| "Decorative concrete" is a phrase you may not hear | | | | important role is that it keeps the wet concrete from |
| very often. When you think of concrete, it's easy to | | | | sticking to the rubber stamp. The second attribute of |
| picture just a big slab of gray with nothing "decorative" | | | | the release powder is its coloring ability. |
| about it at all. That's the picture most people have, | | | | 4. The final step is what actually gives the concrete its |
| because they are not yet familiar with the decorative | | | | unique look. Just before the overlay material is |
| options available today. | | | | completely dry, a stamp is applied multiple times across |
| Did you know that you can make your concrete patio | | | | the entire surface. The style of stamp that is used will |
| or walkway look just like brick, stone, tile, slate, wood | | | | determine whether the design will look like brick, stone |
| or other material? Homeowners around the country | | | | or some other material. With the proper stamp, you |
| are discovering decorative concrete and using this | | | | could even make your concrete look like hardwood |
| process to beautify their otherwise boring concrete | | | | flooring! |
| areas outside the home. If you have seen one of | | | | The following day, after the project has fully dried, you |
| these completed projects, you know firsthand that it is | | | | want to pressure wash the surface to remove the |
| pretty amazing. | | | | excess antiquing agent. Once fully dry you will apply |
| There are two common procedures used to get this | | | | two coats of a high solids, solvent based sealer. The |
| look. The first is to stamp an impression into the | | | | sealer will bring out the beauty of the concrete and |
| concrete before it sets up completely. In this application | | | | protect its finish. |
| you are actually stamping the design into the concrete | | | | The first time you do this type of project, it will |
| slab. The second procedure involves improving the | | | | probably be more of a learning experience than |
| look of an existing slab. Since pouring and finishing | | | | anything else. You will begin to feel more comfortable |
| concrete requires a certain degree of experience, we | | | | after you have done it a few times. So you may want |
| will start by focusing on the latter called decorative | | | | to practice on your neighbor's patio before you do |
| overlay. An overlay consists of a cementatious | | | | your own! |
| material applied thinly over the top of the existing slab | | | | Here are some tips to consider when doing a |
| and then stamped or stained or both. | | | | decorative concrete project: |
| If you are the creative type you might enjoy the | | | | · Be aware of the weather. If you get to the |
| process of turning a large concrete canvas into a | | | | point where you have just poured the new layer of |
| personalized work of art. To be on the safe side, start | | | | concrete and suddenly the clouds break open with |
| with a smaller project; you can tackle a bigger one | | | | hard rain, you may not be happy with the final result. A |
| once you have a little experience under your belt. | | | | thunderstorm does not help the process at all. Only |
| Here is the basic procedure: | | | | begin if the forecast calls for sunny skies all day. |
| 1. To start with, we will assume that you already have | | | | · Have a friend to work with. Even if you have |
| a large concrete slab with which to work. If you don't, | | | | worked with concrete before, it helps to have |
| you need to build that first. The procedure for actually | | | | someone to help you with a project like this. This is |
| building a concrete patio is outside the scope of this | | | | especially true if your area of concrete is a rather |
| article, but if you are already familiar with concrete | | | | large one. Even better is to engage the assistance of |
| work you probably know how to do this already. | | | | someone that actually has experience with decorative |
| 2. The first step is to mix and pour the overlay material | | | | concrete. |
| onto the concrete slab. You will use a gauge rake to | | | | · View a successful project first. Go and take |
| evenly spread out the material over the entire area. | | | | a look at a decorative concrete job (similar in size) that |
| You want to set your gauge rake between 1/4 and 3 | | | | has already been completed successfully. It's nice to |
| 8 of an inch. | | | | know what it's "supposed" to look like when you're |
| 3. The overlay material will have an integral color of | | | | finished. |
| your choice mixed in before the pour. At this time you | | | | Done correctly, a project like this can transform your |
| will cast an antiquing release powder evenly across | | | | pool deck, patio or walkway from a boring slab of |
| the top. This agent has a dual role. The first and most | | | | concrete into a beautiful work of art. Good luck! |