So I made a huge error this spring with my power washer. I have cleaned my decks without incident the past two years, but I’m guessing due to rusting/partial clogging of the nozzle I didn’t notice, I ended up etching squiggly lines everywhere. The techobloc pavers I was able to salvage with sanding - most of what came off was like a “wash” to make them less monochromatic, but at least the blatant stripes that were highly visible when they were dry are gone, so not worth it to replace them.
I’m now pondering the pool deck and main house patio, though. They’re plain brushed concrete - the patio was pre-existing and I did the pool deck to match. The lines are mostly visible in that damp stage in between wet and dry, but they’re always gonna bother me.
I’m trying to assess options - from leave it alone and see if it looks better in a season from normal wear and tear, to acid washing it to try to make it more even, to some sort of coating like Sundek, to ripping out everything and starting over. It’s more complicated because I have never been completely happy with the pool deck area. On the cantilevered coping the edge was originally awful and has been sanded and parged several times - the parging will probably have to be redone every few years anyway - and the overall concrete job was sloppy. I have several spalled places where something was just underneath the floated surface, the most recent one that popped was a piece of styrofoam.
I talked with a general concrete contractor and they were no help, basically said, just have to redo it. I am going to get advice from a neighbor who deals with concrete installation issues as a job. I also have an email in to a good pool contractor who does my yearly maintenance, and will talk to my original installers when they’re here to fix a retaining wall.
Any advice? I’m thinking maybe leave it alone this summer until I stop being mad at myself/noticing it so much, then consider covering both with Sundek before next year.
I’m now pondering the pool deck and main house patio, though. They’re plain brushed concrete - the patio was pre-existing and I did the pool deck to match. The lines are mostly visible in that damp stage in between wet and dry, but they’re always gonna bother me.
I’m trying to assess options - from leave it alone and see if it looks better in a season from normal wear and tear, to acid washing it to try to make it more even, to some sort of coating like Sundek, to ripping out everything and starting over. It’s more complicated because I have never been completely happy with the pool deck area. On the cantilevered coping the edge was originally awful and has been sanded and parged several times - the parging will probably have to be redone every few years anyway - and the overall concrete job was sloppy. I have several spalled places where something was just underneath the floated surface, the most recent one that popped was a piece of styrofoam.
I talked with a general concrete contractor and they were no help, basically said, just have to redo it. I am going to get advice from a neighbor who deals with concrete installation issues as a job. I also have an email in to a good pool contractor who does my yearly maintenance, and will talk to my original installers when they’re here to fix a retaining wall.
Any advice? I’m thinking maybe leave it alone this summer until I stop being mad at myself/noticing it so much, then consider covering both with Sundek before next year.
they covered and tried to keep must out but still got a lot of dust which sinks.