Can I apply a smooth finish to dry concrete path?

n1st

I've laid a 12ft concrete patio patio area, it's quite rough on top.

It was supposed to be tiled but now we want to apply paint with stensils to it. It needs to be smoother.

Can I apply a half inch of plaster that won't crack?

Is there a trick or an alternative?

n1st

n1st wrote: »

I've laid a 12ft concrete patio patio area, it's quite rough on top.

It was supposed to be tiled but now we want to apply paint with stensils to it. It needs to be smoother.

Can I apply a half inch of plaster that won't crack?

Is there a trick or an alternative?

You could hire a floor/concrete sander?

n1st

Is there any compound i can use?

listermint

n1st wrote: »

Is there any compound i can use?

The hire centre will recommend what to use with it

_Brian

Pretty much anything you lay on it will crack with heat/cooling/frost

Car99

How big is the concerted area ? How deep is the concrete you put down? If it's only 12ft x 12ft and 4 inches deep I'd braking up and start again if its a half inch below the level you want . It's only one and a half m³ of concrete .

Bonzo Delaney

Walk behind concrete slab grinder does a great job
I done my own patio that way
It leaves a type of terrazzo finish to it
Which exposes all the stone shapes in the concrete polished of to a smooth finish.
Depending on how level and true the concrete was laid will determine how long you spend on it
Usally best part of a days hire taking your time with it to get a nice finish .

Le shovelle

Check out Larsen or Ardex. I think one of them does a concrete repair product that can be applied very thinly and achieve a smooth finish.

listermint

Bonzo Delaney wrote: »

Walk behind concrete slab grinder does a great job
I done my own patio that way
It leaves a type of terrazzo finish to it
Which exposes all the stone shapes in the concrete polished of to a smooth finish.
Depending on how level and true the concrete was laid will determine how long you spend on it
Usally best part of a days hire taking your time with it to get a nice finish .

How big an area did you do? Did you have to put any expansion gaps in it? Is it in direct sunlight?

Had not considered honed concrete finish have to do a large patio area soon so im looking at options now. Did you find it cheaper than slabs or what reason did you choose

n1st

listermint wrote: »

How big an area did you do? Did you have to put any expansion gaps in it? Is it in direct sunlight?

Had not considered honed concrete finish have to do a large patio area soon so im looking at options now. Did you find it cheaper than slabs or what reason did you choose

It's 12ft length.
East facing.
No gaps.

Was originally meant for tiles.

listermint

n1st wrote: »

It's 12ft length.
East facing.
No gaps.

Was originally meant for tiles.

sorry that was meant for Bonzo. sorry for jumping in your thread.

Bonzo Delaney

listermint wrote: »

How big an area did you do? Did you have to put any expansion gaps in it? Is it in direct sunlight?

Had not considered honed concrete finish have to do a large patio area soon so im looking at options now. Did you find it cheaper than slabs or what reason did you choose

I'd an area that's about 50m² about 12 years ago
I'd a good hard core base blinded off with compacted 804 all leveled out then poured 75mm conc over it allowing for falls .
I marked out "pavers" imprinted lines in to the concrete at 600mm centres using the tounge of a standard deal flooring board . (Teleporter came in handy there for hovering over the wet concrete to mark out.)
Then after a month of drying out
I ground it all down using a walk behind concrete floor grinder to give the terrazzo finish. Hired from Haven hire Celbridge . Took a day to do.
Luckily for me it cracked along one of the "joints," so no one notices it .
It's a long drawn out process but at the time we just finished building our own house the down turn had kicked in had little work or cash but loads of time
Do decided on that process .
When its power washed up it looks great and when it rains too .
I'd often thought about getting a sealer on it to keep the wet look .
Cost wise it would work out similar to putting down pavers. Materials only, If doing it for your self . But for a client labour wise I'd imagine it be twice the labour cost.
Plus I'd no restrictions access wise with machinery or concrete lorry at the time , which helps a lot..


The reason I suggested grinding to the OP is that they seem to have the hard part done concrete wise so it's just a case of grinding now . Depending on how rough a finish is on the slab.

n1st

Le shovelle wrote: »

Check out Larsen or Ardex. I think one of them does a concrete repair product that can be applied very thinly and achieve a smooth finish.

Has anyone used these products?

listermint

n1st wrote: »

Has anyone used these products?

you wont get what your are looking for from applying a thin layer on to set concrete. polishing it back is your only option tbh

n1st

Thanks all.
Grind and polish seems to be the option.