Concrete Walkway and Steps Re-Overlaid

After: Colored PermaCrete overlay with a flagstone pattern.

Before: Walkway with popped overlay and steps with outdoor carpeting.

Faux grout lines were created by taping off the pattern before the overlay was applied.

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This walkway in Rockford, IL was transformed with a colored and patterned overlay. The existing concrete had been overlaid once before; however, proper surface preparation was not done and the overlay popped. Craig, the owner of Special Effex, recently explained how they came in and fixed the walkway.

Special Effex got this job through their listing on ConcreteNetwork.com. The customer contacted them directly after liking what they saw on their listing and website. However, something else sealed the deal. "I offered them a guarantee on the walkway," explained Craig, "which was especially important to the customers since this was already their second go around."

When the Special Effex crew got to the job site, they knew exactly what needed to be done to fix the walkway. First, they used a diamond grinder to remove the delaminated overlay and glue that had been used to adhere outdoor carpeting to the steps. Next, they thoroughly cleaned the surface. Craig said, "I was shocked when we finally reached the original concrete, because there was nothing wrong with it, I'm not sure why an overlay was used in the first place."

Ironically, Craig decided to use an overlay on the walkway again, but this time for decorative reasons. The customer wanted the walkway to look and feel like flagstone. The best way to achieve the desired rock-like texture was with an overlay. Before applying the overlay, the flagstone pattern was taped out. A PermaCrete overlay with an integral base color in Beach Sand was then applied. After the overlay had cured, the tape was pulled up, leaving what appear to be grout lines.

The owner wanted the walkway highlighted in brown, so additional color was added using water-based pigmented dyes from Engrave-A-Crete's Concrete Resurrection product line. The color used was Mocha.

In the end, the customer received a quality decorative walkway that adds tremendously to the curb appeal of their home. Craig and his crew came in and did all the right things, quickly fixing what could have been a nightmare for the homeowners. Next time these homeowners need concrete work, they'll be sure to call Special Effex first.

Special Effex
Craig Adamson
Machesney Park, IL

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