old one after proper clean up.

4. Mix the Resurfacer

After the repair work is done, let the surface to cure. In the meantime, mix the resurfacer with water carefully at the prescribed ratio. The ratio must be mentioned in the product pack, so check it out.

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You can use a mixing paddle to perfectly mix the resurface quickly without making any mess.

An important note- be careful when mixing the resurfacer. Concrete resurfacers come with adhesive materials in it and they start curing as soon as they are mixed and come in touch with the open air. So, you must do the job fast from now on.

5. Apply the Resurfacer

As you have mixed the resurfacer, pour the mixture on the surface if you are covering a large area. Use a long-handled squeegee to spread the resurfacer throughout the surface.

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When spreading, ensure smooth and even spread throughout the concrete floor. Uneven spread will make the surface look ugly.

When you are on the edge of the concrete block, use a concrete edger to make the edge look professional.

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Finally, use a broom to make the surface scratched up in case you are using the resurfacer on the concretes where you need grip like driveways, walkways, garage floors, etc. Leaving smooth resurfacer on those surfaces can make the concrete slippery over time.

6. Let the Surface Cure

As you end up doing all the jobs correctly, now is the time to wait. Generally, the top layer of the resurfacer cures within 6 hours and wholly cures within 24 hours.

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But this can vary depending on the product you have used to resurface your concrete floor. So, it is recommended to double check again and be 100% sure about the curation time.