Failing To Set Up Proper Forms
A concrete form is a frame made of wood, in which the fluid concrete can be poured. These forms must be strong enough to hold the wet concrete in place and in its proper shape until it is dry and fully hardened.
Forms absolutely must have watertight joints to keep concrete from leaking out. They must also be rigid enough that the concrete cant bow outward. Good formwork makes or breaks the performance of a slab of concrete. A bad concrete form is a recipe for a disastrous patio project.
Choose A Fencing Style That Suits Your Tastes Needs
Here is another wooden fence used to provide a patio with privacy. But its style is quite different from the one in the prior slide. The prominent supporting posts here call attention to the sturdiness of the structure. Not sure what fence style suits you the most? Check out these fence pictures for ideas.
Gather All The Necessary Tools And Equipment
Yuka Kato from Fixr explains that the tools needed to break apart a concrete patio all depend on the structure. Most concrete patios are un-reinforced, meaning that there is no rebar. So, in that case, a jackhammer is the best method to break the concrete into smaller pieces that can be shoveled away. If the area is very small, and the concrete is already cracked, a sledgehammer could also get the job done.
However, if you do have a patio that has been reinforced with rebar you will need some heavy equipment. This includes things like a hydraulic lift to raise large sections at a time, or an excavator to dig up and lift the pieces.
If your concrete patio is not reinforced with rebar, heres how to remove it.
Tools to Have On-Hand:
Pro Tip: Only use a jackhammer if your concrete patio is more than 4 inches thick. Otherwise a sledgehammer can get the job done. You will also only need bolt cutters if your concrete is reinforced with mesh.
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Have It Made In The Shade With A Pergola
If you will be spending a lot of time on the patio during the summertime, it is of critical importance that you furnish yourself with some shade. Erecting a pergola structure over your patio is one way to accomplish this. Cover the pergola with something so that it can cast shade. Some pergolas have retractable awnings. But nature-lovers sometimes prefer to grow vines up their pergolas and let their foliage supply the roofing that will cast much-needed shade. Wisteria vines are commonly used for this purpose.
How To Repair Cracked Concrete Back To Its Original Beauty
Concrete installations are designed to last hundreds of years, but sooner or later, most concrete patios end up developing small cracks, gaps, holes, and crevices. If your concrete path, patio, or driveway has begun to show signs of cracking, it may be time for you to make the necessary repairs sooner rather than later. While in some cases it may require help from a professional, almost anyone can fix a cracked concrete patio.
Here are a few ways you can make your cracked concrete patio look brand new.
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What Is The Best Patio Stain
Depending on the look you want to achieve for your stained concrete patio, you can choose from acid-based chemical stains or water-based stains.
Acid stains work by penetrating the surface and reacting chemically with the concrete. The acid in the stain lightly etches the surface, allowing it to penetrate more easily. Once the stain reacts, it becomes a permanent part of the concrete and won’t fade, chip off or peel away. The palette for acid staining is generally limited to earthy tones, such as tans, browns, terra cottas and soft blue greens.
Water-based stains are good for going beyond the subtle drama of acid staining, since they come in a much broader spectrum of hues. Most manufacturers offer dozens of standard colors, including black and white and even metallic tints. Like acid stains, water-based stains penetrate the concrete to produce permanent color, ranging from translucent to opaque.
Find more concrete stains from leading manufacturers.
Southern Textures in Lexington, SC.
Can You Install Composite Decking Directly Onto Concrete
An existing concrete patio will make your deck installation much easier and faster, and you can install your deck directly onto the concrete.
You will want to account for water drainage and material expansion/contraction, so it is best to place boards called sleepers underneath the deck. It is also a good idea to add small spacers between the sleepers and the concrete patio.
- When you install your sleepers, keep them no more than a foot apart. You want to provide as much support for the top planks as you can, and too much distance can leave your deck feeling unstable and springy. It can even be dangerous nobody wants to put a foot through the deck.
- Some composite decking can be installed directly onto concrete without sleepers. In this case, you will want to make sure your patio is very level and well settled. If your concrete patio sinks an inch in various places over the years, so will your deck. Do yourself a favor and check the manufacturer installation guide before you decide on a deck built flush to the concrete.
- In either case, there will be a need to attach some elements to the concrete. To do this, you will need to drill holes and add plastic anchors to the concrete. Regular nails and screws will not attach to concrete.
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How To Pour A Concrete Slab
Thoroughly dampen the gravel. Start placing the concrete at one corner of the form while a helper uses a shovel or hoe to spread it .
