Patio Restoration 5: The concrete is coming!

The work started early in the morning at 6am.  It was going to be 100+ degrees this day, so it was essential we got after it early.

The framing and final steps to prepare the space for the concrete were finished the night before around 10:30 - my 7month pregnant wife was even out there late raking gravel.  

Conduit runs underneath the concrete, this will allow us to have an electric outlet. 

Here comes the concrete, no turning back now.  The concrete was stained with color of our choice.  The color is a powder that is added at the concrete plant.

The concrete truck could only reach the steps, so we used these Georgia Buggies to haul the rest.

They were a bit tricky to drive but we got the hang of it.

The workers quickly smoothed the concrete like icing on enormous sheet cakes one might see on some Food Network Challenge 

We applied a mixture of dish soap and water to the walls on windows of the nearby structures - this makes it much easier to clean the surfaces once the concrete dries.

Once the concrete sured up and achieved the proper consistency we applied the stamps "English Cobblestone".  The stamps are heavy, rubber that interlock.

A release agent was applied to the stamps, it also added an accent color to the pattern.

We applied a different pattern called "Old Granite" to the steps 

The workers were effortless and made the concrete beautifully smooth.

The workers convening on the porch for an after work lunch and beer.  The guys worked hard and efficient.

Mark said concrete does two things, it hardens and it cracks - so it is important to cut it and tell it where to crack.  He used a walk behind saw to cut a few lines into the concrete

This will not be the final color of the surface, that will be revealed once the concrete is sealed.

A detailed look of the pattern on the steps

We plan to use stone to build up the flower box the will be centered in the patio

The half circle will host stone a fire pit.