Mike, Everyone appreciates the truth and someone telling them how it really is. They can either hear it from you or learn it on their own. Thanks /John
I can't stop watching your videos Mike, you have a lot of knowledge about what you do. I pray God continues continues to bless you and your business. Keep it up. I've learned a lot by you.
Hey Mike , Love your vids!!!! one thing I have found that gets me a few years out of a surface patch here in New York is that I clean and wet the base as you did and then paint the base with latex bond mix ( a,k,a, glue) I use same bond mix in patch cement. seems to get great adhesion and the water does not get under the patch as easy.
Hi Mike. I didn't read all the comments, so just say if you already covered my suggestion. I deal with a lot of the same weather conditions in Ohio. The key I've found that helps is to keep the water out of the concrete and masonry. On above grade block work I will: 1. Paint with Thoroseal or Eucoseal. 2. A day or 2 later spray the surface with a siloxane penetrating sealer. Man you ought to see the water bead up on the surface. It looks like a waxed car finish. So maybe to extend the life of your resurfacing jobs the same application of a penetrating sealer would be helpful. Thanks. Us Old School guys are becoming a rare breed.
Jeffrey McMillan I agree, but sometimes you have to resurface over the sealer and it wont stick, everything depends , like you said us old schoolers are becoming a rare breed, thanks mike
Thanks Mike! The best information here is that "there is no long term solution" when resurfacing a concrete pad. Nice to know that I'm not alone having to readdress issues every year or two.
Hello Mike,I'm from Pennsylvania also.I'm 50 miles south of Philadelphia.I have a sidewalk that I was planning to resurfacing but since it's a limited thing, i'm just gonna take the old out and put the new in.You do great work.
Yes I reminded him of this and also I reminded him of pouring so thin. It was inside of a horse barn and only about 2 and a half to 3 inches in some places. Ardex is almost the same as Portland just a higher grade of mix. It can be used the same and they have some self leveling kind also. It suppose to blend in with the concrete. Thank you for responding, I will return to you if I have further questions in the future. Blessings to you.
I did resurface my front door step a couple years a go and I followed sam technique you used by the time I painted it looks good as new thanks for sharing this information with us.
Hi Fossils, I only do it for friends that I know it is temporary, as I trust to understand that, but I appreciate it, hope you are doing well, thanks mike
thank you really enjoy your videos very informative...old school means common sense, something sadly lacking nowadays, in the new school throw away society, refreshing to see in our dyeing breed, of repair it generation. Keep up the great work 👌
Thank you for your insight and great details about each job on your video's. This is my first leaving a comment on any video. Thanks again and will keep watching. Like you say " it's no big deal"
Awesome. I was taught to scrape, pressurewash then apply the new pre-packaged toppers. My dad's lasted 12 years. Bad drainage but low traffic. 5 bucks says the product just had glue powder mixed with portland.
mix plasticizer In with it..it helps alot better with the snow and ice.you can mix Portland , vinyl patch and plasticizer all together and get a good resurfacing mix...good luck.
tried this system to restore the top of my driveway and sidewalk... it worked really well.. did have a question.. can you use a sealer over it so the tire marks don't trash how clean it looks.... and thanks for the video... Great Job !!!
Hi Mike, Filled in the cracks and holes on my concrete stairs with rapid set mortar mix. Looks good. Some higher and lower areas. Now I want to go over the whole thing and make it look nice and uniform. Should I use Cement All for that or something else?
I have a wooden steps with small landing to a mobile I had to do something with. It sits out in the weather with no overhead cover. It has cedar 1"x 4" closely spaced. What I did was put some "L" shaped aluminum around the perimeter of all of it, 3/8" thick, then mixed up some mortar mix, and screeded it, then trowled it. I used 1/3 Rapid Set patching stuff, and 2/3 mortar mix, type S. Weird combo, I suppose, but it looks like concrete. I put paper over the wood and stapled on metal lath. Hope it holds up. I like the look of concrete over wood products, plastic, or paint.
