Using thin cement as paint

Austin_Allegro

I have a concrete patio which is basically sound, but has a few cracks, spalls, rough patches etc.

I don't want to have the expense and trouble of replacing it, but I saw on Youtube an American mason called Mike Haduck who shows that after patching and filling cracks, you can make a thin 'paint' with Portland cement and water and do a light skim over the top of the whole patio to even it out and give it a fresh look.

He says this was common practice in the old days on paths, walls etc but I can't find any more information on it. I did notice a similar effect last year when I was patching the garden wall, because I smoothed off the mortar with a wet brush and noticed it held very tenaciously to the rest of the wall, just like paint.

Mr Haduck does add the caveat that it's only a temporary solution and will need re-doing every 1-5 years depending on the weather. I'd like to try it possibly using coloured pigment.

Has anyone had any experience of this?

FreeBear

Google beton cire - It is a thin cement coating for walls, floors, and work surfaces. Can also be used externally.

In a nutshell, it is a mix of cement, resin binders, and fine aggregates that is applied in thin layers. Not particularly cheap (it is the final topcoat sealer that pushes up the cost).

A low cost alternative might be self leveling screed - Not sure if it is recommended for external use though.

Sofitos

We used waterproof cement from Bostic(or Cementone) to patch a some crack on concrete posts and steps. Frankly, I was happy with result and it looks better, but don't know how it fit for patio. Check this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRpYdAIA_pA may be it helps you.

TRB

I am not sure how durable it would be but if it looks in poor shape now I cannot see how it will hurt giving it a go I would mix some PVA in it as well though.

phil24_7

FreeBear wrote: »

Google beton cire - It is a thin cement coating for walls, floors, and work surfaces. Can also be used externally.

In a nutshell, it is a mix of cement, resin binders, and fine aggregates that is applied in thin layers. Not particularly cheap (it is the final topcoat sealer that pushes up the cost).

A low cost alternative might be self leveling screed - Not sure if it is recommended for external use though.

There are numerous options for self levelling and not so self levelling external screeds, along with bulking them up with sand to allow thicker coats. There are fibre reinforce, waterproof, latex, epoxy...it's a minefield! I would think twice about self levelling though, as water wont naturally run off it and certainly wont be controllable. I would aim to get a fall in a suitable direction whatever option is chosen.

27cool

In my experience. Self levelling screed will not stand up to any traffic. Even foot traffic.

phil24_7

And yet my garage self levelling screed has had various vehicles and tool trolleys dragged over it!