Concrete resurfacing question Anyone done it?

[J Tiers]

I have a delightful stretch of rough concrete across part of the basement (that last word is pronounced "shop") of which most is slightly below the general surface level. It was a trench about 18" by 10 or 12 feet, which the plumbers concreted.

I got there before it was hard, and found the surface mounded up..... which was totally unacceptable. I rapidly ground and scraped it down to a general slight depression, much of which has pits from the over-size gravel that was torn out of the surface when I dug and ground it down..

This is from a drain replacement a few months ago. I had some other work done, and just now have got to fixing this lousy surface.

Quickcrete have a "resurfacer" compound that seems to be Portland cement, very fine sand, and some polymer additives. This stuff is supposed to be good to a 1/16" layer. It appears to NOT be an "underlayment smoother", and does not need to be covered.

The main questions for anyone who has done this are:

how thick is the mix when used? to spread out to a thin layer, it would seem it needs to be almost a bit soupy.

is the 1/16" practical? I have spots in this where the 1/16" will really be the thickness, although much of it is going to be thicker.

They recommend a squeegee to spread it, which suggests a thinnish surface, but the surface may need some sort of floating or troweling to smooth it for real, can this be done on such a thin coating in any reasonable way?

I am going to have machines over this area, so the surface does need to be sensibly durable.

Thanks for any input from those who know..... I'm definitely not a concrete worker, I am barely OK as a tuckpointer.

[spope14]

I think you may be reffering to "Morter mix". Before resurfacing, you will need a concrete etching chemical, sold under this name. I did this in my old farmhouse that had a "concrete floor" that was a hodgepodge of concrete pourings. Forgot to etch the concrete, a year later things broke loose. Same with some concrete steps in front of the house I did at the same time. Did this again, prepped things according to directions after learning my lesson, life was good until I moved away 15 years later, steps are still there anyway.

[Forrest Addy]

There's a whole array of products for re-surfaceing concrete some with superior hardness, wear, and appearace characeristics to concrete. Many are expensive but don't consider price alone. Shop carefully and don't limit yourself to whatever the nearest big box store pedals. "QhickCrete" sells fairly good stuff but on a floor subject to wear, impact, and requiring good durabilty I'd consult the experts.

Naturally you have to go through a floor prep process and apply an adhesion coating of some kind to ensure the stuff stays put. Not a big deal just another series of steps.

Then there's applying the stuff so the floor finishes flat. You don't want duck ponds to form if you spill a little water. If you're not an experience hand at cement finishing you may need back-up.

[J Tiers]

The concrete to "stick it to" is new, and I have plenty of phosphoric etch, so I plan to do that.

They do NOT suggest an adhesion coating...... it seems to be in the mix.

[Black_Moons]

1/16" does seem rather thin to me. But then, It is backed by very solid concrete.
What im wondering though is.. How closely do you want it to match the existing concrete? having a shiny patch in a sea of rough grey would drive my OCD mad. Having the gravel with concrete added poured in the hole in the first place would of driven me to murder the plumbers however... Silly plumber! your a plumber, Not a mason, Even if you are italian!

(Sorry for stereotypical joke, But my dad and my housemate (Very old carpenters) both insist on only allowing italians to do masonary work for them, as they are apparently the best.

For a random counter stereotypical story. I had my bike tire rebalanced by an asian today... It had 1 spoke gone, And he reported finding one more that was broken... He refused to be paid because he could'nt get it 'perfect' because I did'nt want him to remove the moped sprocket that broke the spoke and bent the wheel in the first place... Iv never seen that wheel truer then it is now! I only wanted better then 1/8", he must of used a chinese micrometer to true that thing to get it as good as he did and still think it was bad...

[JoeLee]

You can add laytex to it. That will make a thin coat stick really well.

JL.............

[glenj]

Self Leveling Cement

I just did a small area in my basement and finished with a thin pour of self leveling cement. It's mix, pour, push around with a trowel and wait for it to self smooth and self level. Other than a few visible bubble holes at the surface it was exactly as advertised, a smooth level floor.

[GKman]

I'm sorry that I don't know what it is called (and the guy died) but a business here did a floor that consisted of dry colored chips and a self leveling goop. Tough as truck bed liner but smooth. Your mission, if you choose to accept it...


"Thank you for asking about that Rexella..."

[vpt]

I'm sorry that I don't know what it is called (and the guy died) but a business here did a floor that consisted of dry colored chips and a self leveling goop. Tough as truck bed liner but smooth. Your mission, if you choose to accept it...


"Thank you for asking about that Rexella..."

that sounds like the two part epoxy cement covering for shops. Every winter I think about doing this to my shop.


*when searching for a picture I found this interesting cement repair site: http://www.lsepoxies.com/

[Tony Ennis]

and I have plenty of phosphoric etch

Will the fumes harm your tools?

And if epoxy is used will you need ventilation since this is is your basement?

1/16" is pretty thin. Can you remove concrete from those areas?

[jep24601]

I would use Bondo. Mix resin thin first and then scrub it in for a good bond. Go over that with the filled resin. Depending on temperature be careful of the amount of hardener used so you do not set too quickly - work in small sections. Any "accidents" can be easily sanded. Use good ventilation. Plastic sheet with the wrinkles smoothed out placed on top will help the surface cure without tackiness. Needs good ventilation - smell not too bad.

[IdahoJim]

Jerry, the newer polymer bonding cements work very well, even at thin coatings. They are much better than the stuff available 20 years ago. I would find a store that sells concrete accessories, rebar, snap ties, etc. They'll have the right product for your purpose. Quikrete may be Ok, but I tend to avoid the mass-marketed products. There are many brands to chose from.
I doubt you will be able to get a hard-troweled finish on whatever you use. Most of them set fairly fast, and usually recommend only troweling them once. The finish will be OK, but not shiny-smooth. Preparation is key. Floor should be clean, And somewhat rough. Other than that, just follow the instructions on the product and you'll be OK. If I was closer, I'd come and help.....being as I'm an old concrete guy. I have 2 companies in my network that do resurfacing. If you're not in a hurry I can ask them what they'd recommend.
Jim

[Your Old Dog]

Had a 56 yard pour done on my drive, pad and shop for $11,000. I asked them what it would cost pour something in soupy and level the floor with little or no prep. They said $6,000 as the epoxy pours were very pricey so I didn't have it done. Keep in mind, some of the better product can be ridiculesly expensive.

edited to add: Keep in mind my basement is of modest size and not very large.

[tlfamm]

I've worked with this product:

http://www.conproco.com/ConproOneShot.htm

It is intended to provide a high-grade finish for rough concrete. It dries _rock-hard_ (reminds me of ceramic tile), and can be troweled to a feather-edge. It is expensive: a 35-lb bag (covers 10-12 sq feet to a 1/8" depth) costs about $50. For the intended purpose, it is superb.

[DFMiller]

How is the rest of the floor?
I would suggest repouring the whole floor to a slightly higher than existing grade with a self leveling concrete. Then it would all be the same look.
As suggested go to your local concrete experts.
Dave