How to Repair Pea Gravel Concrete
Pea gravel is made of small, polished stones of varying color. Although the gravel can be used on its own, you also can add it to cement to form pea gravel concrete. Pea gravel concrete is more decorative than plain concrete and offers better traction.
Like any concrete, though, it is prone to hairline cracks and small chips, in which case you need to repair it.
Things You Will Need
- Pea gravel
- Cement mix
- Bucket
- Water
- Putty knife/pointing trowel
- Plastic sheeting
- Concrete adhesive
Tip
Mix more concrete than you think you'll need; it's better to have too much than to have to stop in the middle of your project and mix more. For larger patch jobs such as cracks or holes, the process is more complex and requires undercutting. For these larger jobs, use a concrete adhesive around the edges of the crack or hole to prevent future cracking. Put pea gravel concrete on porches and around pools, where plain concrete would be slippery and dangerous.
Warning
Concrete is difficult to remove once it's dry. Do not get it on skin or clothing.
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Moisten the concrete around the edges of the split you're repairing. This will make the new concrete bond to the old concrete more successfully. Sprinkle water over the old concrete and leave it for several hours. Remove any standing water from the area before you spread new concrete.
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Pour a small amount of concrete mix into your bucket and add water until the mix becomes a paste.
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Add pea gravel to your concrete mix to match the concrete you're patching. The match won't be exact, but get as close as you can for aesthetic reasons. You may need to add more water after you've added the gravel, but the concrete mix should be thick for proper spreading.
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Clean any dirt and debris from the area you're patching and use the putty knife or pointed trowel to transfer some of your cement mix to the area. Push as much mix as you can into the split, and then level it off.
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Let the concrete set for two hours. Cover the area with a plastic sheet and leave it for five days.
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Moisten the area once a day until the concrete is fully set. Remove the protective plastic after five days.
The Drip Cap
- Pea gravel is made of small, polished stones of varying color.
- You may need to add more water after you've added the gravel, but the concrete mix should be thick for proper spreading.
- Let the concrete set for two hours.
References
Photo Credits
- long driveway image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
- long driveway image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
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