How to Resurface Concrete
I don’t know about your family but we’ve taken advantage of the spring weather and been outside as much as possible, with my daughter this involves sidewalk chalk, every time. There are no complaints here (I’m a doodler from way back!) But do you know what I figured out from all our artistic endeavors? Our driveway is crumbling and it makes it impossible to create the masterpiece we have in our heads!
Unlike if the concrete is cracked all the way through, the pits and/or crumbling doesn’t mean having to re-pour the drive or walk way. To salvage the slab, coat it with a concrete resurfacer; it will fill divots and give you uniform finish. The color of the resurfacer when you are finished will likely be a different color than the existing concrete so we recommend you cover the whole area. Also important is the weather- the temperature needs to be above 50 degrees for 8 hours after pouring and above freezing for 24 hours after.
- Let’s resurface!Clean the concrete: Strip any paint or sealers from the area. Follow that with a pressure washer that can reach at least 3,500psi and blast all the surface dirt. You will likely need a concrete wash if you have mildew or algae.
- Patch the chipped areas: Mix enough resurfacer to fill any divots while the concrete is still damp. An article on This Old House tells us to, “Combine 1 part water with 7 parts resurfacer in a 5-gallon bucket; blend with a paddle mixer attached to a corded drill. Fill the recesses with resurfacer, and smooth with a finish trowel.” Once you can stand on the patch without indenting it you can move onto the next step. This should take around 2 to 5 hours.
- Spread the Resurfacer: Use peel and stick foam weatherstripping to fill the walkway joints and dampen the concrete if needed. You will only have about 20 minutes of workable time with the resurfacer so plan on working in about 15-20 sq. ft. sections and only prepare enough resurfacer for that space. Spread it until it is between ¼ and 1/8 inches thick. Remove the weatherstripping after 20 minutes and wait 6 hours before walking on it!
- Some other tips: If there is a threat of rain, covering it is the best course of action but otherwise, do not cover. Also, this stuff can become slippery so to give it a slip resistant finish, wait 5 minutes after spreading then sweep a nylon bristle broom across it.
Now, not only will your walkway be more visually appealing but you will have a smooth canvas for your chalk masterpieces!
Source: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-resurface-worn-concrete