Concrete patio slab - resurfacing?

Question

So one of our rentals has a concrete slab in the backyard - it covers the entire area (700 sq feet) from garage to building to property line.  It looks like crap and every spring I have to shop vac up all the loose gravel that winter causes.  This year was so bad rock sized chunks are coming off of it.

So my questions is... what can I do to it to seal/smooth it out and prevent this happening every year?  Can I put self leveling concrete over it or do I need to have a contractor come out?

Chris Dengel · Answer

Spelling correction....ROCKITE for Anchoring and Patching.  Commercial Grade QUIKRETE Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement.

Chris Dengel · Answer

I came across this post and thought id chime in, even though it is a couple years old.

There are  two products I reccomend. They are ROCKTITE and QUIKCRETE hydraulic cement. The ROCKTITE is more liquid and fluid, great for pouring in cracks and holes on flat concrete. It stays liquid for about 10-15 minutes, then suddenly hardens up in a matter of a minute or two.

QUIKCRETE hydraulic cement is better for holes in walls and block, broken or missing corners and such. The hydraulic cement is thicker and can be applied with a scraper or putty knife.

Both are easily mixed with water in a bucket. Simply wipe area with a damp rag to smooth and remove excess.

Maybe one of these products will work for you, along with a sealer or paint. They are excellent for repairs and small jobs. I have not tried them on such a large area, but may be cost effective in some situations. I am curious to see what you decided to do. Best of luck!

George P. · Answer

tear off the slab and replace. expensive, yes... but everything else is just a patch job.

Brie Schmidt · Answer

Thanks @Nick Keesee we probably need something different as I know some cracks are more than a quarter inch

Lucas Vaughn · Answer

I have the same issue at one of my properties, but not nearly as big of a slab. My slab was actually covered by asphalt. I have now removed the asphalt and found the original slab to be cracked and in need of repair. I plan to have my GC patch it with concrete and then cover it with epoxy paint. But I am not sold on my plan, so I am interested to see what other ideas are out there!