Mike, I found that this mix began to set up at a time I could work with, but it was difficult to trowel up a paste, and any low spots did not trowel up anything but stayed a darker color, so when it dried (I thought it was still damp) it showed these zebra stripes. There is definitely a difference between a finish carpenter and a concrete finisher. I even sanded it with my orbital sander (120) a bit, and it sure wore the paper out quick, but it's good enough for me. I suppose I like it just 'cause I did it, but I don't recommend this mix.
great video series! this is exactly where i'm at with my sidewalks, and i'm glad to see that my common sense is working pretty good, because i'm employing the same techniques that are used in this video. subscribed.
After reading that concrete work only lasts for about a year or so before you need to patch it, a thought occurred to me. Have you ever considered using something like powdered stone like granite or something like that to possibly harden it & maybe make it a bit more durable? I know almost nothing about this subject so please forgive my ignorance on whether or not that would be a good, workable idea.
Thanks for your videos, Mike! I've learned a lot from your videos and other people. I'm just a DIYer in Pittsburgh. I would like to know if you ever resurface the "old school way" and then use a sealer so that our harsh PA winters don't ruin the resurfacer each year.
+DAVID COOK Hi Dave, the problem with that is when you go to fix it every year the sealer will keep it from sticking, I would do some test first to see how it works in your area, thanks , mike
Thanks Mike, I used to do that old school stuff on those LA pools with all those cracks, oh, yeah. It was all a long time ago. Like 1960s.Think we called it gunite.
old style in PA they mixed ashes from the coal furnace in the concrete/cement to stretch it, like bread and onions in the hamburger to make more for a large coal country family !!!
Here is a new one I think. I had my drive paved in tar and gravel. Real old school. !/4 mile long.. I couldn't afford concrete. I got tired of the gravel in front mof my shop on my knees. SO I am using concrete patcher Topnbond to cover the gravel with a smooth finish. Using a float to blend it in :) Now I can work on a smooth surface that isn't supposed to crack? After I get it all smooth I am going to use resurfacer. Looks pretty good so far. I bet you did a lot of stuff like that at first.
actually I have gravel in my driveway, it is usually a mess because of me unloading the trucks with cement,. a few big stones close to the doors so I can jack things up, If I poured concrete or blacktop I would ruin it, nothing last , thats for sure, I hope it works out for you, thanks mike
Hi Mike. Thanks so much for the education and for investing the time needed to make and upload all these videos. I live in the Midwest and plan to resurface my concrete patio, sidewalks, and driveway this weekend using your Portland whitewash method. My question is whether to use a sponge float or a paint/masonry brush to perform the resurface. In your videos, it seems like you prefer to use a sponge float for the commercial resurfacers and a paint/masonry brush for the Portland whitewash method. Seems like you could have a smoother and thicker coat applying the whitewash with a sponge float but the paintbrush is probably faster. Is that correct? Any other pros/cons with the brush vs the float? Hear you loud and clear either way that it's a Temporary Fix and a Last Resort. Thanks again and God bless!
Hi Wilson, you are right I use the float for the store bought and only the paintbrush for the portland, the idea is the portland flakes away and you do it again next year to brighten it up again with potholes in it because it is so thin, If that makes sense, I hope it helps thanks mike
Thanks for this - it's really useful information. I had never heard of 'painting with Portland' - but here in England it is a useful technique because you have to have a wet surface - and here it's always raining! I don't know why these old school very cheap solutions died out - I guess they didn't make enough money for the paint companies.
You can definitely do overlays that last. I own a company in Oregon and use elite Crete overlays that stay together for years. Diamond grind the entire slab, prime with a moisture mitigating primer (vapor barrier from elite), two coats of thin finish, seal with a solvenated acrylic or an aliphatic urethane. Costs more than this technique but less than rip out and start over does.
