I'd like to hear any great, inexpensive ideas for re-surfacing/reclaiming a 12x12 foot concrete slab patio.

Answer 1

There are many new techniques for doing concrete these days depending upon where you live. Find a reputable home builder near you and ask them who they use to do concrete. That guy should be able to either do the job for you or find a person that is able to do the decorative effects you wish. Personlly, I like to keep it natural with bluestone. Go to you local home show tours too for ideas.

The stamped concrete effects can be really beautiful.

This site is a good resource (note the menu on side):

http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/concrete_patio/index.html

or try:

http://www.the-home-improvement-web.com/information/concrete-patio-refinish.htm

Answer 2

First rent a power washer from the local rent all location. You can generally get one of these that are Gas powered and connects to your home water hose. You will be surprised at how clean a slab will become by simply blasting/cleaning it with pressurized water.

If you want to expand on that a bit, check your local Home Depot or Lowes or other hardware store. There you can find a 'pour on' concrete finish. This stuff is a polyurthene type covering that you can get in various colors. A lot of auto shops use this on their floors as it is durable and resistant to stains.

Speaking of stains, you can also purchase a concrete stain and change the color of your concrete. Again this can be purchased at your local hardware store. However, the poly type covering will do better in covering over pits and bumps in the surface.

The power sprayer will probably cost a total of $75 including the gas needed to run it. The poly coating about $50, the stain about $25.

Good luck!

Answer 3

If you want to spend a little money, just go to the big hardware stores (go to several if you can, they all carry different products) and walk around their selection of paving stones. There are several that look like brick or cobble stones, and you could lay them directly on the slab (perhaps with a masonry glue to hold them down). I bought little 6"x6" 'tumble stones' for about 70 cents each (you would need about 500 of them, so $400).

Answer 4

Same problem: I bought 2' x 3' x 2" precast cement slabs at my local lumber yard and layed them like laying tile on a floor. It is still cement but looks new and good. The downside is there are slight cracks between the slabs. They are not expensive compared to replacing the entire patio. I bought mine precolored tile red.
Let me know when the project is done and I'll be there for a cookout.
(med. rare for me)

Answer 5

Stain it (there are some really cool colors out there) and if it has cracks in the concrete so much the better embrace the cracks and make them part of the beauty after you stain,

Answer 6

"Great" and "inexpensive", when used together is an oxymoron. It can either be "great" or it can be "inexpensive" but not both. If you have something you think is both, most likely it will fall apart in a couple of years.

Answer 7

United products Kolorstone is a great decorative overlay....or use United Products Broomcoat. There are many overlays that work well & look good.

Answer 8

Do you have cracks, or do you just want to dress it up? I haven't tried it, but they do make concrete stain. That would certainly be a different look.

Answer 9

paint it green then go threw and highlight leaves in a lighter green shade! to show some depth and a darker green next to it!

Answer 10

If you have kids let them painted in some theme.