How to Make Concrete Textures

A too-smooth concrete sidewalk can be a slipping hazard.

Laying concrete for a sidewalk or pathway on your property is the type of home improvement job that you can complete yourself, usually over the course of an afternoon. However, once you lay the concrete, you might find that the surface is far too slick to walk on safely. This is an especially important consideration if the concrete surface will be frequently wet -- near a pool, for instance. To correct this problem, you need to make a texture on the concrete before it fully cures.

Things You'll Need

• Trowel
• Water
• Concrete broom

Instructions

1. Pour the concrete and trowel over it so that the surface is smooth.

2. Wait until the concrete cures enough that you can walk on it with little impact, but do not let it harden completely.

3. Add a small amount of water to the surface of the concrete.

4. Stand on one side and hold a concrete broom out in front of you at the edge of the concrete.

5. Turn around and walk forward, pulling the broom behind you. Apply slight pressure to the broom to add lightly ridged texture to the concrete.

6. Continue walking back and forth until all of the concrete has texture added to it.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also move the broom around to create a swirled effect with the texture and make it more interesting.

References

• Concrete Network: Making Concrete Slip Resistant