I really appreciate the commentary on technical problems, tools and techniques. I also really appreciate the "how to work with errors" section. Most of us DIY'ers will be doing things like this only once. So, we'll have errors or problems. It is actually very helpful to see how to work with those problems.
Soooooo one thing not mentioned in this video that I learned after my first failed attempt at doing this. Maybe this was obvious to most but I didn't really think it would be an issue. It is that this stuff sets SUPER QUICKLY. And I knew that it did but I thought I would be able to move fast enough. Well, I was wrong. Eventually, the product curing caught up with me. Having another set of hands or two will make a huge difference here. It is advised to have multiple buckets with the water measured out, someone to mix while you pour, and even a third person that keeps the hose on misting the fresh surface. I couldn't keep up to mist fast enough and on top of looking like crap because it set too fast and didn't blend with the final pours, I got hairline cracks in the good part because it dried too quickly. GET HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THIS!!!
You should have done the second color while the first color was wet. That way you'd get an awesome melding of colors looking like a more natural slab with veining, as you'd see in natural stone.
I Love your Leather Look porch! 💜❤ Some wicker, rattan, and outdoor hide porch furniture will also go great. I learn a tremendous amount of product info from your skills ,expertise and experiences. Were you a Visual Arts student once?
PROPS! For not trying to look like you're perfect and never make mistakes! We're all human and things don't always work out the first time. The end result looks great!
I watched the concrete counter top video yesterday. By the end, I was impressed and ready to subscribe. So I did. I watched a couple more of your videos which only confirmed to me that my decision to subscribe was a good idea. You have excellent content, you are upbeat and have a lot of energy, and you are not afraid to point out any mistakes you make and show us how to correct them. Outstanding! Keep the videos coming, you're doing great!
Michael quick question....you said the floor leveler was not a wearable material. So, does the stain and sealer solve that problem making it able to hold up to constant traffic?
Absolutely not! A sealer is just that... it seals the substrate so that nothing penetrates. It is NOT a wearable surface. Was I emphatic enough? Anyone saying it is, does not know what they're talking about and shouldn't be giving out advice. In fact, according to the manufacturer, the duration of the seal is based upon the amount of surface abrasion the surface is subjected to... and it could be as little as 2 months! Untouched, the surface would still have to be resealed in a few years. You know of a porch/deck that is untouched? A wearable surface means some sort of flooring over it... which may include a poured epoxy coating, but not sealer. SEALER! Does the name not tell you what it's designed to do? why are you asking someone that completely botched the job and confessed he's never used those final products???
There is no way that sealer will make a underlayment a wearable surface. A build up coating such as a urethane will work outside or a epoxy inside Maybe some water-based epoxies if you use enough coats, but not what he used. HOWEVER he says it could be used OUTSIDE. That more than likely means it can be used as an overlayment. RAPID SET is just covering their butt by saying not recommended for wearable. If it is not rated for outside and it says not a wearable surface BELIEVE them.
I have used this dye for three of my homes. It has held up great and will continue to use it!! Inside and out looks fine after 7 years now just seal it every year or as needed.
Michael, you are awesome! I've been wanting to do this inside the house (damaged basement floor). You make it look easy, but acknowledge your mistakes too! makes a DIY'er like me much more confident. Thank man!
how well has this held up my father did a concrete patio last summer and there are several uneven spots that now that it is winter are becoming a massive ice sheets was wondering if this would work to lvl/ make it so the water doesn't pool and if it would last long time without chipping off
It looked like there were a lot of bubbles in the sealer you sprayed on last, and they showed up after it dried. Is that to be expected? At the beginning you said this leveler needed to have something over it, and you mentioned tile, and laminate. Is a stain and sealer one of the recommended coverings to keep the leveler protected from deteriorating in the weather?
@@cuervo28208- I agree, and I am one of those old geezer people you mentioned! As a 73 year old, I'm really tired of seeing video of people "acting like" they know what they're doing, and it's actually the first time they've ever tried to do the job.
The leveler held up great. The stain and clear coat held up good but there were a few small chips here and there. If you have snowy winters DO NOT use the gloss! Waaaaay too slippery!Go low sheen for better traction
You mentioned that this self-leveling concrete is not a wear surface; it needs something on top. But it looks like in your video that there is not top wear surfacing. Does the sealer make it a wear surface? I want to do something similar but I want to avoid laying tile on top. I like the finish that you applied.
Great video. Why didn’t you do the 2 concrete steps too? Was it because this leaves a slippery coat when wet? Safety reason? The steps have to match bro! Lol. Just being ocd 😉
Guys so stupid he doesn't even know about a 5 inch angle grinder dust shroud (costs $50 at home depot). Silica grinding like this caries a $10,000 fine and your neighbors can sue you if they breath any of your toxic dust. This guy needs to be locked up.
Thanks Mike so did the Dye paint worked? U have no links on the description. And what about instead of the Concrete Leveler you us Concrete Resurface? Will it still work the same? Thanks.
If I need to resurface my deck and give it a small slope of about 1-3% to drain the water out of the house, the product you are using is too liquid. What should I use?
brother, as a 35 year old with severe hearing damage from duck hunting, use ear pro. If I want to have a conversation at a loud restaurant or bar, I have to wear hearing aids now
How about making a quick paver tutorial for those of us who don't want to spend hundreds of bucks at Home Depot to get a nice patio or sidewalk? Not like square bricks but interesting custom shapes...
