How To Resurface Patios

Resurfacing a patio is a great way to increase the value of your home.

Patio resurfacing is a great option to fix a damaged patio or even to alter the appearance of a patio at a fraction of the time and price of a concrete patio replacement. There are many decorative techniques and improvements you can add to the patio such as color, texture, stamping, stenciling, algae- and mildew-resistance and even slip-resistance. Resurfacing also helps protect a patio from salt, pool chemicals, UV exposure, the weather and freeze-thaw conditions. Once the patio is resurfaced, it is easy to manage and maintain simply by spraying it down with a hose every once in a while.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• Garden hose
• Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Wire brush
• Concrete patching compound
• Latex additive
• Trowel
• Putty knife
• Shovel
• 2-by-4 boards
• 3-inch deck screws
• Power drill
• 2½-inch deck screws
• Stucco lathe
• 2-by-2 boards
• 30# building paper
• Aviation snips
• Heavy gloves
• Floor-mix concrete
• Masonry hoe
• Lightweight tamper
• Magnesium float
• Plastic sheets
• Circular saw
• Roofing cement

Instructions

1. Clean off your cement patio by sweeping all the dust and debris off with a broom and then spraying it off using a hose. Allow the patio to dry and examine the patio for cracks, holes, bulges and uneven surfaces or deterioration. If there is extensive damage to the point of threatening structural integrity, you will need to remove the existing patio and replace it with a new one. For minor damage, a repair is necessary before continuing with your resurfacing project.

2. Use a screwdriver and hammer to chip away any flakes or loose concrete from the damaged area. Scour the crack with a wire brush and sweep away all dirt and debris from the area. Rinse the cracked area using a hose and allow it to dry out. Mix a small batch of the concrete-patching compound with a latex additive according to the manufacturer's directions.

3. Apply the compound mix into the damaged area using a trowel. Use a small putty knife to smooth the surface, making it flush with the surrounding concrete. Allow the compound to dry for at least 24 hours or according to the manufacturer's directions. Dig a trench around the existing patio at least 6 inches wide and 4 inches deep, so you can set the 2-by-4 board frame around the patio. Clean off the dirt and debris from the exposed sides of the patio.

4. Cut three 2-by-4 boards to fit around the patio and frame the patio with the boards, joining the ends with 3-inch deck screws. Cut wood stakes from 2-by-4 boards and drive each stake into the ground next to the long boards in 2-foot intervals to help hold the frame in place. Screw the stakes to the frame using a power drill and 2½-inch deck screws.

5. Place stucco lathe on the surface of the original patio and lay a few 2-by-2 boards, acting as spacers, on top of the lathe. Adjust the frame so the top is level with the spacers placed on the lathe. Remove the spacers and the stucco lathe once the frame is set.

6. Lay down strips of 30# building paper over the patio surface, overlapping each seem by 6 inches to create a bond breaker for the new surface. Crease the building paper at the edges and corners making sure the paper extends past the top of the frame.

7. Lay strips of stucco lathe over the building paper bond breaker, overlapping each seem by 1 inch. Keep the lathe 1 inch away from the forms and the wall. Use aviation snips to cut the stucco lathe to size where needed. It is important to wear heavy gloves when handling the metal lathe.

8. Place 2-by-2s inside of the frame dividing the project area into 3-foot to 4-foot sections. Level the 2-by-2 boards with the surrounding frame and screw the ends of each board into the frame using 2½-inch deck screws. Cut a 2-by-4 board to 5½ feet in length and set it to the side. This board is called a screed board and will be used to help smooth out the fresh concrete.

9. Mix some dried floor-mix concrete with water in a mortar box using a masonry hoe according to the manufacturer's directions. The mixture should be very dry to the point that when squeezed it holds its form. Fill the first framed section with concrete until it reaches the top of the frame and tap the concrete thoroughly with a lightweight tamper to help force it into the voids of the stucco lathe and into any corners.

10. Level off the surface of the concrete by dragging the screed board across the top of the framed section you are working on in a sawing motion to remove excess concrete and to create a smooth surface. Fill in any holes that may form with more concrete and smooth out the wet surface. Fill in the next section using the screed board to smooth the surface and extra concrete to fill in any voids.

11. Remove the 2-by-2 board in between the two sections, being careful not to gouge the smooth surface of the freshly laid concrete. Pour concrete into the void and smooth it out using the magnesium float so that it is flush with the rest of the frame. Pour and finish the remaining sections following the same techniques and removing each 2-by-2 board as needed.

12. Let the concrete dry until no marks are left when pressing the surface with your finger. Cut contours around all the edges with a concrete edger and smooth out any marks left by the edger using the float. Cover the concrete with plastic sheets and allow the concrete to cure for at least three days or according to the manufacturer's directions for recommending curing time

13. Remove the plastic sheets along with the frame and trim off any exposed building paper using a utility knife. Cut new control joints into the concrete patio, if needed, by using a circular saw with a masonry blade set at 3/8-inch depth. They should be cut every five or six feet in a patio. Control joints allow cracking to occur in locations that do not weaken the concrete or detract from its appearance.

14. Apply roofing cement to the two exposed sides of the patio, using a trowel cutting knife to fill and seal the seams between the old and new patio. To provide water drainage between layers, do not seal the side were the seam is the lowest. Allow the roofing cement to dry according to the manufacturer's directions and fill in the trenches you created around the patio using a shovel.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a tamper by nailing a small 2-by-4 board, used for a handle, into a 12-by-12-inch piece of ¾-inch plywood.

• Cover the circular saw base with duct tape to prevent the saw from being scratched when cutting control joints into the cement.

References

• United States Departmen of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation: Guide to Concrete Repair
• American Concrete Pavement Association: Concrete Crack and Partial Depth Spall Repair Manual
• Quikrete Cement and Concrete Products: Resurfacing Concrete
• Concrete Crack Repair: Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Repair Cracked Concrete
• Whole Building Design Guide Concrete Crack and Partial Depth Spall Repair

Resources

• Concrete Resurfacing: The Concrete Sealing Guide
• Online Tips: Sealing a Concrete Patio
• Americas Best Concrete: Everything you need to know to repair and resurface concrete
• Better Homes and Gardens: How to Resurface Your Patio
• The Sherwin William Company: Guideline Instructions for Concrete Surface Preparation