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Although concrete is one of the most durable building materials available, time, traffic and the elements can cause the concrete surface to spall, wear and discolor. QUIKRETE Concrete Resurfacer can provide a new, durable, wear-resistant surface on old, worn concrete driveways, sidewalks and patios that will last the life of the concrete.

QUIKRETE Concrete Resurfacer will renew your concrete surface at a fraction of the cost to tear out and replace old concrete slabs. As with any concrete repair project, proper surface preparation is essential for a successful result. This is especially true for concrete resurfacer. Old concrete must be rigorously cleaned to ensure proper adhesion to the new surface.

A high-strength, 3500 PSI pressure washer must be used to remove any dirt, oil, grease or deteriorating concrete, prior to the application of concrete resurfacer. Concrete Resurfacer is ideal for resurfacing large areas, like driveways, patios and pool decks, but because it sets quickly, it is important to section off your work areas to no larger than 144 square feet.

This will allow enough time for placing and finishing the resurfacer, before it begins to set. It’s essential that control joints and expansion joints are maintained, to allow for slab movement. These joints can usually be used to define your work area. Weather stripping can be used to prevent concrete resurfacer from spilling into the joints.

Before resurfacing your slab, deeply spalled areas and large cracks should be repaired using concrete resurfacer that has been mixed to a trowel-able consistency. The repairs should be allowed to harden, before resurfacing the entire area. To mix concrete resurfacer, a 5-gallon bucket and a 1/2 inch drill and paddle mixer should be used. Hand-mixing in standard concrete barrel-type mixers cannot be used for this application.

When mixing or placing concrete resurfacer, as with any cement mix, it is important to wear safety glasses and water-proof gloves. Measure and add 3.5 quarts of clean, cool water to the five gallon bucket, to mix one 40 lb. bag of concrete resurfacer. Then, begin to add the powder to the water, while mixing. Mix for about five minutes, until a lump-free, pourable consistency is achieved.

If the mix is too thick, add water, sparingly, to reach the consistency of syrup. If the mix is too thin, additional powder can be added. One 40 lb. bag of concrete resurfacer covers about 90 square feet at 1/8 of an inch thick, so a typical 16 foot by 24 foot driveway would use about five bags of resurfacer. Because the application process is continuous, it is always best to have a few extra bags, to allow for any changes in thickness or waste.

Prior to applying concrete resurfacer, saturate the surface with water, and then, remove any standing water. Concrete acts like a rigid sponge. Dampening the concrete will cool the slab and prevent the mixing water from being drawn out of the material, during the resurfacer application. You are now ready to begin the application process.

Pour the resurfacer onto the concrete in one-foot wide strips. Then, using a long-handled squeegee, scrub the material into the concrete surface. Working back and forth, evenly spread the resurfacer onto the slab. After about five minutes, a non-slip finish can be applied, using a concrete broom. Make long strokes, across the full distance of the work area, without stopping.

All broom strokes should be made in the same direction, for uniformity of appearance. A concrete edging tool can also be used within about 20 minutes of pouring the resurfacer. Concrete resurfacer has a working time of about 30 minutes at 73 degrees. In hotter weather, the working time will be reduced.

Using cold mixing water and keeping the bags of concrete resurfacer shaded will help extend the application time. Under normal conditions, no special curing is required. Although, in temperatures over 90 degrees, moist cure with a fine water mist for 24 to 48 hours.

Because concrete resurfacer is polymer-modified, temperatures should remain above 50 degrees, for at least 8 hours, and should be protected from freezing for 24 hours after application. Concrete resurfacer will support foot traffic in about 6 hours and vehicle traffic in 24 hours.

 

Project Instructions

When working with cement-based products, always wear eye protection and waterproof gloves. Temperatures should remain above 50 degrees for at least 8 hours and should be protected from freezing for 24 hours after applying.

Step 1 Prior to applying:

Rigorously clean old concrete to ensure proper adhesion of the new surface. NOTE: a high strength, 3500 psi pressure washer must be used to remove any dirt, oil, grease or deteriorating concrete. Repair deeply spalled areas and large cracks. Saturate the surface with water and then remove any standing water.

Step 2 Mix the resurfacer using a five-gallon bucket and a 1/2 -drill and paddle mixer (hand mixing and standard concrete barrel-type mixers cannot be used for this application).

TIP: it is essential that control joints and expansion joints are maintained to allow for slab movement. Weather stripping can be used to prevent Concrete Resurfacer from spilling into the joints.

Step 3 Measure and add 3-1/2 quarts of clean cool water to a five-gallon bucket to mix one 40-pound bag of Concrete Resurfacer (the resurfacer should be poured into the mixing water).

Step 4 Mix for about 5 minutes until a lump-free pourable consistency is achieved. If the mix is too thick, add water sparingly to reach the consistency of syrup; if the mix is too thin, additional powder can be added.

Step 5 Pour the resurfacer onto the concrete in one-foot wide strips.

Step 6 Scrub the material into the concrete surface using a long handled squeegee.

Step 7 Evenly spread the resurfacer back and forth onto the slab.

Step 8 Apply a non-slip finish using a concrete broom after about 5 minutes.

TIP: make full broom strokes across the entire distance of the work area without stopping (all broom strokes should be made in the same direction for uniformity of appearance).

