How to Polish Concrete Walkways

House with concrete walkway.

Polish concrete walkways to create a smooth, visually appealing stain-resistant surface that is easier to keep clean. Polish the walkway prior to staining to add color and depth that complement your home and landscape and increase the curb appeal. Apply a sealant to increase the water repellant nature of polishing and the life of your concrete walkway.

Things You'll Need

• Pressure washer
• Dust mask
• Concrete polishing machine
• 40-grit metal-bonded diamond polishing pad
• 80-grit metal-bonded diamond polishing pad
• 150-grit metal-bonded diamond polishing pad
• Concrete hardener (optional)
• Pump sprayer (optional)
• 200-grit resin-bonded diamond polishing pad (optional)
• 400-grit resin-bonded diamond polishing pad (optional)
• 800-grit resin-bonded diamond polishing pad (optional)
• 3,000-grit resin-bond diamond polishing pad (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean the concrete walkway with a pressure washer to remove oils that may gum up the polishing pads. Start from one end of the walkway and work to the other end. Allow the walkway to dry completely and inspect it for color variations indicating it is not completely clean. If there are swirls, light areas or dark areas, repeat the process until the color of the concrete is consistent.

2. Attach a 40-grit metal-bonded diamond polishing pad to the bottom of a concrete polishing machine. Start from one end of the walkway and work slowly and evenly along the entire length. Polish again with an 80-grit pad and again with a 150-grit pad. These three polishings may be sufficient to smooth the walkway while leaving enough texture to prevent slipperiness when wet. If the surface is sufficiently smooth, skip Steps 3 and 4. If a smoother surface is desired, continue with the next steps.

3. Pour concrete hardener into a pump sprayer. Spray a fine mist of the hardener along the entire walkway. Leave no puddles. Coat the entire surface evenly. Allow the hardener to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions.

4. Attach a 200-grit resin-bond diamond polishing pad to the polishing machine. Polish the walkway. Repeat with 400-grit, 800-grit and 3,000-grit polishing pads.

5. Apply concrete stain, if desired, followed by a concrete sealant.

Tips & Warnings

• Operate the concrete polishing machine at a low speed until you gain a feel for how it works.

• Wear a dust mask to prevent inhaling concrete dust.

• Wear sturdy shoes to provide stability and prevent foot injuries.

References

• Perfect Polish: The Benefits of Polished Concrete
• Concrete Network: Summary of the Basic Polishing Steps
• Concrete Network: Checklist of Equipment and Supply Needs