Most economical way to make concrete look good again?

[oujeff25]

The concrete around my pool has cracks in it and the color looks blah (dirty, aged, etc). I powerwashed it and all that did was take off the top layer of grime, which looks better but I think there has to be something out there that I can do myself to spiff it up a little without tearing stuff up and starting over.

I was hoping that all I would need to do is fill in the cracks with the quickcrete crack stuff and and put some sort of concrete paint or stain on. What do you think?

Anyone have any info they would like to share with me to help me make this both economical and something that I can do myself?

 

[Belldiver]

I think stained concrete looks good myself. If the cracks aren't huge and becoming toe-kickers, they add character to an interesting stain job.

There's not really any perfect way to patch concrete cracks that isn't obvious. The patch sometimes makes them even more visible. Although it might help just a little in preventing them from chipping out further.

Just my thoughts...

 

[oujeff25]

Thanks for the response. Anyone else have any ideas from experience?

 

[overit]

I am interested also, I have concrete from 3 different pours (over a 13 year span). I want to spruce them up also. Thought about acid washing the slick one (before we built the pool) and then??? staining or painting all of them?? What kind of acid do you use? Do you have to keep the runoff off of you grass? If anyone has info it would help.

 

[dd50]

I used Behr stain from Home Depot around my pool. They use to carry opaque but now I think they carry semi-transparent. You can use a sprayer or roller. Not hard to do. H&C is also a good brand and think that is also sold in HD. I have a few little cracks and left them alone because sometimes when you patch that stands out more.

 

[NullQwerty]

I used Behr stain from Home Depot around my pool. They use to carry opaque but now I think they carry semi-transparent. You can use a sprayer or roller. Not hard to do. H&C is also a good brand and think that is also sold in HD. I have a few little cracks and left them alone because sometimes when you patch that stands out more.

Could you post a picture of that? I too have the same problems as others. I also have some minor settling in places. I really don't want to tear up the whole deck. I'd be interested in seeing how that stain looks though!