Hi Matt , I appreciate the comment, maybe you got something going there, and I am not familiar with the product or the weather in Oregon, around here I never seen aything work, wet and cold weather is brutal, but I will leave this on so others can see it, thanks again for the comment, mike
i am in the construction buiseness over here in germany since almost 30 years and the first thing we learn here is that you must not mix less than 3 parts of sand with 1 part of cement, because it will crack. i would never resurface old concrete because like you mentioned you have to do it every year. i would tear apart all that concrete and build a new stone walkway without any cement so the water can run through....
Hi sir, if I use less than 2 to 1 in will fall apart with our winters, and yes you can easily rip out the old and put in the new, but some folks don't have the money for that. just one of those things, no worries, good to hear from Germany, was in Hamburg once. thanks mike
Hi Melvin, I used a quikrete bonding agent, from home depot or lowes, remember this is a patch or cheap fix before replacement, I hope it helps, thanks mike
Also, do you ever use Acrylic Fortifier as an additive to your patch mixes? Supposedly it makes patches last longer, specifically in climates with a lot of freeze/thaw cycles.
Mike the patch at the pool could you have mixed glue with the Portland and sand? The painting with Portland on the side walk, would a sealer help to make it last longer?
We had a neighbor back in the '60's in Ohio that would paint his asphalt drive with portland. It would look great for a year or so. And he would do it every couple of years.
Great videos Mike. Would you give your pros and cons about sealing concrete. I finished a 35 foot concrete walkway with 7 steps about a month ago, Live in Northern New Jersey its going to get salted in the winters. The You Tube is full of manufacturing company pitches.
I have had really good luck with fortified tile thin set. And then glueing like you say with acryl 60 or similar and then just brushing the surface like you did. But I always tell customers that there really is nothing that can be done here in Ohio. Or anything that will be as good as new concrete. Only for someone I know too. Who won’t come after me. Ha great video and nice work. Try the thin set sometime it really sticks pretty well for longevity. Or for me it has.
Mike, thank you for the great tips. I am a carpenter that sometimes gets calls for small masonry jobs and have used your videos to help me learn new skills. I had a customer call me to extend a set of concrete steps because their back door was moved, and to blend the two together I painted the old and new in Portland. In a dry hot climate with little rain and no snow how long can I expect the Portland to last?
WCSD I always considered Portland a poor mans paint but for fixing curbs etc. it works well, I always tell the customer its a yearly fix. hope it helps. thanks. mike
Hi Mike, thank you for your sharing. Can I ask you 2 questions - when you using PVA glue with the cement ; and can you give some alternative to the quikrete product (in Europe we don't have this product). Thank you!
Mr.Mike where do you get masonary sand? Because here Lowes only sells playground sand and I know there is a difference. Do you get it at a cement yard?
Mike, would a concrete sealer applied over the resurfacer extend the life of the repair? Also, if you were to put a sealer over it and ended up having to resurface it again do you go straight over the sealant or do you have to first remove that before applying the resurfacer?
I will be doing this next weekend the old school way like 🙂 , I was wondering if the product you use rapid set mortar mix if can it be use as well like cement all to patch holes , also can it the mortar mix be watered down to do a resurface the old school way like Portland? Thanks 🙏🏼
Mike, how about a walkway that has rocks, what type of cement do you I use to cover it. I used quickrete patcher to fix some cracks. Can I use the same patcher since it has good bonding properties?
if you want to do a patch that lasts for a good number of years is if your slab is 6'' chip it down to about 3'' then pour concrete with 1/4 rocks &then do a nice finish like you did &you'll be good for a few years instead of redoing it every year this is what i do for my customers ,little more expensive but a lot more durable just my opinion ! i live in montreal &believe me we have real nasty winters here too !
Hi mike I think it would be really nice if you put up a video of what Painting With Portland looks like new then after 6 months then after one year so we can see what it looks like before we go and do this. Also after a year lets say I want to paint with concrete paint how would I remove the Portland skim coat so I can paint the concrete?
I can say that it all depends on what state you live in, that is why I give the warning that it is the last resort before replacement,,, I would do a small sample before the whole project, I always say it is temporary, thanks mike
With relatively inexpensive power washers today's homeowner could blast a very clean surface which would hopefully help the resurfacing material adhere to the concrete.
