How to Repair Stamped Concrete
There are many ways to decorate a home. Using stamped concrete is a great way to create a look with style and elegance and keep a home up to date. Stamped concrete can be used for driveways, porches, patios or walkways. Sometimes the concrete may be damaged or cracked. However, it can be repaired to look like new.
Stamped concrete can get a little expensive depending on the expanse of the space it is used to cover. The concrete is more costly due to the designs that are literally stamped into the concrete. This is what makes the concrete so unique and stylish. It is important to keep it in good shape and looking nice. The concrete can be repaired in spots without having to replace the complete area.
- Use a broom to sweep the section of concrete that is in need of repair. Use a long-handled scrub brush and wash the section. Carefully keep dirt and particles from being mixed in while cleaning.
- Take Quickstep acrylic concrete fortifier and Lithocrhome color hardener and mix them together. Using a mesh screen, check the color hardener for coarseness by sifting it through the screen. The color hardener should not have any chunks in it for best results. The fortifier will help the bonding process.
- Carefully add some of the mixture into the broken section of the concrete. Depending on how large the damaged area is, pick the correct tool to add the mixture. If the area is very small, you can wear gloves and work mixture in with fingers. For larger spots, use a paintbrush, sponge or putty knife.
- Spread a release agent over the area that you repaired. There are release agents that are created specifically for stamped concrete. An example is, Lithotex. The Lithotex is a clear liquid that helps with the imprinting of the pattern into the cement. Sometimes the damage to the concrete is in a much larger area. For the larger area, match the pattern used and then place it right onto the repaired area. Carefully press down on it and then slowly remove it.
- Let the repaired area dry completely. Then clean and put sealant over the area.