Your Options for Concrete Resurfacing
Do you have damaged or cracked concrete that needs replacing? Or maybe you want to change the colour of your concrete? Keep reading — we have a range of solutions to efficiently repair and resurface an existing concrete slab or change its colour.
In simple terms, concrete resurfacing is the process of replacing old concrete. Traditionally, the go-to option was ripping up the old slab and re-laying a new one. However, modern surfacing innovations have brought us new and easy methods of concrete resurfacing.
We'll explore all of these methods in this article.
How to Resurface Concrete
Can I pour new concrete over old concrete?
We don't recommend pouring new concrete over the old surface. Any surfacing expert will tell you that this approach is bound to fail. Fresh concrete won't properly bond to the existing slab, as concrete lacks bonding agents in its mixture. This can quickly lead to the same problems you started with: a deteriorating surface.
Here are three ways to resurface concrete successfully. If you want to find out which is best for you, get in touch with our team of experts.
Option 1: Demolition
The most conventional way to resurface a damaged concrete slab is to replace it entirely with a new one. This involves removing the old concrete and installing a completely new slab from scratch. However, there are a few reasons why this method isn’t everyone’s first choice.
Firstly, it can be quite expensive due to the costs of demolition, including hiring equipment and labour to remove and dispose of the old concrete. Additionally, it’s a time-consuming process that prolongs disruption to the client’s everyday activities or business operations. This can be especially problematic in high-traffic areas or critical government spaces that need to remain functional.
Option 2: Concrete overlay
An overlay is a material that can be applied directly over an existing floor, wall, or joinery surface — keeping overall costs and lead times lower. Concrete overlays are an alternative solution to remodelling damaged concrete. At Alternative Surfaces, we’ve been Melbourne’s go-to flooring overlay installers since 1999.
A concrete overlay system typically includes a mix of sand, cement, liquid polymer, and colour pigment. The polymers are the special ingredient that allows the overlay to adhere to the surface underneath.
For an overlay to be installed successfully, any damage or cracks must be stabilised first. Our installers will use the advanced anti-fracture protection of SEMCO Liquid Membrane. One of the most advanced on the market, it’s applied over any cracks to prepare a strong base for microcement application. For small fractures, especially where water leaks are an issue, this is an easy DIY solution. More intense damage may require further preparation to ensure a stable substrate for your overlay. See this in action to transform an old pool coping.
Option 3: Concrete Colour Stain
If your existing concrete is in good condition and you just want to change the colour, there’s no need to lay a new surface. There’s a much simpler solution: concrete stains.
Our concrete colour stain Pre-Stain lets you customise the colour of concrete, no matter how old it is. It’s a translucent water-based formula that etches onto a concrete surface without fully covering its textural characteristics — perfect if you love the look and feel of your concrete but just not the colour. It’s incredibly long-lasting and designed to withstand all types of climates, conditions and traffic. It also solidifies crumbling surfaces. Here’s a great resource on concrete colour stain.
X-Bond Microcement for Concrete Resurfacing
If you decide to resurface concrete with an overlay system, X-Bond Microcement is our top choice. Designers, builders and home owners are choosing this material because it will achieve a similar look to concrete but with more advantages. It’s just as strong and durable, but has an easier installation process, a wider range of applications, and more versatile design options. these are 10 reasons why you should choose microcement for concrete resurfcaing.
We apply microcement by hand straight over the top of the old concrete, which is easier and quicker than demolishing an old slab and relaying it. Renovations are a piece of cake!
Unlike other overlays such as epoxy, microcement is suitable for both internal and external applications, allowing consistency in finish and colour from indoor to outdoor spaces.
X-Bond Microcement is applied at only 3mm over existing concrete, which means it won’t significantly alter the height or weight of your pre-existing surface. This makes it the most seamless overlay choice for concrete replacement.
Microcement has a wide rang of applications, from floors and walls to more intricate projects such as concrete staircases, joinery, and pool copings.
Maybe our most frequently asked question: can microcement be waterproofed? The answer is yes! When paired with a liquid waterproofing membrane, microcement becomes suitable for wet areas like swimming pools, showers, sink basins, and gardens exposed to heavy rain.
Resurfacing a concrete slab with underfloor heating? Microcement is able to be applied on top of concrete flooring heating systems.
The durability of our X-Bond Microcement beats other overlay systems. Added latex polymer delivers unmatched flexibility, reducing the risk of settlements cracks as your building naturally moves. We’ve never had a delamination issue in almost three decades of installing X-Bond.
If you want the concrete look, X-Bond is your closest alternative; originally invented as a concrete replica.
The X-Bond range offers various texture finishes suitable for concrete resurfacing. For those desiring the classic concrete look, X-Bond Micro is the best choice with its subtly textured, matte finish featuring visible tonal variations.
Bring your design vision to life with with 10 colours to choose from. We can also install X-Bond in custom shades to make your project truly unique.
Concrete Resurfacing Case Study - Las Vegas Fire Station
In the United States, X-Bond Microcement was used to resurface the damaged concrete flooring at a busy fire station. The decade-old flooring had greatly deteriorated due to the daily wear and tear of heavy traffic from fire engines, not to mention leaked oils and other stains.
Any new flooring also had to be easy to clean, and provide continuous slip resistance while retaining its strength. The brief also called for a resurfacing option that had minimal interruption to the every day operations at the station, which had to be functioning around the clock.
X-Bond Microcement was specific by the project administrator because it met both the coefficient of friction and strength requirements (up to 10,000 psi) and it would be easy to clean due to its chemical resistance.
It also meant minimal disruption to the understandably unpredictable 24/7 operating schedule of the fire station, thanks to its easy quick-drying application system. When an enormous engine mistakenly drove onto the wet X-Bond surface, the installers were able to quickly repair the surface by easily reapplying X-Bond over the top by hand.
This is a prime case study of how X-Bond makes concrete resurfacing easy. The City of Las Vegas was so pleased with the product performance that they’ve since used X-Bond in other station facilities across the region. Read more concrete resurfacing case studies.