It all depends on what you want for your concrete patio. It might be hard to believe that concrete can be dangerous. A great choice for a concrete patio finish is the broom finish. Set a straight board along predetermined marks for control joints. This type of finish can also give your concrete patio the look of real stones. Lift the leading edge slightly but keep the darby level with the surface. But we’ll show you how to tell when the concrete is ready for each finishing step. When installing a patio, there are a few decisions you have to make, such as the finish of the concrete. If not, then you will not achieve the look that you want. Wear rubber gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants and safety glasses. Complete DIY projects like a pro! If you’re happy with the look of your floated slab, you don’t need to do any more finishing. At first, hold the trowel almost flat, elevating the leading edge just enough to avoid gouging the surface. Sign up for our newsletter! We’ll show you the tools and how to use them for each step of the concrete finishing process. Smooth finish concrete floors are the most basic type of concrete floors. So, you can do this yourself if you wish to add some beauty to your patio. For that reason, many homeowners choose this instead of stamping. Patios and concrete floors require regular cleaning, so you have to make sure any paint you use will withstand regular cleaning without peeling of or fading. You can do stenciling when you already have finished concrete. You can achieve a salt finish by applying rock salt crystals on the top layer of your wet concrete. The most basic type of concrete finish is a smooth surface created through the … The way this works is that you take the stamps and place them on the concrete mix once at a time. Then, you wash them away once the concrete is set. Strength and longevity make concrete a popular choice for patio floors. Curing the Concrete . The Hope Builder Students Learn how to Finish Concrete today! Another way to get decorative concrete is with a salt finish. So, it is a perfect option for your concrete patio! In Photo 7, we show how to put an even, smooth finish on the slab with a steel trowel. Stamped concrete is one of the most popular types of finish for patios. As a result, you can have the patio of your dreams by working with concrete! Compare 6 different concrete finishes and textures for patios. Sweep the darby across the concrete in overlapping arcs to flatten the surface, push down lumps and fill voids. Remember to wash off the bristles as soon as you finish brooming concrete. Float the concrete when you’re done grooving and edging (Photo 6). In the process, you’ll force larger aggregate down, leaving a slurry of cement and sand to fill the surface. But the strong alkalinity of cement can cause chemical burns just like a strong acid. After smoothing the slab with the darby, water will “bleed” out of the concrete and sit on the surface (Photo 3). A groover makes joints in the concrete to control cracking. You’ll have to practice to develop a feel for it. Temperature is a factor in the curing (drying) process. Shove concrete into low spots in front of the screed board. After the concrete mix has been applied and leveled, a trowel is used to smooth the surface or to create other kinds of textures. Adjust the downward pressure to create the desired amount of texture. Finishing, Stage One 1 Immediately level and prepare further using a bull float. How to Remove and Replace a Small Concrete Entry Pad. Working the concrete before the surface “bleed” water disappears will weaken the surface of the slab when it dries. If concrete starts to pile up in front of the bristles as you drag the broom across, resmooth the broomed area with a float or trowel and then wait a little longer before trying again. 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