Hey Michael I appreciate the video. I would have some serious concerns on the self leveler holding up with just the sealer on top. I’ve used it many times in indoor applications but not one like this. Usually on a damaged patio like that I would skim with a patching concrete like “Cements all” or “cams patch”. I am interested to see how it holds up! Again thanks for the video. Take care!
This is the most informative self-leveling concrete video I have watched. In the video, it says the leveler product is not intended as a wearable surface, and requires some form of covering (tiles, etc.). But you dyed the surface and left it uncovered. Why is that? Also, if the old concrete was previously painted with epoxy garage floor paint, will the primer and leveler adhere to that, or does it all need to be ground off?
👌Nice project! I basically just did the same thing to my patio, but with the "Cement All" variation (with plenty Set and Flow Control.) How long after you finished the Leveling concrete layer did you wait to apply the concrete stain and sealer?
After watching you B side video from a while ago, it makes me appreciate your effort to keep the boring topic of watching cement dry engaging and enjoyable. You're certainly honing your craft and I for one enjoy it.
Great job! I'm hooked now. Time to start my binge watching. I'm learning so much. I can't wait until I am completely healed from this rotator cuff tear to put what I'm learning to use. Thanks for sharing.
Great video. I really don't have to do this but I found your video entertaining and I'm sure we all know about reading instructions. It's a guy thing, right?
Exactly what I came on YT to look for. Excellent job it looks great. Appreciate the info and tips. Doing my back patio soon, approx same size. About how much of each of the products did yours require? That’s a good rough estimate for mine. Thanks again
Don’t add grit to the stain, it won’t adhere. Stain penetrates rather than coats. But DO add it to a sealer. “Seal Krete” makes some good stuff called CLEAR GRIP that I’ve used with epoxy, and Rustoleum has some clear grit additives too. My last epoxy garage floor I went a bit nuts (having busted my a$$ on the slippery one before it) and added a bit too much...the entire floor was like 40 grit sandpaper. On the good side, my feet stayed baby-smooth!!!
Nice, I did some concrete counters a while back and I used a beige color like yours but it was an acid stain, so when you artistically apply the stain in a random pattern and get some overlay you get deeper and deeper colors without having to use multiple colors. Turned out fantastic!
I worked in the concrete trade for 5 years... that being said, your best bet is to remove the effected areas at the relief joint/joints. Remove the roots beyond the area near the sidewalk and re-poor. All you will need is a few minor tools. If you don’t have any tools it may be cheaper to have a reputable concrete company come in and knock it out quickly. I hope this helps.
First, check with your city/municipality. Sometimes the sidewalk is the property owners responsibility, sometimes it’s the city, and some situations are shared. In my last city, we were always responsible for general upkeep, but if the sidewalk was seriously cracked, heaving (lifted), or sunken then the city would inspect it and often made the repair. One repair was a sunken section near a utility access and the city made the power company fix the dip. You can often create a bit of urgency by quoting the ADA act, because if the sidewalk creates a hazard for people with disabilities that’s something they take seriously. Another helpful motivator is emailed photos. Be sure to hold a ruler or measuring tape in the picture for scale. Because a tree root is lifting the sidewalk, they will probably ask if the tree is located on your side of the sidewalk or the strip between the sidewalk and the street. If it’s in the easement area, there’s a very high probability that the repair is on the city. In our Florida neighborhood we had a Poinciana tree removed by the city (and replaced with a Java Cassia tree) and the sidewalk removed and replaced because of root intrusion...the city even gave us an option of 3 different tree types.
In the video you said that the leveler is an underlay. Is the dye/stain enough of an overlay to protect the product or was it only temporary and you'll have to put tile or wood down later? Would this work for a pool patio or would you recommend something else?
1st that was freaking awesome and hilarious! 2nd Could you stamp that concrete to make it look like wood or a rock pattern or would you need a thicker layer of concrete?
It's leveler, not stamp mix. Stamp mixes are 3/8 of an inch and have more body and bigger sand, they do not flow like a leveler does. Different additives in the mix.
Hooray hooray hooray!!! This is exactly what I am going to do to my basement floor😍. 500 sq ft space. Would you say 2 gallons or one of the primary color dye?
DE B PLEASE let me know how that goes. I have a HUGE basement, and am pulling the flooring (2001 pergo) from the former owner, and am staining the concrete. Kids... :)
Michael some of your stuff is so cool. And I like the fact your a concrete guy who admits his mistakes. Been into concrete work for 50 years. As you probably know a concrete workers useful life is not long enough. Man I found your site and even though my shoulders and knees are wore out I have found and explored stuff thru you I can do again. Thanks brother ☮️ Peace
What tool did you use and what did you spray to smooth out the vertical edge surfaces? I'm a novice to concrete and want to make sure I'm doing it right.
Did YOU help this channel today? Three to Four steps. #1.Subscribe #2.Thumbs Up #3.Make a comment. #4.SHARE If you can't think of anything to say; Copy & Paste this message. Thank You PS: Feel free to paste this comment on any of your favorite videos.
Dude! You did it again! Pure Awesomeness! Love how you try your best to avoid specialty tools and keep this for the regular average Joe handyman! Love how you make mistakes and include that in the tutorial as things to watch out for,...and you can laugh at yourself, "Be gentle when filling your sprayer!" Also, not as important to me, but the video audio quality is really good! Keep up the good work! Really appreciate you! Been watching since the first video!
Retired GC moving back to NC b/c my house got torn up in Hurricane Ian and going to build my "final" house. I'm low on cash and thinking about how to temp surface the OSB subfloor until I can afford real flooring. What do you recommend? I only need it to last for a year or so. Your videos are flipping AWESOME for this 70 YO Nanny. Going to be doing a lot of the finishing inside DIM.
I'm etching a painted porch with muratic acid and then priming it and putting self leveler on it, I know I'm taking a chance with the paint on it. lol, but it is a covered porch.
This was so good! Thank you. Just what I needed to see. Will the self leveling work well on my outdoor slab if one side is sunken? I'll incase the whole thing properly I'm just hoping it can fix a slanted slab instead of paying 2k for mudjacking. (2 birds stoned at once as i can not only level my slab cheap but can also make the rough surface pretty as it was just foundation support for an old deck I rippped out and is rough as heck
Just what I was looking for!! I have a 1940’s little cottage house with a front porch that has water pooling in several areas. Paint that was applied just peels and basically looks like sh*t. I noticed the self leveling concrete spills over the edge naturally, but what if I don’t want that? My front porch has red brick surround and steps coming from the front of the porch are also red brick. I don’t want the concrete spilling over the red brick. How would you suggest I prevent that? Thank you! New sub!!
Sorry to see you didn’t get sloppy with your caulk around the red taped back area, at least. Wait a minute!!!: At the end did you actually call the porch a “Porsche”???.
The product says it's not fora permanent walking surface but for some kind of finish surface like tile. You put on some coatings and I'm wondering if that made it OK as a permanent walking surface. How has it held up?
Not sure if you read the message.. But if so, I'm needing some ideas. I just had 2000 sqft pad poured around our new in-ground pool, and during the pour the guys messed up one area. He tried to fix it by smoothing it out with a grinder then put a layer on top of it and tried to re-broom it.. Yeah that didn't work... AT ALL. Now it looks worse than before he tried fixing it. (and its not a small area either, matter of fact a vocal point) He got the picture frame looking good but the broomed area looks like it melted. Will this product broom, or do you know anything else I can work and make it look good while matching the normal concrete color?
You need a gauge rake for sure which will give you a much better more even finish! Gauge rake and spike roller are a must I am a floor layer we do vinyl plank, hybrid floor, timber floors and are used to floor preparation
I can't believe I asked this question 2 years ago so far. I finally took the grinder to the small porch step 2 months ago, and have to install a new fence so won't be getting around to it for a bit. Sometimes the world just seems empty
Liked the vid but I thought you said this isn't "finished" or "wearable" the you stained and sealed... This is supposed to go under other flooring correct? Does the sealer suddenly make it not underlayment ---updated on opinion?
Isn’t there supposed to be something to cover it, you mentioned needing another layer of a product (such as stone or tile?) when used outside… Something besides dye and sealer? Is that considered a final finishing product to just use dye and sealer? Always good to pick a color that complements the house/existing architecture (and for other projects, people, it’s also good to pick a design that goes with the architectural style of the house.. ....lately I’ve seen a lot of scattered designs and colors in my neighborhood and general vicinity… And here on YT as well, the ultra modern design clashing with the Victorian house, making both of them look horrible because they compete with each other, breaking the first rule of design which is to keep with the architectural integrity of existing design and making it look like it’s always belonged, not like something that fell off the truck into the yard...or the mish-mosh of various clashing colors used... and the horrid replacement of lawns with rocks and mulch, which is an IQ fail, as it doesn’t help the environment in the long run at all, it provides no habitat for anything at all, Destroys the homes and places of rest and food supply of critical parts of the environment… Humans aren’t the only ones who need a home and a place to drink water, eat, rest and recover. Rock sliding and/or mulching the yard destroys the homes and places of rest and the food supply of....the rest of the environment… Bees that pollinate the food supply, (and only sting people when they scream hysterically and wave their arms at them like a giant (idiot) who is trying to kill them, only then do they resort to self-defense as any sane creature word... After all that little bee was just minding its own business trying to pollinate the world for the ungrateful, stupid, screaming giant)... They are doing their job keeping the food supply intact, and they need some pollen in order to do that, and if every idiot thinks that somebody else’s yard will take up the slack for their own lack of provisions made for the environment… What we have right now is an epidemic of environmental stupidity. All critters need a home and a place to drink water, rest up, get some food... birds and butterflies...birds need the worms, and the insects that come from your lawn, there’s a whole ecosystem out there and when you don’t have a lawn in a few flowers and a shrub and a tree, you are depriving the environment of critical requirements. They don’t need hundreds of gallons of water to be sustained if that’s the concern, my lawn has survived being watered twice in an entire season. Some plants need little watch it once they are established. If people want to rockslide or mulch the yard and live in cubed or cement houses with no Lines of interest, when they think using two or three different building materials is somehow “design”, then they should just commit a crime, and move to prison, where everything is already devoid of anything natural and is environmentally unfriendly... Very affordable as well... Perfect for the environmentally lazy. And when working around landscaping, do protect the shrubbery as well... And the dirt. I can’t count how many contractors have made a hell of a mess, when they could’ve put down a simple tarp, but didn’t, and left shards of all kinds of bits of metal and wire, hundreds of tiny gravel rocks in my (formerly) perfectly rock free grass, and basically all manner of garbage embedded in the lawn and shrubbery. Wankers. Lazy wankers. And don’t completely covered the flowers and shrubbery with a tarp on a hot day and create a greenhouse effect, or you will kill off any blooms if they happen to be blooming, and possibly some of the more delicate plants entirely. I don’t know what it is about contractors in general but peoples plants are expensive, and trampling them and failing to protect them from your building materials, product, and your own bull in a China shop mentality makes you liable for the damage. Leave the job site better than you found it, not worse. **Michael**, I am not suggesting you do these harmful things, it’s just a good time to bring it up, since it’s the time of year for outdoor projects and I’m still dealing with messes that contractors have left behind from projects that I can’t do entirely alone. Might’ve been good to protect the shrubbery, though, even with a thin disposable tablecloth from the dollar store, and a couple of well-placed pieces of tape to keep it generally covered, but still breathable. And finally, since everything is self-leveling if it’s mixed thinly enough, couldn’t one just use any product thinly mixed? Fine to use some sort of degreaser to clean, and perhaps some primer to encourage adhesion from new to old...if necessary, but it seems like any rapid set mortar or cement mix could do the same. Some of these self-leveling products are extremely expensive, when if you were to pour out some excess cement from a project, you would have just as much difficult getting it back up, it’s not going anywhere. Water always finds its level, so, seems like as long as it isn’t too terribly thin, anything with a fair amount of adhesion would do the job.
I have questions.... You just put stain right on top of the grey patch ?? You don't have to make it white then apply stain ? I used Mapei floor patch, should I seal that and start over.? My area is only a patch job 2x6 ft area
I just watched all your videos…but I am very concerned that you did not follow up about your dye you did sometime back please let us know, I subscribed today having 2nd thoughts now
Rapid Set TRU PC would probable hold up outside. But not what he is using, even sealed. Even with primer you still have water rising from underneath as most outside porches and patios are not treated for that. Hydro static pressure will occur then POP off comes your topping. The better the sealer the sooner it will happen.
I really appreciate the commentary on technical problems, tools and techniques. I also really appreciate the "how to work with errors" section. Most of us DIY'ers will be doing things like this only once. So, we'll have errors or problems. It is actually very helpful to see how to work with those problems.
I am so happy to see that you blew up! I saw your first video and just knew you were going to be big! See you on TV soon! Continued success!
Thank you so much Matt!
Soooooo one thing not mentioned in this video that I learned after my first failed attempt at doing this. Maybe this was obvious to most but I didn't really think it would be an issue. It is that this stuff sets SUPER QUICKLY. And I knew that it did but I thought I would be able to move fast enough. Well, I was wrong. Eventually, the product curing caught up with me. Having another set of hands or two will make a huge difference here. It is advised to have multiple buckets with the water measured out, someone to mix while you pour, and even a third person that keeps the hose on misting the fresh surface. I couldn't keep up to mist fast enough and on top of looking like crap because it set too fast and didn't blend with the final pours, I got hairline cracks in the good part because it dried too quickly. GET HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THIS!!!
You should have done the second color while the first color was wet. That way you'd get an awesome melding of colors looking like a more natural slab with veining, as you'd see in natural stone.
That looks great !! Good job
I Love your Leather Look porch! 💜❤ Some wicker, rattan, and outdoor hide porch furniture will also go great. I learn a tremendous amount of product info from your skills ,expertise and experiences. Were you a Visual Arts student once?
Friggin sweet!
I would love to do that with my porch but seems like a lot of work. Especially since my porch is about 6× as large.
PROPS! For not trying to look like you're perfect and never make mistakes! We're all human and things don't always work out the first time. The end result looks great!
I watched the concrete counter top video yesterday. By the end, I was impressed and ready to subscribe. So I did. I watched a couple more of your videos which only confirmed to me that my decision to subscribe was a good idea. You have excellent content, you are upbeat and have a lot of energy, and you are not afraid to point out any mistakes you make and show us how to correct them. Outstanding! Keep the videos coming, you're doing great!
Hey Michael, it's a year later. How's the dye holding up?
@@RM-lo1ud
Yeah, Michael, where's the beef?
:-D
Where's the update video 😡
All of this dudes videos top comments are asking for a follow up vid.. idk
Looking to do this, how was the stains longevity
Thank YOU!!! It really helps that you screwed up! I feel sooo much better!
LOL you’re welcome but I wish my wife would say the same thing LOL 😂
Michael quick question....you said the floor leveler was not a wearable material. So, does the stain and sealer solve that problem making it able to hold up to constant traffic?
Yes, the sealer will make it a wearable surface.
Love the satin color. I would like to evening my garage. Do you know if this leveler can handle vehicles?
Same question
Absolutely not! A sealer is just that... it seals the substrate so that nothing penetrates. It is NOT a wearable surface. Was I emphatic enough? Anyone saying it is, does not know what they're talking about and shouldn't be giving out advice.
