I’m starting a separate thread to my gardening one as an ongoing questions thread. I often think ‘someone on SF might have an idea for that’!
My back terrace has those small , coloured, concrete pavers on it. I’d be fine with them if they were the cream colour but they are a mix of red an yellow which is not nice. To top it off the edging is nasty shiny bricks (I suspect the heat ones used behind the woodburner - next question!) and the steps (it is on 3 levels) are made of those big nasty pebbledash pavers . In total it is quite a large area, probably 30m2 so at 30€/m a lot to just replace (plus it needs widening! My only 2 ideas are some sort of chaux mix to cover the lot but no idea if that would a/ work b/ withstand walking on. Second trying to make pavers with chaux / white ciment and calcaire 6/10 for a fake limestone look. No idea how realistic this would be or how much work.
Any ideas, suggestions, thoughts on the terrace issue gratefully received. Photos on request (once it stops raining!).
Send issue is ugly bricks in whole corner behind woodburner. They are quite shiny, I suspect heat ones. Any thoughts on ways to cover them up? Worried nothing will adhere to shiny surface!
I looked at some yesterday and they seem to want a very clean surface to start with, even talk of sanding to get it smooth. Not possible on my rough, outdoor pavers!
Because if it isn’t applied to a properly prepared surface it will start to wear or flake off very quickly. Concrete paint is very fussy if you want it to look good and last.
Narrrr we jet wash them every year, they do look a bit better for a little while but I just don’t like the colour, nor the tiles at the top of the stairs, nor the brick edging!!!
That Lidl stuff actually looks quite good but hate the red and think the pale grey would get too dirty and not sure I could get the man shape to agree to the gris anthracite! Shame they don’t have ‘limestone’ colour!!!
I think Sika might have a coloured sealant that would last a few years and there’s probably some kind of heavy duty type of sanding machine like a lawnmower you could hire for half a day and smooth the surface off. Unsure if you’d then have to “re-grout”, level (expensive stuff) or could just go ahead and seal / colour
How about covering it with Béton désactivé. Then you could have it virtually whatever colour you want.
Just as an example; Béton désactivé Revêtement pour sols extérieurs - ArtisanBeton
Not cheap, but the larger the area the lower the cost per square metre.
Alternatively, you could lay timber decking over the top of that which currently exists.
I think, if you have tried severe jet washing with just water, get in your local Blaster Master. Let him have a go with some medium grit. You will then see the tiles more or less as they were when first laid. The surface would, in any event, be perfectly ready for whatever you chose to put on top.
Can look nice. You do have to be careful with installing an edging that prevents the gravel migrating off into the far distance, as people and animals kick it about.
. In total it is quite a large area, probably 30m2 so at 30€/m a lot to just replace (plus it needs widening! My only 2 ideas are some sort of chaux mix to cover the lot but no idea if that would a/ work b/ withstand walking on. Second trying to make pavers with chaux / white ciment and calcaire 6/10 for a fake limestone look. No idea how realistic this would be or how much work.