Step 9 Moist cure with a fine water mist for 24-48 hours in temperatures over 90 degrees.

Step 10 Concrete Resurfacer will support foot traffic in about 6 hours and vehicle traffic in 24 hours.

Shopping List 40 lb QUIKRETE Concrete Resurfacer 3500 PSI pressure washer (rental) Long handle squeegee 1/2” drill Paddle mixing blade 5-gallon bucket Measuring pail Hose with adjustable nozzle Chisel Hammer Wire brush Finishing broom ¼” weather stripping Gloves Safety glasses

For more project ideas just like this, visit QUIKRETE.com.

 

 

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A tree in your landscape can be a thing of beauty. But after it’s gone, the stump left behind is not so beautiful. It’s a tripping hazard, can damage your lawn mower as you try to mow around it, attract insects, and let’s face it — sawn-off trunks just don’t look great! Stump removal is your only option.

But unfortunately, removing that stub of a tree that’s left is more difficult than you might think. It’s connected to a root system that once anchored a tree, keeping it upright in all kinds of wind and weather. In fact, the root system of most trees roughly mirrors the size and height of the tree itself, spreading as far out and down as the branches reached out and up.

After the tree is gone, those roots are still attached to the stump, clamping it firmly in place in the ground. The roots will eventually decay, returning nutrients to the soil, but the stump itself can take as long as 10 years to break down. Do you really want to work around that eyesore for the next decade?

Unless you lead with your checkbook, there’s nothing “easy” about stump removal.  But if your willing to trade-off waiting time for expense, there’s a number of ways to eliminate the stumps for very little cost. Here are a few different methods to choose from.

Stump Grinder

The most common method of stump removal is grinding, but that job is about as far from DIY as you can get. You’ll need to hire a tree service who’ll use a specialized stump grinder, a machine resembling a torture machine from the scariest horror movie you can imagine.  The toll features a spinning circular grinding blade that is plunged into the ground again and again to chew up the stump and reduce it to sawdust.

It happens fast, but the average cost for having a stump ground is $300, and prices can go as high as $900. If you have several stumps to deal with, you can pay an hourly rate, but at $150 or more an hour that can add up quickly.

Manual Tree Stump Removal

For the hearty do-it-yourselfer, digging out a medium-to-small sized stump can be done in an afternoon. Here are the steps.

Dig around the stump with a pointed shovel to expose the roots. Extend the hole a few feet out from the stump to give yourself room to maneuver. Cut through the exposed roots. It helps to have a variety of tools on hand, to get through compacted soil and different sizes of roots. Good tools for this part of the project include a lopper, pruning saw, ax, and digging bar. Continue to work your way through roots and soil until you can rock the stump back and forth. Push the trunk to one side with a pry bar and cut through the exposed roots. Repeat, making your way around the trunk to get at the roots on all sides. Continue until the root ball is cut free. Remove and fill the hole with soil.

Chemical Tree Stump Removal

Stump removal chemicals are sold online and in home improvement stores. They generally contain potassium nitrate, which speeds up the microbial process of decomposition. They may be in liquid form or a powder, to which you add water. You will want to keep kids and pets away while the chemical is doing its work.

Purchase stump removal product. With a chainsaw, cut off the stump as close to the ground as possible. Drill multiple 1′ holes 10′ deep in the top of the stump. Drill a few more holes slanting inward from the side of the trunk. These will provide air to help fuel decomposition. Pour the chemical in the top holes, according to directions. Cover the stump with a tarp and wait 4-6 weeks. The wood will become spongy. Chop out the softened wood with an ax and fill the hole with soil. Depending on the size of the stump, you may need to repeat the steps. Burning Tree Stump Removal

This is particularly effective when used as a second step after the chemical removal method. Instead of chopping out the remaining wood, burn it! If you’re starting your removal with fire, you’ll find that it works best on older, drier stumps. If yours was cut very recently or it is still putting out shoots then it’s still fairly green and won’t burn as well. For obvious reasons, follow all safety precautions, have a properly rate fire extinguisher handy, and  keep kids and pets away from the stump as it smolders.  The process is as follows:

Check with local authorities for fire burn restrictions. With a chainsaw, cut off the stump as close to the ground as possible. Drill multiple 1′ holes 10′ deep in the top of the stump. Drill a few more holes slanting inward from the side of the trunk to intersect with the holes drilled down from the top. Pour kerosene or fuel oil into the holes. Do NOT use gasoline! Wait 2 weeks to let it soak through the wood. For a large trunk, repeat and wait another 2 weeks. Clear away debris from around the trunk and lay down bricks or rock to create a fire ring. Have a hose at the ready, as wel as a large fire extinguisher rated to work on fuel oil and wood.  (An ABC rated extinguisher covers all types of fires). Using sticks and kindling, build a fire on top of the trunk. Once lit, the fire will burn out as the sticks are consumed, but the trunk will ignite and start to smolder. The trunk will continue to smolder for days. Check on it a couple of times a day, and stir up the embers if needed. Once the fire is completely burned out and the area is cool, rake out the ashes and fill the hole with soil.

There’s no reason you have to trip over an ugly stump in your yard for the next decade. Just pick your plan of attack and evict that memory of a tree gone by.

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