How to refurbish concrete benches and water feature?

prjaus

Recently we acquired 2 x curved concrete benches and a concrete fountain made from what appears to be concrete (with a sandstone appearance). I assume the material is concrete as there are a number of steel rods that I can see the tips of showing on the bench top. They are approx. 16 years old and have been outside all their lives.

They are well worn with some of the detail wearing off and areas originally highlighted in yellow tones have dulled or come off. The fountain base also has a pattern around the outside edge which has worn down.

I have used a strong soap on one of the benches (image above shows one partially cleaned)

I notice that when you clean the top of the bench small grains of sand come off and it feels porous. The two bases (feet) are smooth and appear to have retained their original colour – I assume this is because they have not been affected by the weather, being under the bench.

Is this a lost cause or can they be restored?

We have a figurine (image included) which is planned to be the centre piece of the fountain which is smooth and has colour highlights and I am concerned that we may have a problem matching all the colours.

Appreciate your feedback.

Let me know if you think it’s a lost cause.

 

EricL

Hello @prjaus 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about refurbishing a concrete bench and water feature.

You're on the right track with cleaning the cement surface with soap. I suggest using a Sabco Handled Scrub Brush lightly on the surface of the water feature and the bench. Your objective is to remove as much of the old paint as possible, but not taking away any of the details of the concrete structures.

I recommend using 240 grit sandpaper to get into the tight corners of the bench and statue. Dust it off well with a brush and give it one final wash before you begin to paint it. Your statue originally had one colour only, but as the seasons passed, the paint on the concrete started to weather away. Dust and dirt settled on the high features of the concrete creating that uneven painted feature. 

I propose using Dulux 1L PRECISION Sealer Binder White to prime and secure the surface of the concrete. I recommend a minimum of two coats to make sure that the surface is totally sealed. The primer must be totally dry before you place the topcoat on the concrete structures. I suggest having a look at Dulux Weathershield as a topcoat for both items.   

In the interest of safety, please make sure to wear gloves, goggles and a painting mask when working on the concrete bench and water feature.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric