Need Recommendations To Fix Newly But Poorly Finished Concrete Floor

Friend asked me how to fix the appearance of his new concrete floor that he poured in his new pole barn with his dad and brother because he is very unhappy with the finish. It does look awful.

They raked it semi level, did not screed it, bull floated the whole thing, did a steel trowel finish around the edges and wherever the bull float left ridges. They ran out of time as the concrete set up too much to steel trowel the whole floor so it is very inconsistent and splotchy in color.

Every place it was bull floated is rough and a lighter grey color. The steel troweled bull float ridges that were fixed in the middle of the floor are smooth and very dark grey. It also has high and low spots.

He is looking for recommendations on how to fix it as best he can so it looks better and is more level.

I poked around on google to see if I could make heads or tails of self leveler products but the choices seem endless.

The walls have a 2x8 treated board around the bottom which has about 1 1/2 inches above the top of the concrete floor.

Does anyone know of a good self leveling product that can be poured over this new garage floor so the color is consistent and the rough spots are covered up?

How long ago was this poured? The concrete will probably even out as far as the color goes...it can take a couple of weeks or more...

I've never used any self leveling products so I can't help you there.

Is it really that bad, for a pole barn?

Poured two weeks ago

Tell him to move on, it's a pole barn

Best bet would be to tear out and replace, and even though its a pole barn it should not effect the level of finish. It is dissapointing to see but many people do concrete a few times then think they are an expert and then go on to ruin peoples property by doing poor work. These people also make it hard for the rest of us because then no one respects concrete and they begin to accept low quality work, and expect low prices.

Self levelers may work but may also end up being a temporary fix, I would recomend finding a local quality (look for an ACI certifified finisher or company with ACI certified finishers) concrete contractor and ask them what they recommend, which unfortunatly will most likely be a replacement.

From my armchair, I would recommend tearing out and replacing. But in the real world that rarely, if ever, happens. Find a contractor in the area that does grinding/slc's. It can be done right and look great. If you must do it yourself, talk to your concrete supply store.

Don't even consider a self-leveler...they are gypsum based.
Won't hold up. (Unless the technology has advanced and something I don't know about.)

Cap pour on top (1 1/2") is a thought, also grinding with an experienced tech. Sometimes you can rent a grinder and try it out to see if you can take the most offensive areas down...

All costly.

Leave it go is best, after all it's a barn, unless he has the coin.

Steve

This one says "contains no gypsum".

http://www.duraamen.com/products/sel...te-resurfacing

Don't know pricing, but I bet it ain't cheap.


We built a new commercial building a few years back, and the PM forgot about the ADA access in front. We formed and poured the walkway, and there was an 1 1/2" lip at the threshold. The boss priced a topping compound, and found that it was cheaper to rent a 90LB jackhammer and air compressor, and pay a couple guys to tear it out and repour it.


As a sidenote, could someone order an 8 or 10-sack (or richer) mix with no aggregate and a super-plasticizer from the ready-mix plant, and basically make their own topping compound?

i'd bet a top notch batching plant could make a mix but i doubt an average one could. my understanding is that the topping compounds contain a lot acrylic admix to help bond new and old. any time i see topping compound stick out to my eye its because its chipping off its substrate. i wouldn't float a whole building with it.

grind and polish that mofo and it'll be better then expected.

Grind it

grind it, worry about color when its flat (level).

To be completely honest, if they ran out of time to adequately finish a full depth pour, they'll never be able to handle a 1.5" cement based topping mix. I would look into grinding the floor with the stones that attach to the power trowel to take care of any little peaks, depending on how bad this floor is. If the color variation is an issue, some sort of staining or coating is likely the most efficient approach.

The color won't even out. You will always see the difference in shade where some areas were floated and other areas were hit with steel. I agree grinding with a coating is probably the best option. We just tore out someones big mistake last week! Some people have no business doing concrete!!!!!

Jake P
Elite Construction Co.
www.eliteconstructionmi.com
www.thefacebook.com/eliteconstructionco

I hear that a lot, people say "it's just a pole barn" or "it's just a garage" and these guys are the low ballers that do poor work with no craftsmanship.

Even in a barn I do everything I can to make sure the edges get hit a few times, get closed up and match the machine finish the best I can get them, 99% of the time the owner won't even notice such things, but for the people that do notice it goes a long way for your good name.

If it really is as bad as he says it is and he doesn't think it is worth what he paid I would complain for them to either tear it out and re do it or grind it.

Concrete, you work it or it works you.

I would probably grind it with 30 grit metals and call it good. It would be much smoother. You still may not like the "look"...what then?

You could coat it with a 100 % solids epoxy, it would look great then.

You could put a self leveling overlay on it, but it's going to cost more than tearing it out and replacing it. Just did a 8,000 sqft church. Then polished it. $7.50 sqft

What self leveling product... Tru

Ahh, didn't see that part.

Well, you get what you pay for...

A friend of the guy that works with me called a few weeks ago with a similar situation, he son took it upon himself to pour a patio off the house and it looked absolutely terrible. I think he even read the level backwards when form it it, 3 pitches and all of them went right at the house.

Grind it and then epoxy paint it. It'll all be the same color and have a nice sweepable finish to it

Ardex CD and a magic squeegee. Can add color.

Mike