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Re-surfacing pebblecrete

JRRed
Building a Reputation

Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Front porch westFront porch westIMG_5669.JPGLast year I posted that I had had my pebblecrete pool completely re-surfaced.  (See my first post for before and after).

Now I would like to get my front porch, which is also pebblecrete, resurfaced.  I have had some quotes to have it skimmed with concrete but they seem very expensive. 

The porch is undercover and buts up to a grey concrete drive.  As I would like to paint my driveway dark grey again, I thought a matching concrete porch would be nice.  

Is there a product I could use to re-finish the pebblecrete?  I was thinking maybe something like a paving paint.

Does it need to be sealed first?  I am really clueless when it comes to DIY but I'm willing to have a go at it.

Thanks for all your help in the past.

Tanzere
Just Starting Out

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

hello, floor resurfacing newbie here! I have a 60 year old pebblecrete verandah floor that I just pressure washed, it is now hugely patchy and we are not fans of the look anyway.  Could you please suggest a value suggestion to remedy this please? Would we need to fi the patches before using something like Megatreat?  thanks in advance for the guidance.

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EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Hello @Tanzere

 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's fabulous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about resurfacing pebblecrete.

 

 

Pebblecrete is a difficult surface to modify and fix. If the pebblecrete was not sealed at the start of the layout, water usually enters the surface and loosens the pebbles causing them to fall out. Patching the broken surface is not ideal as you will get different areas of old and new pebbles which makes it very obvious where the repairs occurred. Not to mention that you will have to be familiar with the technique of laying pebbles with mortar. 

 

One other idea I can suggest is removing the pebblecrete and resurfacing the area. You can tile it, use pavers or render it and seal it with appropriate paint. Because of the pebblecretes age, it is difficult to make a determination if it will last another 60 years. If you have any other questions we can help with, please don't hesitate to post them.

 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

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patty1
Getting Established

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Hi Eric, I have the same problem as Tanzere. My 40years old pebblecrete patio is cracked with bits missing from the edges.  I would like to put in pavers. I tried to get a quote from a company about cost of pebblecrete removal but no reply. Other tradesmen not interested so I'm hoping that I can do it myself. I'm not v handy so hope you can advise me what equipments/tools I need to remove 26m square patio with pebblecrete  and lay new pavers. Is there any chemical that can loosen the pebblecrete?

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Hello @patty1

 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about pebblecrete.

 

In order to expedite the removal of the pebblecrete, I suggest hiring a jackhammer with a wide blade head. It is a more practical approach rather than manually using a bolster and spending weeks removing the old pebblecrete. Your objective is to remove the top layer of pebblecrete and not dig too deeply into the concrete base. However, before you proceed with removing the pebblecrete, would it be possible for you to post a picture of the area so that our members can see what it looks like. They can then make an assessment and offer recommendations regarding pavers.

 

I suggest thinking about what exactly do you want this area to look like? Is it just an area that you pass through? Is it an entertainment area? This is the perfect time to let your imagination take flight and imagine what can you turn this area into. 

 

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing the photos. 

 

Eric

 

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patty1
Getting Established

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Want to remove the pebblecrete just below my new pergola. From the picture, think the pebblecrete is glued on so can an epoxy solvent like acetone be able to loosen the pebblecrete so that it can be removed without using a jackhammer as I don't think I can handle one. Would Bunnings have such an epoxy solvent I can try?

patty1
Getting Established

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

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MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Hi @patty1,

 

I would suggest that there would be far less effort involved with coating over the Pebblecrete with Megatreat's textured primer coat than trying to dissolve the epoxy and scrape the Pebblecrete off. If you use the primer coat to remove the texture, you can then use Megatreat's Liquid Sandstone to colour the area.

 

A solvent is messy and noxious, and unless it's a specific solvent designed for removing epoxy flooring, it might not work. I don't believe acetone would be potent enough, but you could do a test section to see. At the very best, a solvent might soften the coating, and you'd need to put in a whole heap of work with a floor scraper to remove it. You'll then likely be left with a concrete slab that has residual epoxy all over it that needs to be ground off with an angle grinder.

 

Regarding the jackhammer method, there are smaller percussion hammer drills with chisel bits that can be used. They would be much more manageable than a full-sized jackhammer.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Mitchell

 

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patty1
Getting Established

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Thanks Mitch for your advice!  I did get the Ozito hammer drill recently from Bunnings for another project, so I'lll weigh up my options to see whats doable. You've been most helpful.

MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

Please keep us updated @patty1. We're keen to help you improve the look of this area.

 

Mitchell

 

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Re: Re-surfacing pebblecrete

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Hey @MitchellMc , I really enjoy reading your advice and suggestions.

Project overview... Old house with a pebblecrete pool surround which I'm going to be paving over up to the raised pool coping which is about 400mm wide all round. 

The finished level of the paving will be up to the same height as the existing pool coping (which is also pebblecrete) and I'm keen on painting the pebblecrete coping around the edge of my pool. Megatreat seems to be the perfect solution based on this threat but I can't seem to find Megatreat on the Bunnings website so just wanted to make sure it is still something I can order through special orders. Also, does Bunnings offer a tinting service for their White Textured Primer?

Cheers!

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