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Porches & Decks

Resurface concrete patio - over existing concrete or no?

13 years ago

Hi all, I'm about to hire someone to update my patio, which is now an expanse of old concrete divided into sections with wood inlays. I've interviewed a couple of contractors and I'm getting mixed messages.

The existing patio has a sharp downgrade (we're on a slope), and I would like the downgrade to be less pronounced.

I am leaning toward putting down new concrete then having it acid stained with colors.

Should the new concrete be poured over the old, with different levels of thickness to take care of the new level I want,

or should the old concrete be torn out first,

or can some other material, like sand, be used over the existing concrete to level it out and maybe add height, then the new concrete poured over that?

Any concrete people here? Thanks in advance!

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Comments (4)

john_hyatt
13 years ago
Do Not Place New Concrete Over Old Concrete.

Write this backwards on a card,stick this card to your forhead and have someone read it to you. J.
Gina_W
Original Author
13 years ago
:-)

John, why would a contractor suggest this then? Labor-saving? They can charge me more to remove the old stuff so what's the deal?
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Basically, I don't know what I want, other than to fix the drainage issues. I'm just not sure logistically if option 2 is even an acceptable/appropriate option. I basically have been asking people what they would do to fix how it's settled. Budget is on the basic side as we still have to regrade and replant the front and fix the leaking cracks in the basement. I don't really want to excavate the front and reparge the foundation wall because we're in a townhouse, so that gets really complicated. And there's not enough leaking to need an interior French drain. Was hoping that regrading the walkway and the dirt/plants would be the first thing to try as it's not crazy expensive. I could wait on the walkway and just do the regrading and plants, but that seems a little silly.... The whole row of townhouses has had water issues this past year and no one has excavated anything. Companies want $20k to do that. The HOA is working on implementing some kind of drainage solution for the entire row, so I also don't really want to excavate till we see if that solution helps our basement. I hate basements. :-\
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john_hyatt
13 years ago
Money is Money, Change is Change, But what sticks to the Bee is what makes the Honey.

In other words they can make more doing an over lay.

What ever fault a slab has will always be there. If it moved,cracked,split the same thing will happen to creet placed over it. X 100 going down hill X another 100 with wood inlays.

So say there is nothing wrong with the existing creet,Nothing at all. It stll moves with the seasons like everything else solid like that exposed to the weather/sun. To get a fignting chance the Contractor would have to>>> Drill in 1/2 '' rebar into existing, lay a level of sand over the slab,Use a footing mix and tamp the dickens out of, hope for the best and get paid right after the pour. Or just form up and pour the thing and still get paid the second it done. J.
Gina_W
Original Author
13 years ago
Got it - thanks!

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