In fact, according to the manufacturer, the duration of the seal is based upon the amount of surface abrasion the surface is subjected to... and it could be as little as 2 months! Untouched, the surface would still have to be resealed in a few years. You know of a porch/deck that is untouched?
A wearable surface means some sort of flooring over it... which may include a poured epoxy coating, but not sealer. SEALER! Does the name not tell you what it's designed to do?
why are you asking someone that completely botched the job and confessed he's never used those final products???
There is no way that sealer will make a underlayment a wearable surface. A build up coating such as a urethane will work outside or a epoxy inside Maybe some water-based epoxies if you use enough coats, but not what he used. HOWEVER he says it could be used OUTSIDE. That more than likely means it can be used as an overlayment. RAPID SET is just covering their butt by saying not recommended for wearable. If it is not rated for outside and it says not a wearable surface BELIEVE them.
I have used this dye for three of my homes. It has held up great and will continue to use it!! Inside and out looks fine after 7 years now just seal it every year or as needed.
Don't think that shop vac helped man.
No really 😂😂
It helps to use a cyclone before the vacuum to remove the bulk of the dust. Something like a dust deputy.
Michael, you are awesome! I've been wanting to do this inside the house (damaged basement floor). You make it look easy, but acknowledge your mistakes too! makes a DIY'er like me much more confident. Thank man!
Thank you so much!
how well has this held up my father did a concrete patio last summer and there are several uneven spots that now that it is winter are becoming a massive ice sheets was wondering if this would work to lvl/ make it so the water doesn't pool and if it would last long time without chipping off
Would like to see more discussion about what to do around the edges !!
Thank you for showing that you're human and we make mistakes and we can fix it. You're such an inspiration! The porch looks fabulous!
It looked like there were a lot of bubbles in the sealer you sprayed on last, and they showed up after it dried. Is that to be expected?
At the beginning you said this leveler needed to have something over it, and you mentioned tile, and laminate. Is a stain and sealer one of the recommended coverings to keep the leveler protected from deteriorating in the weather?
@@cuervo28208- I agree, and I am one of those old geezer people you mentioned! As a 73 year old, I'm really tired of seeing video of people "acting like" they know what they're doing, and it's actually the first time they've ever tried to do the job.
Great work! I have to do exactly the same on my patio. Thanks for the detailed explanation and tips!!
I just watched and enjoyed the video. And I am wondering how it held up.
Thanks
The leveler held up great. The stain and clear coat held up good but there were a few small chips here and there. If you have snowy winters DO NOT use the gloss! Waaaaay too slippery!Go low sheen for better traction
You mentioned that this self-leveling concrete is not a wear surface; it needs something on top. But it looks like in your video that there is not top wear surfacing. Does the sealer make it a wear surface? I want to do something similar but I want to avoid laying tile on top. I like the finish that you applied.
I didn’t know there was such thing as concrete dye, thanks Mike
Hi Michael! Superb presentation skills and top-notch production value! Great information and so entertaining! Thank you for doing this!
Great video.
Why didn’t you do the 2 concrete steps too? Was it because this leaves a slippery coat when wet? Safety reason?
The steps have to match bro! Lol. Just being ocd 😉
I simply didn’t feel like it lol 😂
Michael Builds .... lol. Man your videos are awesome keep up the great job and enthusiasm 👍🏻
Guys so stupid he doesn't even know about a 5 inch angle grinder dust shroud (costs $50 at home depot).
Silica grinding like this caries a $10,000 fine and your neighbors can sue you if they breath any of your toxic dust.
This guy needs to be locked up.
Thanks Mike so did the Dye paint worked? U have no links on the description. And what about instead of the Concrete Leveler you us Concrete Resurface? Will it still work the same?
Thanks.
If I need to resurface my deck and give it a small slope of about 1-3% to drain the water out of the house, the product you are using is too liquid. What should I use?
brother, as a 35 year old with severe hearing damage from duck hunting, use ear pro. If I want to have a conversation at a loud restaurant or bar, I have to wear hearing aids now
How about making a quick paver tutorial for those of us who don't want to spend hundreds of bucks at Home Depot to get a nice patio or sidewalk? Not like square bricks but interesting custom shapes...
Need to do those stairs next!
I adore this look. Trying to make a small two person sitting area on the side of my garage and this has given me a great idea.
Hey Michael I appreciate the video.
I would have some serious concerns on the self leveler holding up with just the sealer on top. I’ve used it many times in indoor applications but not one like this. Usually on a damaged patio like that I would skim with a patching concrete like “Cements all” or “cams patch”.
I am interested to see how it holds up!
Again thanks for the video. Take care!
Prep is the key of success
You said it couldn’t be a wearable surface, but it was left exposed. Did it hold up?
Any issues with water since this is self levelling and not sloping away from the house?
This is the most informative self-leveling concrete video I have watched. In the video, it says the leveler product is not intended as a wearable surface, and requires some form of covering (tiles, etc.). But you dyed the surface and left it uncovered. Why is that?
Also, if the old concrete was previously painted with epoxy garage floor paint, will the primer and leveler adhere to that, or does it all need to be ground off?
Wait for his HOW TO USE A SCARIFIER VIDEO sure to follow.
I like it...but you said that Rapidset product is NOT meant to be a wear surface. And now you are using it as a wear surface....
