# Skim coating concrete steps



## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

cement-all in the blue box's much better impo however its white - get some gray pigment from sher wms to color it grey - that's our method


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

If these steps are outside in freezing weather I would not expect it to last more than a couple of years. Freezing conditions will make it peel off.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

that's why we use cement-all OR even more expensive mix,,, w/proper prep & useage, its as permanent as the underlying conc,,, it is more expensive than the op's mention'd mtl but so what if it needs to be redone - how much is that worth ?


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Also you don't have all day with it, sets in 15 min. so you need to have a plan before you start.


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

Is the Cement-all in box different from the bag?


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## JustScrewIt (Mar 14, 2015)

By about 45 lbs


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

What about sealing/stabilize the old surface? I want to do exact same with my steps but go the extra step of priming the surface. BTW, is this even necessary?
Is the box store sealer good, or is there better consumer grade solution? Eternabond primer -solvent based- was excellent, I think, but I don't know about their water based primer.

I used Cement all before, but I forget if the finish was smooth or tread-rough. Do you recommend throwing some sand on top?
Thank you in advance.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

just make certain they're in good repair prior to resurfacing,,, imhpo, not much is good from the apron/vest store if you want quality conc sealing - find some prosoco,,, you can't get a smooth finish as it contains aggregate nor would you want a smooth finish on steps


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

Thanks for the link.
One more question. Assuming the thin top coat needs to be fairly fluid-for thin application-is there any pointers for not bringing the milk to the surface?


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

this is a just-add-water mix so there's no 'milk' / 'cream' as in regular concrete,,, polymers make these materials different,,, typically they can be installed w/trowel, squeegee, or even a broom,,, i'd guess our avg thickness is less than 1/16" to no more tha- 1/8"

this is a 'skim coat' as resurfacing/decorative artisans define it,,, just prep it right - can't over-emphasize how important that step is to success


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