How to Resurface Concrete Front Entry Steps

Resurfacing concrete front entry steps can be a fun and rewarding project if you are willing to exert the effort. Weather and normal wear and tear can, over time, take their toll on concrete steps, leading to cracks and chips that should be repaired. The sooner damaged concrete is repaired, the better the results will be and the less backbreaking the work of remediation.

Things You'll Need

• Chisel
• Hammer
• Broom
• Pressure washer
• Two buckets
• Paintbrush
• Coarse sand
• Cement
• Strips of lumber the length of your stairs
• Metal or wooden stakes
• Plastic sheet

Instructions

1. Sweep the stairs completely to determine if there is any loose cement.

2. Using a chisel and a hammer, remove all of the loose cement from the stairs.

3. Pressure wash the stairs with a 10-inch spray to remove all of the dirt, dust and debris, since the stairs must be clean before proceeding.

4. Decide how thick you would like your overlay to be. Generally three-quarters of an inch is a suitable choice.

5. Lay the pieces of lumber next to your stairs so that the concrete won’t seep over the edge of the stairs. The top of the wood should be level with the height of your overlay.

6. Drive the metal or wooden stakes into the ground while they are pressed against the pieces of lumber to keep the lumber firm against the stairs. This will keep the concrete from coming off of the stairs, and it will eliminate the need to attach the lumber to the stairs.

7. Combine two parts of coarse sand with one part of cement in a bucket to make a rich mixture for your overlay.

8. Add water to the sand and the cement mixture to make it smooth enough to flow out of the bucket easily.

9. Prepare the cement paint in the second bucket by mixing cement and water until it is the consistency of paint. This will help the overlay adhere to the stairs properly.

10. Apply a layer of the cement paint to the stairs using a paintbrush.

11. Pour your overlay mixture of concrete over the stairs before the cement paint is dry. Remember that the overlay mixture should pour easily out of the bucket.

12. Let the cement dry for about an hour until it is slightly firm.

13. Tightly cover the cement with the plastic sheet so that it can cure slowly. The plastic should remain on the cement for several days.

14. Remove the plastic sheet from the newly-covered stairs.

15. Combine another batch of cement paint, adding water to the cement until it is the consistency of paint.

16. Apply a layer of cement paint to the stairs to even the texture and allow the cement paint to dry.

17. Pull the stakes and the lumber away the stairs and wait 24 hours before walking on them.

References

• Ask the Builder