If you're tired of your stained and ugly concrete patio, it may be time to give it a fresh new look. You might have it pressure washed to clean it up and then seal it once the concrete has dried. By sealing it, you'll help the patio stay cleaner for longer so it maintains its fresh look. Another option is to apply color to the patio first or have designs stamped in and then seal the concrete. Here's a look at how this is done.
Add An Overlay To Make The Concrete Attractive
You can seal your patio without adding an overlay, but an overlay gives you a way to have designs stamped in and to add color. The color and designs are stamped in once the concrete overlay is poured and before the concrete gets too hard.
You can have designs stamped that make the patio look like brick, flagstone, or some other design. With the right color combination, the stamped designs will look like real bricks or stones. A benefit of sealing the patio is that it brings out the color in the concrete and gives your patio an enhanced appearance.
After adding the new overlay of concrete and adding the color, your concrete sealing contractor may want to wait a while before adding the sealcoat. During that time, you can think about what kind of sealcoat you want since different types have different looks.
Choose The Sealcoat
You can buy a coating that is soaked into the concrete and becomes invisible. Even though you can't see it, the sealcoat still protects the concrete from UV rays, rain, and stains. Other coatings give your patio a deep gloss that reflects lights at night for a romantic look and that makes your patio look shiny and wet during the day.
Apply The Sealer
Concrete sealing can be applied by rolling or spraying. The method chosen depends on the type of sealer that's used. It takes skill to apply the sealcoat because making the coating too thick can cause the sealer to bubble or turn hazy. Just the right amount of sealer has to be applied for the best results. Plus, the concrete has to be dry, so weather conditions are important to consider.
The concrete sealing contractor may work in sections unless you have a small patio. This ensures the sealer can be applied uniformly without worry over it drying out too fast. Once the entire patio has been coated, it needs to dry thoroughly before you can walk on it.
The drying time depends on the amount of humidity in the air, but your contractor might want you to stay off of your patio for a day. The contractor may add a couple of coats to your patio, and each has to dry thoroughly, so it might take most of the day to complete the job.
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