Concrete Patio Resurfacing in Los Angeles

The great thing about living in Southern California is that you can entertain outdoors all year round. Barbeques, parties by the pool, late nights sitting around your fire pit. The not so great thing may be your patio.

Most homes in Southern California were built 50 years ago, or they’re older. Considering that concrete patios last about 30 years, yours is probably needing a facelift. And the good news is that it's easier than you may think!

Why is my concrete patio cracking in Los Angeles?

Patio Replacement/Resufacing in Pasadena

While age can definitely be a factor in why your patio is cracking, there could be other culprits at work. In general, you can expect your concrete patio to last about 30 years. If you think about it, your patio goes through a lot of wear and tear. You entertain on it. Your kids play on it. If you’ve got a pool, you’ve got that chlorinated water splashing on it. Not to mention all that sunlight all the time.

You should be too surprised to see some small cracks on your patio over time. Even the most expertly, solidly installed concrete will settle over time as the soil underneath inevitably shifts. If you’re dealing with small, superficial cracks, it’s easy to 

More serious cracks are generally caused by roots worming their way underneath concrete, or water erosion underneath. 

When should I replace my cracked patio in Los Angeles?

Sad, but true. There are some cracks that are too big to fill. If you have cracks in your concrete that are over ¼ inch wide, there’s a structural problem going on. It may be that there are tree roots pushing up on the concrete, causing it to buckle. Also, if you have a flooding issue, that may be causing larger cracks. Finally, if your concrete was incorrectly installed in the first place, that’s going to cause structural damage.

Concrete with no rebar needs to be replaced, not resurface.

Anytime you have widespread structural damage in your concrete, you’re going to have to replace it. But there is a silver lining. If you aren’t too crazy about your concrete patio in the first place, you can always work with your licensed concrete contractor to design something more to your taste. Plus, concrete work doesn’t take all that long to complete. It will probably take a week or two to completely demolish and repour a new patio. 

Resurfacing my concrete patio in Los Angeles

If your concrete patio has only minor damage, you may be able to resurface it. So, instead of demolishing your patio and repouring a new one, you can simply put a new layer on top of it. 

The good news is, it doesn’t have to look like you just dabbed your concrete with a bunch of spackle. With an overlay, you can totally make over the look of your patio. Concrete is the chameleon of building materials. It’s such a versatile substance that you can make it look like almost any type of building material.  Don’t believe me? Here are some of the possible looks you can give to your concrete:

• Wood: Yes. You read that right. Wood. Through concrete stamping, your licensed concrete contractor will apply stencils to the concrete as it dries. These stamps come in a huge variety of shapes – one of which is, wood. You can add some dye to your concrete to make it look and feel like wood. 
• Italian Slate: For a truly striking finish, think about Italian Slate. You can have the concrete hand tinted with various colors to look like this more expensive material. The real stuff is about $10 per square foot, but you can get the same look much cheaper with stamped and stained concrete. 
• Flagstone: Make your concrete look like the more expensive flagstone. The colors and patterns added to your concrete can give your patio a more luxe appearance.
• Stone/Brick Overlay: Like the look of stone or brick? It can get pretty pricey, plus it takes forever to install. Just use stamped concrete. The city of Los Angeles actually uses a brick stamp on streets all over the city. Why not do the same for your patio? 

There are so many other options out there. What if you just want to stamp and stain a border trim to your concrete? Or, maybe you want a more contemporary finish, like a salt finish or a sleek brushed concrete? With concrete, the options are endless. 

Is it difficult to resurface my concrete patio in Los Angeles?

In the hands of a licensed concrete contractor, it’s not too difficult to resurface your concrete patio. The first thing any reputable concrete contractor will do is to assess your patio for any damage. They’re going to be looking for structural issues that will need to be addressed before any new surfaces are added on top of your concrete patio. 

For this reason (amongst many), you want to make sure you hire a licensed concrete contractor. They understand the ins and outs of concrete better than a general contractor. If you’re going to spend the money on resurfacing your concrete patio, you want to make sure it’s done correctly. You don’t want to get your concrete resurfaced, only for some bigger problem to rear its head in a year and you have to restart your project from scratch. 

What steps are involved in resurfacing my concrete patio in Los Angeles?

Resurfacing a concrete patio is a fairly simple process – for a professional.
Your concrete contractor is first going to fix all the cracks in your patio with sealer or filler. Then, they will power wash the patio and prep it by grinding the surface of the concrete. This will help the new surface stick to the concrete better. Finally, they will mix the concrete, pour it, finish it and seal it. After the concrete is sealed, your contractor will give you more directions on how to take care of your concrete as it cures. 

Some Of The Concrete Cement Services We Provide Are The Following:

• Concrete driveway
• Sidewalk repair
• Concrete patio
• Concrete repair 
• Concrete stairs and steps 
• Concrete widen expand
• Driveway ramp/Concrete approach

You may be thinking to yourself – that sounds doable. I can just watch a YouTube video and figure it out. Don’t. Do yourself (and your loved ones at home) a favor and hire a professional. Yes, it may seem like it costs more, but it really doesn’t. A licensed concrete contractor has all the specialized tools and materials at hand to make your patio project a success. Not only that, but you cannot make any mistakes with concrete. Once you’ve made a mistake in pouring your concrete, it cannot be undone. 
Trust a professional. Trust us. Our licensed concrete contractor has the knowledge and know-how to get your patio resurfaced quickly and within budget. Give us a call for free estimate today.