I have a concrete balcony that has deterioted due to water. I am looking for an alternate solution that is cheap and easy to install. I have received some pricing for epoxy top coat and mortar top coat but both are pretty expensive. Is there a good product out there like a plastic matting of some sort or a better way to overlay this area without breaking the bank too much?

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Originally posted by Mark Andress:
I have a concrete balcony that has deterioted due to water. I am looking for an alternate solution that is cheap and easy to install. I have received some pricing for epoxy top coat and mortar top coat but both are pretty expensive. Is there a good product out there like a plastic matting of some sort or a better way to overlay this area without breaking the bank too much?

Covering it with a plastic mat will only provide cosmetic coverage for the deteriorating concrete. Sight unseen I have no idea how damaged the concrete is and whether the proposed solutions are the best or are cost effective. Only someone on site can tell you that. Even if I was on site, not being a concrete expert would make my solution a guess.

A product like Top and Bond can be applied to smooth the rough/deteriorated concrete. It won't structurally repair the concrete if it is weakened by the deterioration.

Here is a video on repairing a crack with Top and Bond. It is a cement product with special additives to allow it to bond to existing concrete and it is without stone aggregate to allow it to be feathered out quite thinly to smooth the transition from the patch to the surface. Again this would be a cosmetic fix to give you a smoother surface, it may prevent further deterioration by smoothing the surface and not allowing water to get into the concrete which in an area with freeze/thaw cycles will cause significant damage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07blEEF0qxM

The concrete here is sound and has been repaired where it is not. It is all in good condition but it just looks in bad condition. I am just looking for a cosmetic fix to this. There are no cracks. It pretty much just looks oxidized but it isn't. Must have been a bad pour. I am afriad a thin top coat would just chip up after a couple years, that is why I thought about a matting or any other kind of overlay. Unless there is a cheap alternative for a top coat that won't chip. Any more ideas would be great!

Couple of options come to mind. One being to pressure wash to renew the finish. If it will not brighten then you may need the aid of some Muratic Acid per manufactures recommendations. Second would be plastice snap together tiles. Often used in garages floors. They can be obtained in a variety of colors. Raised composite decking. These of course are just suggestions and w/o actually seeing the condition of the concrete they may or may not work for your application.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: redoverfarm,

There are thicker rubber roofing membranes that could work as a cover over the concrete too. (they are made for flat roofs that are regularly walked on) Patch the concrete as needed and then perimeter glue down the rubber? Comes in a few neutral colors too.

We had a contractor suggest this as an alternative to repouring a really slick finished concrete porch area. (we ended up etching the concrete and using "shark grip" in a solid colored concrete stain)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Conrad,