Concrete overlay material install#

Concrete overlay material install#

In the residential arena, contractors often install open stone systems in garages, basements, rec rooms, laundry rooms, sunrooms and patios. Other areas for potential use are retail stores, hotels, casinos, offices, showrooms, municipal buildings and other public areas. This makes the system ideal for pool decks and areas around fountains. Consequently, there’s no puddling on the surface from spills or splashed water. “The size and spherical shape of the stones don’t allow the mix to knit together and form a seamless topping,” Fagley says. Photo courtesy of Stonecarpet Wide variety of usesĬontaining less epoxy than seamless toppings such as epoxy quartz and terrazzo, the epoxy-bonded stone mix is generally porous. Stonecarpet provided materials and labor for this Blackhawks logo at a store in Chicago’s United Center. But improved epoxy formulations available today and contractor awareness has this type of topping making a comeback for both interior and exterior applications, he adds “These open-stone toppings had gotten a bad rap years ago being installed north of the Mason-Dixon Line because of freeze-thaw issues,” Fagley says. The surface is typically ready to walk on in 24 hours. Many manufacturers recommend sealing with epoxy if a sealer is desired.

There are slightly bigger gaps between the 5/16-inch stones,” Osteen says. “The 3/16-inch diameter stones form a smoother surface because the fines in the mixture help to fill some of the gaps. You can apply epoxy-bonded stone mixtures at thicknesses from 1/4 inch on an interior floor up to 2 inches on a driveway, depending on stone size and intended use. “If the stone contains too much moisture it can cause the epoxy to white out.” “You need to use river rock that’s been specially prepared,” Osteen points out. He previously had worked for a sister company, which had its beginnings in the early 1960s, that mined and bagged its own rock.īecause of changes in environmental protection laws over the years, Osteen explains, “Rocks once mined in a river are now acquired through pit mining operations where river beds used to be.” There are about a dozen such mines across the country today, he adds, that supply the specially washed and dried rock for the epoxy-bonded toppings. “River rock was originally called Chattahoochee stone because it was mined from the Chattahoochee River,” says Buster Osteen, product specialist and technical director for McKinnon Materials, a Florida-based company that makes and distributes River Rock flooring. Some might know river rock by another name - Chattahoochee stone. “This is a topping and a viable decorative alternative,” emphasizes Drew Fagley, president of HoverTrowel Inc., a company that makes lightweight power trowels designed to help finish many of today’s polymer toppings. One that first became popular in North America in the 1970s, and is still used throughout the world today, is epoxy-bonded stone, a system that typically combines a company’s proprietary epoxy with river rock. If you’re looking to expand your repertoire beyond stamping, staining and coloring concrete, there is a host of surfacing alternatives - some old, some new - just waiting to be explored. The border is McKinnon’s Multicolored Flint color and the inner field is Apache. Louis Resurfacing created this residential driveway using McKinnon Materials’ River Rock. Most manufacturers recommend a second coat, but this is optional your decision should be based on how well the first coat has covered small imperfections.St. Where a second coat is necessary, let the surface dry for two to three hours, then apply a second coat following the same procedure. If possible, segment your work so that you are working to edges of control and expansion joints with each application. Work in segments of no more than about 144 square feet at a time. Resurfacer can also be applied with a trowel or brush.

The easiest method for applying concrete resurfacer is to pour a small amount on the surface, then immediately begin spreading it evenly with a light, long-handled squeegee.

Just before mixing and applying the resurfacer, give the slab a cooling spray with the hose and sweep off any standing water from the surface. Resurfacer needs to be applied to a moist surface so the concrete won't draw moisture out of the resurfacer as it cures. Make sure to use color agents that are compatible with the resurfacer using products from the same manufacturer is a good idea. If desired, concrete coloring agents can be added to the mixture at this point, just before application. The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.