Pour the concrete up against the form and compact it into all corners with a square shovel or mortar hoe with a hoe, push- don’t drag the concrete. But don’t overwork the concrete, and don’t spread it too far overworking will force the heavy aggregate to the bottom of the slab and will bring up small particles that can cause defects in the finished DIY concrete patio. Instead, space out your placement along the form, placing each batch against the previous batch to fill the form.
If you plan to leave the dividers in place, finish, and cure the concrete in alternating sections. Once they’ve cured for at least three days, remove the stakes from inside of the remaining sections and complete them.
Should I Use Wood Or Composite Decking
The warm and natural feel of a deck can be accomplished with either wood or composite decking. When youre putting a deck over an old concrete patio, your first decision will be which material you want to use.
Wood Decking
Wood decking is the more traditional approach to building a deck, but it is fading in popularity. While it does look nice, it is prone to fading, rotting and drying over time. It does have the distinct advantage of being considerably more affordable than composite decking, however.
Composite Decking
One of the many benefits of composite decking is that it is built from a combination of wood fibers and PVC plastic. These are molded planks or tiles, not natural wood, and so they are not as prone to warping, swelling, drying or splitting like wood decking. They last longer than wood and require considerably less maintenance. If your project budget allows for it, composite decking is the superior choice.
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Roll On Clear Coat Sealer
This section is the second section I went on to. I remembered to take a pic of putting on the sealer. It goes on milky white and dries clear. Youll want to add 2 coats of clear to finish it off. These 2 coats go on fast!
And heres a shot from above of the first 2 sections done. I am in love with it already and Im so happy I tackled this labor intensive time consuming project. I sweated a lot doing the first section, but it had started to cool off by the time I got to the second section.
And now Im moving on to Section 3! I definitely didnt think Id get it all done this fast, but the weather cooperated and so my energy level was up and I just kept going. Im so glad I got it all finished just in time for Fall and Winter. Some of these pics are better than others but you get the idea.
On to Section #3!
I got out our Ryobi pressure washer and cleaned that section thoroughly. I love this machine, I can start it myself! I let it dry overnight before starting, then did the primer and taped it off.
Base coat time.
Above shot after base coat is applied.
Already primed and taped off under there.
I taped around the faux stone wall we put up last year since I wanted to protect that and the house. You cant see the tape, but its there.
Faux 1: Warm Gray
After Warm Gray application.
Faux 2: Mud Gray
It looks so good with the wall!
As you can imagine, Im over the moon happy with our patio now!
Heres the link to Home Depots 100 s.f. kit and 400 s.f. kit.
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Is It Okay If It Rains After I Pour My Concrete
When concrete cures, its actually the end of a chemical reaction, not the evaporation of the water. If concrete dries too quickly, it can actually weaken the reaction and bond. What you dont want is excess water in the mixture as that will affect the chemical reaction as well. Rain will not penetrate into poured concrete, so yes, its okay if it rains after you pour your slab.
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How To Pour A Concrete Patio
Get your landscaping features with this DIY concrete patio that comes with a solid concrete texture. Our all concrete patio ideas are long-lasting and economical and will require low maintenance too. For this DIY concrete patio, you need a concrete mix, gravel, acrylic cure, and seal as the main ingredients to build this solid concrete patio. Details here bobvila
The Basics Of Winter Concrete Care
1. Do a careful inspection of your patio
Because the freeze-thaw cycle is one of the biggest contributors to concrete damage, it’s important that you get ahead of the problem by repairing cracks in your patio as soon as possible.
Inspect your patio’s concrete surface for any signs of damage:
- Fine lines or hairline cracks
- Larger cracks
- Surface chipping and peeling
Fill in any small cracks and fractures with a flexible concrete sealant, which will bond with the concrete and remain flexible and strong as temperatures rise and fall.
If you notice more extensive damage, such as large fractures or big pieces of your stamped concrete design missing, call a concrete repair professional. In these cases, it’s important that you have a professional concrete contractor address any stability or structural issues before making surface repairs or cosmetic fixes.
2. Follow a regular resealing schedule
How often you need to get your patio resealed depends on the type of concrete sealer you originally used. Many topical sealers last anywhere from three to five years while penetrating sealers tend to last much longer.
How to know if your concrete needs to be resealed:
- Contact an expert concrete contractor for information on your sealant’s lifespan.
- Do a test of your penetrating sealer: Pour water on your patio and watch to see if the concrete absorbs the water.
- Check your topical sealer: If it is peeling, cracked, or has lost its gloss/color, it likely needs resealing.
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Extra Design Elements To Add
We have lots of great inspiration from home shows, and where to find similar pieces to complete your concrete patio ideas.
I can almost feel the plans for all of the summer nights and days spent out on the patio. It is going to be your favorite place to hang out with all of these great concrete patio ideas for a makeover.