What is the "glue" that you mix with the Portland cement? Is it an acrylic bonder? Is Portland cement mixed with glue more durable or less than Quikrete resurfacer? thank you.
I think you have to think it all out and consider what you want and how much you are going to do it. I usually just mix the glue in on "how I resurface a concrete driveway" mike haduck.. no matter what you use it will be temporary for sure. I hope it helps, thanks mike
Mike, have you used water repellent products that are supposed to make concrete surfaces more water resistant? I just bought some, but I'm not sure whether it will actually work.
hi MIKE tried this on the weekend. Next morning some of the layer had bubbled or blown, I had to chip off and re do. Is it because I put the Portland paint mix approxiamately 4hrs after my first layer or was my mixtures wrong ? Any advice greatly received thanks
Thanks for the vid Mike. I used the quickrete concrete resurfacer on my pool deck. I followed directions for the first section and it turned out like a combat finish. For the 2nd section after the 2nd coat I steel troweled it after about 5 minutes and it turned out much better. It's still not as good as new concrete but it's ok. I think the steel trowel is the trick. /John
John Woolfrey It might be, I was a little scared about putting this video on, but I think everyone should know the facts before they do it. I hope I am right, and everyone finds the technique that works for them, thanks mike
Mike, do you mind doing a video on how to fix an original patio concrete pour that was not smooth? How do I smooth it out and bring it level in some areas? In some areas the aggregate is showing and in others it looks broom brushed. What's the best method, using a self leveling agent or the portland mix? This patio was just poured less than a month ago buy a novice handyman. Thanks in advance!
Nice work. Question regarding "Portland painting" - I understand that this is just for "decoration" only, so because the thickness of the layer is close to nothing - will it crack and shed in a few years? Or just fade like a paint?
Hey there Mike. I need to cover a single spot on an otherwise decently bright concrete driveway. What color is the finish of the painted Portland and glue mix once it dries?
Hey mike..so I tried ur technique when I was doing the joints of my brick pavers last week which was mixing dirt with a little bit of mortar mix and water in order to get the color of the new joints to match with the old and I must say it looked good for 2 days. After 2 days of rain the dirt color washed away and now I’m left with the original white color from my mortar mix. Any suggestions on how to get that dirt color to hold now that everything is dry? Thanks
Hi Nicholas, I usually get regular mud and lay it on top keep it wet for a day and it should stain it, maybe you got to do it a few times but it always worked for me, thanks Mike
Work like a champ. One portland three sand and some glue mix wet poured on squeegee off slide broom over. $ 20. dollars for a new driveway and sidewalk.
hey Mike I'm David and just wanted to say your videos are very helpful. I own an electrical handyman business and I have used your technique's and they turned out great. I have a customer with a pretty new concrete driveway only like 10 years old and it looks good but it does have some cracks in it and they want it fixed. what would you recommend to fix this and still match the good concrete. it's not colored just like a bright concrete kinda white I guess. thank you again. oh and I live in Va.
Hi Dave, I showed how I resurface a concrete driveway but It is old school and has to be gone over every year to keep up. I will not do it for customers (though I will let them in on the know how) I show how it is done but I will not do it unless I know them very well and the completely understand that it is a temporary disguise before replacement, I hope it helps, thanks mike
Hey Mike. I have a small amount of concrete to mix for a repair. What ratio is recommended for mixing? Let’s say 2 cups of concrete how much water required?
Hey mike Sorry to bother you last questions I promise... will sealer help it last longer and is painting with Portland considered resurfacing to charge people as a resurfacing job?
Hi Jamie, it's a cheap covering, not necessarily a resurface but a old school depression way of making it look newer , I don't seal them because they are slippery and then another coat won't stick, thanks Mike
Mike, it looks like you used a bonding agent and plain cement to apply on a walkway with a masonry brush. Can I use the Quikcrete Resurfacer in the same way? I’m a big fan. Thanks for helping me as I’m a novice at this stuff.
