fletcher.tile

Hi,
I'm new here, my name is Kelly. I specialize in tile and stone but I'm currently finishing a concrete wall just to improve it's appearance. I believe "sacking" is the method I'd like to use, unless any of you pros have another suggestion. From what I have read I can buy sacking mix, mix it fairly dry, trowel it on, go over it with dry sacking mix and burlap or similar material, then keep it moist for a few days as it cures. What am I missing? Does anybody know if I can find a good product at the big box stores? Any help would be very appreciated. I will happily trade for some tile advice.
Thanks,
Kel

Tscarborough

Regular mortar mix or sand mix works fine. Bonding agent should be used at a 3-1 mix water/bonding agent ratio. You might also surface saturate the concrete first, and wait an hour or two after troweling before you rub it. A sponge float works best, but burlap or a piece of carpet works too.

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fletcher.tile

Hi Sid, thanks a lot for your reply. I don't know anything about bonding agents. Does 3:1 bonding/water mean that I'll need to purchase a bonding agent in liquid form, dilute it, and apply it before using the sand mix? Can I do this while I wet the concrete a couple of hours before sacking?
- Kel

Tscarborough

Mix (for example) 1 quart of liquid bonding agent to 3 quarts of water. Use that to mix the mortar mix or sand mix (mortar mix is portland/lime/sand or masonry cement/sand and sand mix is portland/sand). Surface saturated means the surface has no standing water (for a wall, it means no "glossy" areas).

Depending upon the surface temp, you will have to wet just ahead of the area you are parging (troweling the mortar). The sacking (rubbing, or finishing) will take place 20 minutes to an hour after parging, again depending upon temperatures.

Is isn't rocket science, just make sure the surface is very clean, damp, and trowel the mortar on tight. Wait until it sets a bit, then rub it down.

__________________
It ain't Rocket Science unless you are building rockets.