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Published: February 18, 2021Filed Under: , DIY, Gardening, Landscape, Porch and Patio, TipsaholicTagged: budget-friendly, Concrete, DIY, Outdoor living, patio, patio decor, patio furniture, patio tables, Patios, Summer, tips
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Best Diy Concrete Patio Ideas That Beginners Can Do
Every time you wish to transform your patio, the concrete is an ideal choice. It is durable, affordable, and much doable. So, get the outstanding patios with these 12 best DIY Concrete Patio Ideas that involve using the concrete to make concrete patio pavers, concrete patio tiled walkways, and solid clean concrete pathways. You can use the custom forms, stamps, and patterns to give too many variations to your concrete patios like the cobblestone pattern. To check out all stunning patio transformation, just check out these 12 DIY concrete patio ideas that are adorable and will require much low maintenance. You can build a concrete patio around a pool around deck, and it will be great to feature in your outdoor landscaping. You will get the much-needed home outdoor improvements with these concrete patio ideas in a budget-friendly way.
The concrete patio ideas will not merely involve building the concrete patio floors and pavers, but they will also involve doing the decorative makeover of old, tired, and cracked concrete floors. Use the whitewood or 2x4s planks to set up the concrete pavers form and then pour the concrete in them. Smooth them down, float, towel, screed, and add joints if necessary. Finally, finish them off with decorative edging. Install the concrete patio with a gravel base and build the concrete patio pavers with gravel lining.
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One: Pressure Wash Your Concrete
Definitely start with a clean patio. I pressure washed each section right before I started painting it. This section under the patio was my first section. I had posts to work around so that was a little slower, but it all worked out. I have a battery powered blower handy too to keep blowing debris off. There is always going to be leaf debris, dog hair, or ants that want to get in your way, so keep a blower handy as youre working to keep it as clean as you can.
All clean and ready to paint with primer. I did one coat per day, but you can actually do it a little faster according to the video. I did end up doing both faux colors on the same day after the first section was done.
Does A Concrete Overlay Last
A concrete overlay will last a very long time if the surface it’s being applied to is prepared properly.
The existing surface has to be clean and sound with no loose or flaking areas of concrete.
Deep spalling and cracks have to be repaired first.
You may have to treat the existing concrete first with a concrete densifier and hardener if your concrete is really old and porous.
And… you have to mix and apply the concrete overlay according to the manufactures specifications.
Then you need to seal it with a concrete sealer to protect it.
If you do all of that, your concrete overlay will last a long time.
We installed a thin coating of concrete overlay to brighten up and restore the finish on this pool deck.
The process included:
- Thoroughly pressure wash the existing concrete to clean it, then let it dry.
- Dampen the concrete and squeegee on the first layer of concrete overlay to prime the surface
- After that was dry, slightly dampen again and squeegee on another thin layer, then immediately drag a broom across the “wet” overlay to texture it with a broom finish
- Let the entire surface completely dry overnight
- Apply 2 coats of concrete sealer
This concrete was just worn looking and didn’t need any repair. If it did need some crack or spalling repair we would have done that after pressure washing.
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How To Make Concrete Patio Pavers
Living in a shipping container house? Then transform it into normal housing by adding a paver patio. Use the wood slats to make the pavers patio forms and next fill them up with concrete to make pavers. The concrete patio pavers will cost you $6.20 per square foot, and a solid cedar deck will be ready at $30 per square foot. homemade modern
Broom Finished Concrete Patio Cost
This is a concrete surface finish that is broomed before it dries. An easy and cheap way to add a decorative edge that is slip resistant. Add on $0.40 to $1 per square foot.
- Appearance: With this finish, you can see the brushstrokes left behind when a stiff yard brush is dragged across the almost set concrete. The resulting finish is safe in all conditions because it is very difficult to slip on.
- Pros: Affordable, fast to complete for the installer, slip resistant
- Upkeep: Gentle pressure washing, and, like most sealed patio surfaces, should be resealed every couple of years to keep it in top condition.
- Summary: Great way to add an interesting and safer finish to concrete slag. Fast to complete and very affordable.
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Winter Concrete Patio Construction Or Repair
Whether you want to get a new patio poured while it’s cold outside, or you want to revitalize and restore an existing concrete patio with a fresh coat of cement, it is possible to pour concrete in the winter.
There are, of course, a few caveats to cold weather concreting:
- The ground must be cleared and thawed before construction begins.
- Proper planning and preparation is needed to avoid early freezing of freshly poured concrete
- The new concrete needs to be protected with a plastic sheet or similar material for at least the first 24 hours