Table of Contents
How do I get a smooth finish on concrete?
For a really smooth finish, repeat the troweling step two or three times, letting the concrete harden a bit between each pass. At first, hold the trowel almost flat, elevating the leading edge just enough to avoid gouging the surface. On each successive pass, lift the leading edge of the trowel a little more.
Can rough concrete be smoothed?
Smooth rough concrete with concrete resurfacer. Avoid having to smooth rough concrete with an aggressive concrete grinding machine and choose instead to resurface the concrete. Apply wet concrete resurfacer on top of old concrete to create a smooth overlay that gives your patio a fresh, new look.
Can you smooth out concrete after it dries?
Sand the Surface and Wash the Concrete Finish by fine-tuning with light sandpaper, until the surface is perfectly smooth. We recommend using a hand planer to smooth and compact the surface. If the concrete dries a lot then we recommend that you add water to the surface, this will help you give it a good finish.
When should you Powerfloat?
A rough guide for considering when to begin power floating is when walking on the surface leaves indentations of 3-4 mm. If the concrete is too wet the machine will tear up the surface, and if it is too dry, it will not be possible to trim high spots or fill low spots effectively.
What is the best way to sand concrete?
For basic sanding, use sandpaper with the grit between 40-60. To remove minor irregularities, use 80-120 grit sandpaper. For perfect finish and smoothness, use superfine sandpaper with grit ranging between 200-400. If there are severe imperfections, then you need to use a floor grinder or special diamond disc.
Can you sand concrete with a palm sander?
If you only have a small area to sand, you can also use a palm sander, orbital sander or belt sander. Rough imperfections may require the use of a special diamond disc and a concrete floor grinder.
Can you sand concrete to level?
You can use a two-handled sanding and buffing machine with a sanding pad attached to the bottom to sand out large sections of both concrete and wood floors, although you should vacuum out the pad periodically throughout the process to keep the sanding pad working at peak efficiency.
What is a concrete tamper?
Tampers (sometimes called Jitterbugs) push the coarse aggregate in the concrete below the concrete surface and consolidate the concrete.
Can I sand concrete instead of etching?
In our experience, the simple answer is no. While acid etching is better than doing nothing to profile the concrete, it simple does not work as well as a floor grind. There are a wide range of concrete types, varying in composition, hardness levels, and texture–meaning there isn’t a one size fits all solution.
Can I polish concrete with an orbital sander?
The best and easiest way to sand concrete would be with a random orbital sander. This is because you can easily control the motion left to right or back and forth, whereas using a traditional palm sander, you’ll have to use different strokes for this motion.
Can I use regular sandpaper on concrete?
As you can see, while you can use regular sandpaper to sand concrete, it is not recommended. Using regular sandpaper, even with a sander will take a significant amount of time and will use up a lot of sandpaper. Instead, we would recommend using a grinder or diamond sandpaper.
How do you level bumpy concrete?
Grind any high and inconsistent spots into the same level by moving the grinding plate back-forth and sideways. Mix your leveling compound into a thin and consistent paste. The paste seals the floor cracks. Spread the leveling primer on the surface using a soft bristle push broom and ensure the layer is smooth.
What is trowel finish?
Trowel-finished concrete floors are seamless surfaces that recreate the concrete effect. They can be applied to any kind of surface, indoor and outdoor, horizontally or vertically. The decorative effects that can be obtained with a trowel-finished concrete surface are several and always customizable.
What is broom finish?
Broom Finish concrete is concrete finished by dragging a horsehair broom, or something similar, over its wet surface. Brushing the concrete makes for a textured surface with small, but noticeable grooves. Broom Finish concrete has been the preferred utilitarian texture for exterior concrete for decades.
Why do they float concrete?
Floating has to be done on virtually every concrete job after concrete is poured and leveled. When done properly, floating pushes the aggregate down into the concrete and encourages moisture to rise, helping the concrete dry and creating a smoother surface.
Do you have to tamp concrete?
Remember, there’s no need to tamp high slump concrete. Over-compacting the mix can actually cause aggregate materials to separate, which will weaken the concrete.
What is ramming in concrete?
In this method, a stiff, earthy, moist mixture of natural stones and cement is placed into form at a thickness of a maximum of 15 to 25 centimeters and rammed for so long until the surface is closed and a moisture film appears on it.
Can I polish my concrete floor yourself?
Polishing concrete is not an easy DIY project, since it requires heavy equipment and special diamond tooling. We recommend hiring a professional concrete polishing contractor to complete your project.
Can any concrete be polished?
Almost any structurally sound concrete floor, whether new or old, can be polished. Some retail and warehouses facilities that plan to polish their floors after placement may specify a floor that is as smooth as possible to minimise the polishing steps required.
How do you burn concrete finish?
For a burnished finish — “The right terminology is a hard-steel-trowel burnished finish” — first strike the surface with a straightedge to make sure it’s fairly level, pass with a bull float and, when the concrete is ready, come in with a machine and hit it once or twice with shoes or pans to flatten it, says Bouknight.
