The Concrete Network

It’s often said that a picture speaks a thousand words. In the case of before-and-after pictures of restored or resurfaced concrete, all of those words would be “oohs!” and “aahs!” Certainly, few words are needed to describe the miraculous transformations showcased here. Some were accomplished by simply adding color to existing concrete with stain or dye. Others required more drastic measures, such as a total resurfacing or re-facing. All of them prove that you can take an existing surface in nearly any condition and make it look like new again. To get the full story about how each of these “after” looks was accomplished, simply click on the picture.

Before

After

Patio Restored with Water-Based Stains

The textured concrete around this home was plagued by oxidation and erosion. Glen Roman of Staintec gave the sidewalks and patios new life by acid washing the concrete and then applying Newlook stains. A dark brown color was used for the borders while sand was used for the main fields.

Get the full story and see more pictures: Color Help for Oxidized Concrete Walkways and Patio

Before

After

Polishing and Dyes Transform a Floor

When the carpeting was removed from this floor they found a mess left from the original construction of the home. There were chips along the walls where the carpet had been tacked directly to the concrete. Additionally, black spots were present from a curing compound used on the original pour. To fix the floor, Kerry Calvert of Artistic Surfaces polished the concrete, made decorative sawcuts and applied multiple colors of dye.

Learn more about the restoration techniques used: Making an Ugly Floor Beautiful

Before

After

Stain Rejuvenates an Outdoor Seating Area

This patio in a business complex had plain gray concrete. To improve its appeal, the owners wanted to have it stained a more inviting color. J. Haydel of Scornstain LLC pressure washed the concrete and then applied Sim Stain followed by a solvent sealer. Now you don’t even recognize that the seating area is the same concrete, it looks like something completely new.

Get all the details: Sim Stain Concrete Stain: Before and After Photos

Before

After

Auto Shop Floor Gets a Major Overhaul

The rundown concrete floor in this auto detailing shop had seen a lot of use. According to Don Pinger of Custom Concrete Solutions, decades of grease and grime had built up on the surface of the concrete and many cracks had developed. The first step to transforming the floor was to grind away all the crud. Then multiple coats of an epoxy coating were applied. A pigmented epoxy was used to delineate the spaces where cars would be parked. Finally the shops logo was applied using an aluminum-based decal and the entire floor was finished with a clear epoxy.

Learn more about the overlay process: It’s All in the Details

Before

After

Vertical Concrete Overlay Gives Fireplace a Facelift

This beat up and broken brick fireplace had definitely seen better days. Smoke had left black soot all over the face of the bricks. But this didn’t scare away Domenic Mattei, owner of Custom DesignCrete Inc. who used vertical concrete to restore the fireplace. The brick hearth was demolished and the brick on the walls cleaned. A new hearth was cast-in-place and vertical mix applied to the brick wall. A combination of FossilCrete stamps and actual leaves and branches were used to create the textures on the fireplace. The faux stonework was created with detailed hand carving.

Get more details on this project: Dilapidated Brick Fireplace Turned into Stunning (Faux) Stone

Before

After

Hotel Pool Deck Gets a New Surface

Restoring this indoor pool deck only took Travis Winters, the owner of Nebraska Concrete Coatings, five days. The hotel manager wanted to improve the appearance of the pool area to increase guest satisfaction and reduce the amount of maintenance required to keep it looking good. The existing deck was stained and rough on bare feet. The concrete was ground down, acid washed, neutralized and power washed. Then cracks were repaired and a skim coat applied. A diamond pattern and brick border were taped off and colored to create a decorative look.

Learn more about this project: Hotel Pool Deck Resurfacing

Before

After

Concrete Overlay Transforms an Ugly Entryway

There’s nothing worse than an entryway that is unattractive and unsafe. For this home, Barry Fisher of Unique Concrete knew exactly how to solve the problem. After the tiles were removed and the underlying concrete prepared, a 1 ½-inch layer of unbonded reinforced concrete was applied. The fresh concrete was then stamped and hand chiseled to recreate the look of natural stone and tile. There are no visible control joints because the concrete is heavily reinforced with wire mesh.

Get the full story: Concrete Overlay Transforms an Ugly Entryway

Before

After

Polishing Transforms Commercial Floor

The floor of this commercial building took a lot of damage during construction. The surface of the concrete had blemishes, worn spots, stains, scuffs, tire marks and more. Keith Hutchins of Evolution Industries saw this floor as an opportunity rather than something that had been destroyed. He polished the floor to remove the top layer that had taken a beating. Polishing also left the floor with a very shiny finish.

Related: Decorative Concrete Overlays
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