That’s why I put the stain and sealer on top of it. It is now protected from the elements and surface wear
👌Nice project! I basically just did the same thing to my patio, but with the "Cement All" variation (with plenty Set and Flow Control.) How long after you finished the Leveling concrete layer did you wait to apply the concrete stain and sealer?
Didn’t you say the leveler was not a finish coating by staining it aren’t you using it as your finish coating
Inquiring minds want to know!
Hear hear
The comedic comments are always appreciated, thanks for making great diy continent!
Correction: Most self levelers DO go to 2"; with option to go to 5" with aggregate. You are thinking of trowelable patches that only go to 1/2".
Yooo, been a year, I'm waiting hahahaha
great video as always.
but you said it's not a durable product and has to be covered with stone or tile...
then just stained it.
did I miss something?
After watching you B side video from a while ago, it makes me appreciate your effort to keep the boring topic of watching cement dry engaging and enjoyable. You're certainly honing your craft and I for one enjoy it.
Great job! I'm hooked now. Time to start my binge watching. I'm learning so much. I can't wait until I am completely healed from this rotator cuff tear to put what I'm learning to use. Thanks for sharing.
Like what Bob Ross said, " There are no mistake, just happy little accident".
Bob Ross wasn't launching space shuttles he was applying paint to canvas. Now do you understand?
Very cool but what the heck dude?? You’re outside you could have grinder that slab wet and not had any dust. Tool would have held up fine
Wow, does that ever look great. Another awesome learning experience and very entertaining. Well done sir!
Thank you so much Monty!!!
The moment you asked "what's the moral..." my brain screamed "RTFM"! Great video!
Lol 😂
And I chuckled, and thought "dudes!"
Easily one of my new favorite channels! I really appreciate your content and method of explanation and demonstration, very helpful! Keep it comin!
Thank you so much Cliff! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that! ☺️🙏👍🏻
Great video. I really don't have to do this but I found your video entertaining and I'm sure we all know about reading instructions. It's a guy thing, right?
Thanks Scout! 😊👍🏻
I like this hard leather concrete. It is beautiful.
Great video! After two years now, how did the stain work out?
Exactly what I came on YT to look for. Excellent job it looks great. Appreciate the info and tips. Doing my back patio soon, approx same size. About how much of each of the products did yours require? That’s a good rough estimate for mine. Thanks again
I'm curious, is the finish slicker than pig snot when it gets wet?
Don’t add grit to the stain, it won’t adhere. Stain penetrates rather than coats. But DO add it to a sealer. “Seal Krete” makes some good stuff called CLEAR GRIP that I’ve used with epoxy, and Rustoleum has some clear grit additives too. My last epoxy garage floor I went a bit nuts (having busted my a$$ on the slippery one before it) and added a bit too much...the entire floor was like 40 grit sandpaper.
On the good side, my feet stayed baby-smooth!!!
Nice, I did some concrete counters a while back and I used a beige color like yours but it was an acid stain, so when you artistically apply the stain in a random pattern and get some overlay you get deeper and deeper colors without having to use multiple colors. Turned out fantastic!
Hi Michael, your video is so helpful, and we are wondering how the patio held up??
Hi! Could you do a follow up with the driveway project you did last year? To show us how its holds up abd everything. Thanks!
Love your tutorials - what would you do with a side walk that is starting to be lifted by a tree root?
I worked in the concrete trade for 5 years... that being said, your best bet is to remove the effected areas at the relief joint/joints. Remove the roots beyond the area near the sidewalk and re-poor. All you will need is a few minor tools. If you don’t have any tools it may be cheaper to have a reputable concrete company come in and knock it out quickly. I hope this helps.
First, check with your city/municipality.
Sometimes the sidewalk is the property owners responsibility, sometimes it’s the city, and some situations are shared. In my last city, we were always responsible for general upkeep, but if the sidewalk was seriously cracked, heaving (lifted), or sunken then the city would inspect it and often made the repair. One repair was a sunken section near a utility access and the city made the power company fix the dip.
You can often create a bit of urgency by quoting the ADA act, because if the sidewalk creates a hazard for people with disabilities that’s something they take seriously. Another helpful motivator is emailed photos. Be sure to hold a ruler or measuring tape in the picture for scale.
Because a tree root is lifting the sidewalk, they will probably ask if the tree is located on your side of the sidewalk or the strip between the sidewalk and the street. If it’s in the easement area, there’s a very high probability that the repair is on the city. In our Florida neighborhood we had a Poinciana tree removed by the city (and replaced with a Java Cassia tree) and the sidewalk removed and replaced because of root intrusion...the city even gave us an option of 3 different tree types.
In the video you said that the leveler is an underlay. Is the dye/stain enough of an overlay to protect the product or was it only temporary and you'll have to put tile or wood down later? Would this work for a pool patio or would you recommend something else?
Thank you for screwing up for our benefit.
I hate watching these videos and wishing you could come do it for me! I am from Myrtle Beach, SC.
Stain a concrete porch, one solid generic gray color for me. Enjoy your videos
Happy Holidays! Another informative video, well done. Pull up a chair and have a cold one.
1st that was freaking awesome and hilarious! 2nd Could you stamp that concrete to make it look like wood or a rock pattern or would you need a thicker layer of concrete?
