Concrete Floor Patch

Here are some easy instructions and helpful tips for doing a concrete floor patch.

Ispect in and around the area to be patched. Check for any loose concrete or gravel and chip it away.

Clean the area thoroughly with water and a wire brush. Use a shop vac to suck up the water and loose debri.

Mix some vinyl patching cement according to package instructions. You can find concrete floor patch at any hardware and home improvement store. There are products available that are pre-mixed and you can just scoop out and apply, but the dry mixes that you have to add water to are much better.

Once mixed, scoop some out the pail and plop it into the hole. Use a steel trowel to smooth it flush with the floor and scrape up the excess. Let this dry for at least 24 hours. Deeper holes may require a second application to get it completely filled in and flush with the floor.

Completing these steps may be enough depending on whether or not the floor will be covered with carpet, wood, or other types of flooring.

If the floor needs to be smooth, then lightly grind or sand the patched areas until smooth. This is important for floors that will be treated with stains, sealers, epoxy coatings, or microtoppings.

Tip:

The place to get the best concrete floor patch material for the longest lasting and smoothest finish is a concrete/masonry supply store. You can also get a liquid polymer/bonding agent for better adhesion to the existing surface. Use a brush to coat the concrete with the bonding agent before applying the patch.

Another trick I like to use is mixing the patching material with a liquid bonding agent instead of water. Not only does it result in less shrinkage, but it sets much faster.

If the hole is deeper than an inch, then mix in some larger aggregates like pea gravel. This reduces spider-webbing from shrinkage.