Exposed Aggregate concrete help

ROUSTABOUT · Aug 11, 2023

JurassicJet said:
That is a complete bullcrap post. That kind of attitude just blows my mind. It DOES matter to the OP. Maybe you like to have your stuff look like crap, but a lot of people don't. The guy paid for a job and did not get what he paid for.

Yes, but his wife has cancer. Time to prioritize things and spend time helping her with her fight and not getting tied up in another fight.

2515R Dude · Aug 11, 2023

ROUSTABOUT said:
Yes, but his wife has cancer. Time to prioritize things and spend time helping her with her fight and not getting tied up in another fight.

Yes, I dropped this project for the time being. Next year I'll rent a jackhammer and fix it.
Unfortunately in west KY, if you want to get something right or done at all, do it yourself.
In 3 years I live here i never met anyone who keeps his promises or knows what he is doing. They are all extremely nice but all just outright liars
END OF RUNT AND STORY.
PLEASE NO MORE COMMENTS.

CliffordK · Oct 27, 2023

2515R Dude said:
Tried it as well, the wire wheel leaves black/gray/silver metal color on the rocks, looks ugly.

Here is what i was expecting:

Not this:

I'm not sure that is the same process. We did the exposed aggregate for the driveway in front of Mom & Dad's house years ago. Basic pour and wash off, I think. It was a long time ago. I think it ended up somewhat like the better patches of the second photo. Not patchy, although there may have been places that weren't perfectly flat. It was something that our family did together, so no contractor to complain about. It has weathered well over the years.

For the first photo, either they had a very high aggregate to sand mix (potentially making weak concrete), or as the concrete was setting, they added dry aggregate and rolled it into the surface. Anyway, whatever was done, it wasn't as simple pour and wash off.

Talking to your contractor before the job though, hopefully he actually understood different processes, but apparently not.

By now the concrete will likely be set pretty hard. So, perhaps sand blasting, soda blasting, or dry ice blasting. Perhaps there would be a way to make a test piece for your contractor to do a demo before you pay a bunch of money for something you won't be happy with.

I'd probably just leave it and let it age naturally. Is the concrete exposed to the weather?

CliffordK · Oct 27, 2023

Ahhh... so "seeding" was the step the contractor left out.

Making an Exposed Aggregate Concrete Path

Making an Exposed Aggregate Concrete Path: I love working with concrete because it's tough and versatile and relatively cost effective. In this instructable I'll be jazzing up a new footpath by exposing the aggregate. There are a few ways to do this, and many commercial operators use a high …

www.instructables.com

I'm pretty sure we didn't do that when we poured it at Mom & Dad's house. I can try to get some 40 years later photos if you wish. In the archives, there may be some fresher photos.

yooperdave · Oct 29, 2023

2515R Dude said:
Looking for an advise and TBN collective wisdom.
I hired a concrete contractor to make me a patio with exposed aggregate concrete.
The guy came, poured the concrete, sprayed the retarder, waited about 2 hours, washed and left.
When he was leaving i asked them why there are so many spots covered with the concrete, like 70-80%.
His answer was, it is send and concrete dust which tomorrow you can wash with regular hose. It is not going to harden.
Next morning i could not wash it not with regular hose, nor with jet spray.
I contacted him, he told me he would come later this day. Needless to say he never came, does not answer the phone, texts and such.

The question is: How do i remove a thin layer of the concrete to expose the aggregate?
I tried muriatic acid and KLEEN KREETE - no dice.
Are there any other options?

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