Any Members in Arkansas?

So, gotta ask, whatcha doing next?

 

I bought another 370Z Nismo. I had one before I bought the truck. It's a weekend toy for me and the wife.

 

I still need to get some pics, but here are some items I have that could go to a good home:

• 2 Prinsu load panels
• 4 2-Gallon Storage Black Pack Rotopax (brand new)
• 1 4-Gallon Fuel Pack RotoPax
• 2 2-Gallon Water Pack Rotopax
• 4 Standard Pack Mounts Rotopax
• 2 Hondo Mounts
• Factor 55 HitchLink 2.5 in. Receiver Anodized Gray
• 1 set of MaxTrax MKII Recovery Boards (Orange)
• 1 set of Rago Fabrication Bed Rail MaxTrax Mount

There may be more, but this is a good start. I will add this and pics to the Marketplace, but feel free to PM me if you are interested.

 

Sharp!

 

Are RotoPax the plastic ones?

 

How much?

 

Speaking of selling rigs, I sold my 2nd Gen runner and made $1000 on it. Not sure If I shared that with y'all or not

 

She's a beauty!

My oldest graduates in the fall, and our main vehicles will be paid off soon. Waiting on a Gazoo Racing version of the 86 and availability to get back to normal before I do anything, though. But, I'm keeping the truck.

 

I thought about waiting for the GR Corolla to buy a commuter car but my wife said there was no way she was driving a hatchback. Probably wouldn't get the gas mileage I wanted anyway.

 

Has anyone used this product before? I'm thinking of coating my pool deck myself with this Behr concrete texture because my contractors have displayed their incompetence and I have told them that they are no longer welcome at my house.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-PR...terior-Concrete-Floor-Coating-65505/206446389

 

I don't have experience with that specific product but I've been involved in a lot of different concrete coatings/finishes. Why do you want to put a coating on it?

 

Great question and I should have been more detailed in the post - all are plastic.

I could do $175.

 

I had a new concrete deck poured around the pool where wood used to be. It’s just brushed right now and there are some areas that they had to do by hand and it looks bad. I’m looking for something that will provide some grip when walking barefoot, not get hot in the sun, and give consistent color all around the new and old concrete.

Ah ok, I could use some metal Jerry cans.

 

I'd use something specific for pool decks. BEHR makes good stuff, but I haven't used that. Typically they put down a plaster-like layer on top of the concrete and use texturing pads to give it a consistent look (look at Kool Deck). If the concrete already looks bad, not sure a paint-like product would make it look any better unless you fix the surface, but I could be wrong.

 

The reason I ask is that applying a coating to concrete can create something to maintain where there wasn't previously. How long ago was the concrete placed? If it's been within the last few months I wouldn't apply a coating. The concrete will put off vapors as it cures which can cause coatings to not adhere properly. There are (very expensive) admixtures that can speed up this process but they're typically not added unless specifically requested and that wouldn't be done for a pool deck.

Did they use a vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) under the concrete or place it directly on the ground? If they didn't use a vapor barrier you could continue to get moisture from under the slab coming up through the slab. This may not be a huge concern if it stays pretty dry and you don't have a high water table but it can cause the same issues with coatings adhering properly. I have seen 6" diameter water bubbles in latex floor coatings because of this issue.

How different is the finish? If the finish is more coarse on the newer areas than the existing I would let it sit for a while. A lot of time weather and traffic will make the broom finish less coarse over time. I realize your pool deck probably doesn't have a lot of traffic but you could pressure wash it once you're certain it's fully cured (I'd wait ~60 days). There are also abrasives that can be used to even out surface finish.