Hi Rick, I did use the resurfacer the same way, I would do a few test first and check out my video on sidewalk & driveway resurfacing, they might help, thanks mike
Thanks so much, really like the format of your videos. We're in MO, hot & humid summers, snow in the winter. Should we wait till spring? What's the exact name of the Portland cement and PSI? Is it normally at Home Depot or Lowes?
Hi LM, just regular type 1 or 2 usually sold at HOme Depot and Lowes, it is just a covering to keep the sidewalks looking fresh before replacement, thanks mike
Hello Mike, first i would like to thank you for all your great videos. I live in Florida and I’m installing new pool copings, the copping is being custom made to fit the contour of the pool. My question is what material would you recommend to set the copings on the pool beam? (Type S mortar or Portland) All the pool copings are 3 feet long, and what would I use as on the grout joints? I would really appreciate some feedback. Thank you James
+James Orphanos Hi James, I can't really say, Florida is a different world than Pennsylvania, up here I would probably use Portland but you got different weather conditions. I would ask the locals for sure. I hope it helps, thanks mike
Mike, I recently painted my sidewalks with Portland like you did in this video, but now I feel that my sidewalks look like they could use another coat of Portland. Is this wise to do another coat? And can I just use Portland and water for the second coat instead of adding more glue in the mix?
Hi Shunt, I have done it twice when I feel it necessary, it is just a covering to fill in holes and make a temporary look good sidewalk. glue is just an extra option, my opinion, I hope it helps thanks mike
Mike, When I saw you scraping the floor to remove all loose materials I asked myself if a pressure washer would do that job ease. Do you think that would be a good idea? I live in Texas where the soil crack all over the area. In Texas streets and houses are cracked and cracks damage everything. I have a 10 X 34 sf to repair and need your opinion if a washer can be used.
Absolutely. If it doesn't come off, chip away at it. Then degrease it, then acid wash it, the come back and neutralize it with baking soda. Pressure wash it again. Keep it wet, then apply your coating.
Thanks man love your old school approach. Got a question would love to hear from you soon as I'm doing my DIY project next week. Can I acid stain over this?
Hu Jamie, a stain is a stain, and a resurface is usually a covering, I have done it and haven't had a problem, I guess a lot depends on how bad it is, thanks, Mike
@MikeHaduck thanks alot Mike I've been trying to get customers for restaurant entryways that have black foot traffic on their Concrete but it seems they don't give a rats ass what it looks like what their customers see when they come in... thanks alot again Sir. Mike
Mike I've got a real mess of a job, absolute beginner, it's brick mixed with concrete. All the concrete surrounding brick surface is crumbling taking some brick with it. Any video of yours you'd recommend to me?
Hi mike OK I paint with portland and a year later I don't like it how do I remove it? Will pressure washing do it or sandblasting/grinding do it what would work? Can it be removed?
can you only use Portland to paint with? or can you make any concrete / cement mix into a paint? example can I water down Cement All to make it into a paint?
sx_1001 I think in Florida almost anything will work, but here it is only a covering to help the regular concrete to last longer, I am not a fan of "cement all" as a paint, only If I paint over it with deck or stucco paint and then keep it up like I did on "how I repair concrete step" videos . hope it helps , thanks mike
Hi Tim, 95% of the time it is just Portland and glue, sometimes a little fine sand to make a non skid or slip surface, but most of the time just portland and glue, thanks mike
Hi gv, maybe sometimes in some places but most places I doubt it especially where I live, much cheaper and nicer to redo it every year, My opinion, thanks mike
Hi Mike - Can I resurface with Cement-All? I have some stairs that I just fixed with cement-all and i want to make them all match now. I have some leftover cement-all and not portland. Thanks
cement all it great, but for very thin thing ,not so good, unless you paint over it with paint it will flake up during winter, I use it a lot but I make sure for very thin applications I add something on top, I hope it helps, thanks mike