It's leveler, not stamp mix. Stamp mixes are 3/8 of an inch and have more body and bigger sand, they do not flow like a leveler does. Different additives in the mix.
you said it's not a wear surface... but then you just threw stain on it.
Did that work out ok?
Hooray hooray hooray!!! This is exactly what I am going to do to my basement floor😍. 500 sq ft space. Would you say 2 gallons or one of the primary color dye?
DE B PLEASE let me know how that goes. I have a HUGE basement, and am pulling the flooring (2001 pergo) from the former owner, and am staining the concrete. Kids... :)
Michael some of your stuff is so cool. And I like the fact your a concrete guy who admits his mistakes. Been into concrete work for 50 years. As you probably know a concrete workers useful life is not long enough. Man I found your site and even though my shoulders and knees are wore out I have found and explored stuff thru you I can do again. Thanks brother ☮️ Peace
What tool did you use and what did you spray to smooth out the vertical edge surfaces? I'm a novice to concrete and want to make sure I'm doing it right.
Did YOU help this channel today? Three to Four steps.
#1.Subscribe #2.Thumbs Up #3.Make a comment. #4.SHARE
If you can't think of anything to say; Copy & Paste this message. Thank You
PS: Feel free to paste this comment on any of your favorite videos.
Dude! You did it again! Pure Awesomeness!
Love how you try your best to avoid specialty tools and keep this for the regular average Joe handyman!
Love how you make mistakes and include that in the tutorial as things to watch out for,...and you can laugh at yourself, "Be gentle when filling your sprayer!"
Also, not as important to me, but the video audio quality is really good!
Keep up the good work! Really appreciate you! Been watching since the first video!
Somehow you have a new sub 😎 love your work, solide content Michael
Seeing your Pittsburgh level made me confident to pull this off.....I too have this level 👍🏽
Retired GC moving back to NC b/c my house got torn up in Hurricane Ian and going to build my "final" house. I'm low on cash and thinking about how to temp surface the OSB subfloor until I can afford real flooring. What do you recommend? I only need it to last for a year or so. Your videos are flipping AWESOME for this 70 YO Nanny. Going to be doing a lot of the finishing inside DIM.
I'm etching a painted porch with muratic acid and then priming it and putting self leveler on it, I know I'm taking a chance with the paint on it. lol, but it is a covered porch.
Could the stairs have been stained or would they have needed the leveler also first?
Nice video. How many bags of cement leveler did you use for that space? Thanks.
Is it adviseable to pour self leveling concrete on top of fresh concrete so that no primer is required?
So just stain and sealer make it "wearable" and permanent?? Thought you needed another surface like tile...etc??
This was so good! Thank you. Just what I needed to see. Will the self leveling work well on my outdoor slab if one side is sunken? I'll incase the whole thing properly I'm just hoping it can fix a slanted slab instead of paying 2k for mudjacking. (2 birds stoned at once as i can not only level my slab cheap but can also make the rough surface pretty as it was just foundation support for an old deck I rippped out and is rough as heck
Just what I was looking for!! I have a 1940’s little cottage house with a front porch that has water pooling in several areas. Paint that was applied just peels and basically looks like sh*t.
I noticed the self leveling concrete spills over the edge naturally, but what if I don’t want that? My front porch has red brick surround and steps coming from the front of the porch are also red brick. I don’t want the concrete spilling over the red brick. How would you suggest I prevent that?
Thank you! New sub!!
Even with the happy little accidents, still looked good!!!! Giving me ideas for my back patio a little later!!!!
Lol 😂 thank you so much! 👍🏻😊
So true! Leather wrapped porch 😅
Very well thought out and great cinematography....well done. Randomly checked your video. Liked and subscribed. Greetings from Greece!
Thank you so much! AND WELCOME TO THE CHANNEL! 💪🏻👍🏻😊
Sorry to see you didn’t get sloppy with your caulk around the red taped back area, at least.
Wait a minute!!!: At the end did you actually call the porch a “Porsche”???.
The product says it's not fora permanent walking surface but for some kind of finish surface like tile. You put on some coatings and I'm wondering if that made it OK as a permanent walking surface. How has it held up?
Underlayment ONLY. Needs flooring above, right?? WTF ???
Well still looking good? Watched your video now I'm thinking about taking back all the porcelain tiles I bought what are your thoughts??? Please help
Not sure if you read the message.. But if so, I'm needing some ideas. I just had 2000 sqft pad poured around our new in-ground pool, and during the pour the guys messed up one area. He tried to fix it by smoothing it out with a grinder then put a layer on top of it and tried to re-broom it.. Yeah that didn't work... AT ALL. Now it looks worse than before he tried fixing it. (and its not a small area either, matter of fact a vocal point) He got the picture frame looking good but the broomed area looks like it melted. Will this product broom, or do you know anything else I can work and make it look good while matching the normal concrete color?
Looks really good but what keeps it from cracking again as it settles more?
You need a gauge rake for sure which will give you a much better more even finish! Gauge rake and spike roller are a must
I am a floor layer we do vinyl plank, hybrid floor, timber floors and are used to floor preparation
That's a transformation. Do you have any videos repairing a single step and suggestions on how to "paint" the cement porch a tan or grey ?
