Are you looking to bring new life to your old, worn out concrete floors? While there are many options available to help you treat and renew your concrete, one of the most effective ways to bring an eye-catching look and feel to flooring is with a concrete overlay.
What Is A Concrete Overlay?
A concrete overlay is a method for treating and updating your concrete floors at your home or business. By applying a thin layer of concrete over the top of your previous concrete, you can bring new color, smoothness, and design to concrete of any kind.
Concrete overlays are made by combining a chemical mixture of concrete and cement-based products that produce a strong yet pliable result. With a concrete overlay, you can take worn, cracked, stained, and even chipped concrete and give it new life.
Concrete overlays are available in a variety of colors and styles that are designed to fit your needs and desired outcome. By working closely with a concrete flooring specialist, you can design the perfect concrete overlay that can then be applied to your concrete with ease. The polymer within the concrete overlay mixture will quickly adhere to the concrete layer below – offering a strong and durable result that will last.
4 Types Of Concrete Overlays
Wondering what the most common types of concrete overlays are? Read below to discover how homeowners and businesses are using concrete overlays to spruce up their concrete every day:
1. Microtopping
The first type of concrete overlays is known as microtopping. With microtopping concrete overlays, you can smooth out and treat basic cracks, dents, and chips in concrete with a smooth layer of concrete. Microtopping concrete overlays will have a depth of spread running from feathered edge to one eighth-inch depth. Customizable with dyes and colors, microtopped concrete overlays can come with either a smooth or textured finish.
2. Stamped
For indoor and outdoor concrete slabs, many consumers will choose a stamped concrete overlay. With a stamped overlay, you can give the concrete a variety of appearances such as wood, brick, stone, and tile. Stamped concrete overlays feature a one quarter to three quarter-inch depth and can be customized with dyes and pigments during the mixing process.
3. Spray-Down
Spray-down concrete overlays utilize a method of application that gives a splatter-coat or knock-down finish to the overlay. With a one-eighth inch depth of spread, a spray-down overlay gives you the maximum amount of flexibility for creativity. Like many other overlays, you can utilize colors and pigments in spray-down overlays as well.
4. Self-Leveling
Considered to be the most unpredictable type of concrete overlay, a self-leveling overlay has a depth of spread of one to one fifth of an inch. Because of the small amount of depth, there is a tight window in which the overlay can be laid and leveled in order to avoid long-lasting mistakes or imbalance.
Self-Leveling concrete overlays allow for a variety of color and pigment additives, as well as stains and dyes for customized color. Many will choose to include saw cut finishing as well as engraving to complete the look.
Find The Perfect Concrete Overlay For Your Home Or Business Today
With many styles and types to choose from, concrete overlays can offer a fast result for those looking to renew their concrete flooring. If you want to ensure that your concrete overlays are completed properly, it is important to hire a company that has the expertise and experience to guide you through the process.
While there are many DIY concrete overlay kits on the market, only a trained and skilled concrete company can ensure that your project is finished right the first time with a fully insured product. Ready to learn more? Contact your local concrete expert to get started today.