On the color you can stain the concrete but would have to do a little experimenting with the concentrations to even out darker and lighter concrete. Staining wouldn't have the same concerns about vapors causing adhesion issues since they actually penetrate and dye the concrete. Also, if it's an issue of the newer concrete being lighter than the old, I would let this sit for a while as well. Concrete will change colors as it cures. There's also a possibility they used a curing compound (probably 50/50 on a pool deck done by a residential contractor) that can make the concrete look a lot lighter. Curing compound forms a (usually white) barrier to control surface evaporation during the initial set when there are high temps/winds. This wears off naturally over the course of a year or so but can also be pressure washed off.

If it was me I'd let it sit a year, pressure wash both the old and new, then decide if it's still bad enough to warrant a coating. If you do decide to coat it surface prep is the most important thing you can do. If it has a broom finish already you shouldn't need to do acid etching or anything but make sure to follow manufacturer's surface prep recommendations to the letter. Also you want it as dry as possible before applying the coating but still cool so temperature doesn't effect set time of the coating. So when you've had a couple week stretch of hot, dry weather pressure wash really well, then let it sit for a day or two, then apply on an early summer morning.

ETA: Also be aware that regardless of whether you stain or apply a coating, old and new concrete will accept the stain/coating differently depending on the constituents/chemical composition of the concrete and how it was finished.

It depends on the thickness of the coating. If you have a high viscosity coating that applies in thicker coats you can make up for some surface defects.

 

Thanks for the input. I’ll post some photos so you see what I’m talking about. I am absolutely coating the concrete, that is a definite and was the plan all along.

this Behr stuff says that is is good for pool decks and it is very thick. Some people report only 30 sqft coverage from one gallon.

Lots to digest here, I appreciate your ideas and I’ll try to answer them in the order you ask

The concrete was poured about 7-8 weeks ago. I don’t know if they put any additives in it to cure faster, but the intent was for them to apply the texturing about a week after pouring the concrete.

They did not use a vapor barrier under the slab.

You should be able to see the difference in finish from the photos. Leaving it untouched is not an option. The deck does not get a lot of traffic so I don’t imagine the finish will change much at all anytime soon.

I am not looking to just throw down a stain. I want a product with some grit in it in order to help mask the imperfections in the surface. I do not expect the coating to make the two surfaces match perfectly, but I hope to make the transition less noticeable and have a *mostly* consistent color and texture while staying in budget. I’m also not willing to scrape all of the old deck down to remove the existing texture.

Waiting a year is something I really don’t want to do, and I don’t think it will do anything to help my situation. I am embarrassed to have guests over with the current state of the deck. I know prep work is everything, I have already powerwashed the old deck to blast the dirt off of it to see how bad the contrast really is. Take a look and cry with me…

I hope I was able to convey my intentions well. I want to do something that will apply a mostly consistent color and texture to both the new and existing deck, that I can DIY without grinding off the texture from the existing concrete. I know it won’t match perfectly because the surfaces are different, but surely anything would look better than what I’ve got now!

 

Yeah, I see why you don't want them to come back. What exactly am I looking at here? Is the ugly grey area around the diving board the coating or a concrete patch? If its it's the coating did they give you any product data on what they're using?

Most importantly have you paid them yet?

 

The ugly area around the diving board is where they “floated” the section because it had sunken down. They poured a thin layer on top of the existing deck to level that section. I wanted them to either raise it up and add dirt (or some sort of material) underneath to level it or remove the whole section and pour a new slab similar to what they did near the skimmer. The area at the skimmer basket was cracked and elevated so I asked that they replace the entire section to level it. At first they tried to half ass “repair” that section and it wasn’t until after several frustrating phone calls that they agreed to replace the section how I asked. That was the first red flag when I realized that the general contractor was not communicating effectively to his subs. There were other issues as well.

Unknown to me until a few days later, all the money was paid to the GC. Ugh. What a kick in the nuts.

 

Dang dude, that sucks, but par for the course it seems when dealing with most contractors.

That edge around the floated diving board area gives me anxiety. That needs some work to smooth it out on the edge. Or get someone else in to cut out the section and do it right. But that edge needs to be smoothed and sealed before putting down a coating.