I can't believe I asked this question 2 years ago so far. I finally took the grinder to the small porch step 2 months ago, and have to install a new fence so won't be getting around to it for a bit. Sometimes the world just seems empty
Liked the vid but I thought you said this isn't "finished" or "wearable" the you stained and sealed... This is supposed to go under other flooring correct? Does the sealer suddenly make it not underlayment ---updated on opinion?
Isn’t there supposed to be something to cover it, you mentioned needing another layer of a product (such as stone or tile?) when used outside… Something besides dye and sealer? Is that considered a final finishing product to just use dye and sealer? Always good to pick a color that complements the house/existing architecture (and for other projects, people, it’s also good to pick a design that goes with the architectural style of the house..
....lately I’ve seen a lot of scattered designs and colors in my neighborhood and general vicinity… And here on YT as well, the ultra modern design clashing with the Victorian house, making both of them look horrible because they compete with each other, breaking the first rule of design which is to keep with the architectural integrity of existing design and making it look like it’s always belonged, not like something that fell off the truck into the yard...or the mish-mosh of various clashing colors used... and the horrid replacement of lawns with rocks and mulch, which is an IQ fail, as it doesn’t help the environment in the long run at all, it provides no habitat for anything at all, Destroys the homes and places of rest and food supply of critical parts of the environment…
Humans aren’t the only ones who need a home and a place to drink water, eat, rest and recover. Rock sliding and/or mulching the yard destroys the homes and places of rest and the food supply of....the rest of the environment… Bees that pollinate the food supply, (and only sting people when they scream hysterically and wave their arms at them like a giant (idiot) who is trying to kill them, only then do they resort to self-defense as any sane creature word... After all that little bee was just minding its own business trying to pollinate the world for the ungrateful, stupid, screaming giant)...
They are doing their job keeping the food supply intact, and they need some pollen in order to do that, and if every idiot thinks that somebody else’s yard will take up the slack for their own lack of provisions made for the environment… What we have right now is an epidemic of environmental stupidity. All critters need a home and a place to drink water, rest up, get some food... birds and butterflies...birds need the worms, and the insects that come from your lawn, there’s a whole ecosystem out there and when you don’t have a lawn in a few flowers and a shrub and a tree, you are depriving the environment of critical requirements. They don’t need hundreds of gallons of water to be sustained if that’s the concern, my lawn has survived being watered twice in an entire season. Some plants need little watch it once they are established.
If people want to rockslide or mulch the yard and live in cubed or cement houses with no Lines of interest, when they think using two or three different building materials is somehow “design”, then they should just commit a crime, and move to prison, where everything is already devoid of anything natural and is environmentally unfriendly... Very affordable as well... Perfect for the environmentally lazy.
And when working around landscaping, do protect the shrubbery as well... And the dirt. I can’t count how many contractors have made a hell of a mess, when they could’ve put down a simple tarp, but didn’t, and left shards of all kinds of bits of metal and wire, hundreds of tiny gravel rocks in my (formerly) perfectly rock free grass, and basically all manner of garbage embedded in the lawn and shrubbery. Wankers. Lazy wankers.
And don’t completely covered the flowers and shrubbery with a tarp on a hot day and create a greenhouse effect, or you will kill off any blooms if they happen to be blooming, and possibly some of the more delicate plants entirely. I don’t know what it is about contractors in general but peoples plants are expensive, and trampling them and failing to protect them from your building materials, product, and your own bull in a China shop mentality makes you liable for the damage. Leave the job site better than you found it, not worse.
**Michael**, I am not suggesting you do these harmful things, it’s just a good time to bring it up, since it’s the time of year for outdoor projects and I’m still dealing with messes that contractors have left behind from projects that I can’t do entirely alone. Might’ve been good to protect the shrubbery, though, even with a thin disposable tablecloth from the dollar store, and a couple of well-placed pieces of tape to keep it generally covered, but still breathable.
And finally, since everything is self-leveling if it’s mixed thinly enough, couldn’t one just use any product thinly mixed? Fine to use some sort of degreaser to clean, and perhaps some primer to encourage adhesion from new to old...if necessary, but it seems like any rapid set mortar or cement mix could do the same. Some of these self-leveling products are extremely expensive, when if you were to pour out some excess cement from a project, you would have just as much difficult getting it back up, it’s not going anywhere. Water always finds its level, so, seems like as long as it isn’t too terribly thin, anything with a fair amount of adhesion would do the job.
I have questions....
You just put stain right on top of the grey patch ??
You don't have to make it white then apply stain ?
I used Mapei floor patch, should I seal that and start over.? My area is only a patch job 2x6 ft area
I just watched all your videos…but I am very concerned that you did not follow up about your dye you did sometime back please let us know, I subscribed today having 2nd thoughts now
Hi Micheal, great video. Question for you: would this product work well in Canada, where we get -40 degree winters lol?
Rapid Set TRU PC would probable hold up outside. But not what he is using, even sealed. Even with primer you still have water rising from underneath as most outside porches and patios are not treated for that. Hydro static pressure will occur then POP off comes your topping. The better the sealer the sooner it will happen.
I don't think it quite works visually. Maybe if you have combined it with with stamping to give it the texture of wood or stones?
Top notch videos always a joy... if you haven't subscribed double subscribe just awesome.