Choices in concrete resurfacing
Warm summer weather is the perfect time of year to resurface ugly concrete home exteriors.
Whether a worn-down walkway, a tracked-up driveway, or a pitted patio floor, now is the time to upgrade, beautify and protect concrete surfaces with do-it-yourself solutions.
“You always want to start with the proper prep work,” said Peter Daich, president of Daich Coatings.
“This includes power washing the surface, fixing cracked areas and filling in pitted holes and gaps. After that, there are a range of economical products available to transform those ugly surfaces into stand-out showstoppers for your home,” said Daich.
For instance, he said, his company offers a variety of spreadable stone coatings for concrete surfaces including SpreadStone, SpreadRock and RollerRock.
Each require a different amount of DIY skill and can result in varied levels of creative results.
You can unlock your creative talents, he said, with the all-in-one SpreadStone kit that includes pre-mixed primer, base coat, accent coat, clear sealer, stone texture roller and grout line stencil tape.
“With this kit you can create a decorative stone surface fast and easy,” said Daich. “In just a weekend transform a ho-hum walkway into a showcase stone sidewalk.”
Five colors are available for this particular kit: Cold Gold Slate, Lake Rock, Midnight Slate, Summit Grey and Sun Ledge. Choose from a kit covering 100 square feet, or a larger kit covering 400 square feet of space.
A real stone surface resists impact and abrasion, chemicals, water, mold and mildew, along with U/V brittle rays, he said. “You’ll also find it resists freeze and thaw conditions and heat. An added benefit is the superior traction of the surface serves as a safety feature.”
Another choice, applied with a trowel on both horizontal and vertical surfaces, is SpreadRock granite stone coating, with decorative and protective benefits.
“The bonding technology and real stone composition ensure solid adhesion, superior flexibility and dependable durability,” said Daich.
Available in Mocha, Anvil, Ice Grey, Brownstone, Flint Grey, Sandstone and Sante Fe colors. Each one resists rain, snow, salt, chemicals, mold, mildew, UV light and hot tire pickup, along with excessive heat and bitter cold temperatures, the firm said.
“The quick and easy standing squeegee trowel application means people can apply the product from a comfortable standing position,” said the company president.
The product covers 33 to 40 square feet per gallon. Once cured for 24 hours, everything is top coated with a clear sealer.
Traditionally used on horizontal surfaces like driveways, pool decks, garage floors and walkways, RollerRock is a potential economical solution for high coverage areas, said Daich. Each gallon of the product covers 85 to 100 square feet.
“With RollerRock, it’s all about rolling,” he said.
After rolling on a coat of textured primer and letting it dry for two hours, a roller is then used to apply two thin coats of RollerRock. Once cured for 24 hours, everything is top coated with a roll-on clear sealer.
Available in 15 colors, the real stone coating of RollerRock resists salt, chemical, impact and abrasion, along with hot tire pickup. The product also resists freeze/thaw conditions, mold, mildew, water and UV rays, the firm said.
“No matter which stone coating you choose to apply, you can get a transform an ugly concrete surface in just one weekend,” says Daich.
“The warmer summer weather accelerates drying times, so the process goes smoothly and produces fast, long-lasting results.”