Concrete Patio & Porch Resurfacing Ideas to Impress Your Guests

Make a statement by transforming your concrete porch or patio into a welcoming space that looks brand-new.

Outdoor décor and pots of seasonal plants are a great way to prep your front porch or patio for visitors. But what if it needs a more serious renovation? If the concrete surface of your porch or patio is cracking or damaged, or you want a completely new look, resurfacing is a good option. If it’s faded or you just want to change the color, staining may be the answer.

Ideas for Concrete Porch & Patio Resurfacing

The beauty of decorative concrete is that it can be customized to any style. Here are several ideas for patios and front porches that can be accomplished using concrete overlays.

Transform your porch with a sleek finish

This porch, resurfaced with Brickform Cem-Coat, sports a sleek, solid gray finish that perfectly complements the home’s modern farmhouse style. The refreshed, polished look makes the entrance pop, welcoming guests with a touch of understated elegance.

Accent your entry with a stenciled brick border

What truly sets this porch apart is the stenciled red brick border. This pop of color elegantly frames the space and offers a striking contrast to the textured finish, adding a touch of flair to the home’s entrance.

Create a space with Old-World charm

Brick is the perfect material to create a rustic charm in any space. But paving with bricks is slow, expensive, and hiring help is costly. You can have a brick-like porch floor with less trouble by using decorative concrete overlays, coloring products, and good stamps.

Draw people in with a welcoming walk and steps

Consider matching the texture and color of your front porch with walkways or steps. This walkway, refreshed with Brickform SM Pro, greets visitors with rich, dark colors and a striking border that looks like stone. But it’s not just about the elegant path. Every step is made more inviting by colorful potted plants and flower beds.

Unwind in style on a cozy, back patio

This back patio would be a great place to spend an evening with friends or family. The concrete was customized with an SM Pro Plus overlay that looks like natural stone, thanks to a hand-troweled texture, custom colors and well-done taped joints. It’s a cozy spot, perfect for gathering around the fire table for meals and good times.

Can a Concrete Porch or Patio Be Resurfaced?

Yes, you can resurface your existing concrete porch or patio. You don’t need to tear everything out and start over to do a remodel.

What Products are Best for Resurfacing?

Brickform provides several high-quality professional-grade products that contractors use to resurface concrete:

Recolor, antique, or marbleize your porch or patio using Brickform’s Cem-Coat.
Get the look of stone, brick, or wood using Brickform’s Stampable Overlay product.
Create a custom texture using Brickform’s SM Pro.

What Products are Best for Coloring Porches and Patios?

If your porch or patio doesn’t need a complete redo, you can just refresh its color. This way it doesn’t look outdated and old. Brickform offers several concrete stains and dyes:

Bring naturally varied and unrepeatable color to the concrete surface with Brickform’s Blush-Tone Acid Stain.
Get hundreds of colors in varying shades with Brickform’s water-based ARTesian Stain.
Add vibrant color to enclosed porches using Brickform’s Pro-Dye Plus.
Correct surface discoloration on existing concrete or blend new concrete with old concrete using Brickform Refresh.
Recolor or cover imperfections with Cem-Coat.
Antique existing concrete using an antiquing agent like Antique-It.

How Do You Resurface Concrete?

Concrete resurfacing is a multi-step process that requires careful attention to detail. We recommend hiring a professional concrete contractor to complete the work. Local pros are familiar with the ins and outs of resurfacing, especially in your area.

The exact steps depend on what type of concrete coating you are applying. But here is some general information about resurfacing a porch or patio.

Prepare the surface to get the proper profile:

Remove loose or weakened material.
Remove anything that could stop the coating from sticking to your surface, like paint, dirt, debris, or sealer.
See the technical information sheet for your product and also consult the surface preparation guidelines from the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI).

Learn more about concrete surface preparation.

Pro Tip: Brickform Strip-It, E-Etch, and Neutra Clean are the three amigos for surface prep. If you can’t chemically remove sealer or existing coatings, sandblast or media blast the surface.

Install the coating:

The exact mixing and installation method for an overlay depends on the product you’ve chosen:

Mix the product according to the technical information sheet.
Apply the product and use a gauge rake, squeegee, and/or trowel.
Make sure you apply the overlay at the correct depth. If you are stamping or applying texture, this is especially important so you don’t bottom out with the stamp.
Wait a sufficient amount of time (according to product specifications), then texture the overlay as desired.
Seal the surface to protect it from wear and tear plus other types of damage that can occur over time.

Can a cracked concrete porch or patio be repaired?

The answer to this question depends on the severity of the cracks. If you have several hairline cracks, you’ll likely be able to refinish your surface using a concrete coating. You can fix cracks before applying a coating, and you won’t even notice them afterward.

However, if cracking on your porch or patio is significant, resurfacing might not be an option. We suggest hiring a professional contractor to look at your surface. An experienced, reputable contractor can help you determine whether the surface is still viable and can support resurfacing.