I'm trying to figure out the most cost effective way to repair my concrete patio. It survived for about 30 years but recently a portion of it has begun spalling pretty bad, so bad you cant really sit a chair on it. The slabs are 10' x 10' and around 5" thick. The slabs have settled slightly, but for the most part are pretty level. A small deck and ramp is built over part of it, and would make it difficult to pour a significant amount of concrete. I've read some bad reviews about concrete resurfacer that it won't last for more than a year, so what are my options?
i was also contemplating just covering it with deck tiles …
Best Answer
I resurfaced my concrete patio with a combination of Mapei products. It worked out great. Concrete surfacing systems are really unforgiving if you make a mistake selecting and applying the products. To make sure you are on the right track you definitely should ask your Mapei rep to recommend the correct products and techniques - that's what I did.
I've done two major concrete resurfacing projects and worked with concrete countertop craftsmen. What I learned is that the chemistry is sufficiently complicated that it is unwise to use concrete surfacing systems without support from the factory. There will be questions about precisely which product to use and how to use it that only the chemists at the factory know the right answer to. And, if you're just guessing, you're putting your whole project at risk.
Talk to your Mapei rep, be thorough with selecting the right product, and judiciously follow the application instructions. If you skip any of those steps, the chance of success is pretty low and the resurfacing will probably be ugly or peel or both. On the other hand, every project I've seen that followed these steps has been a success.