New Slab Top Is OK If Not Too Thin

QUESTION: My cement slab garage floor is starting to wear and show rough spots. Is there a way I can apply a topping layer to renew the surface?

ANSWER: You can top a slab, but you must be careful about getting the topping material too thin. The Portland Cement Assn. recommends that topping over hardened concrete should not be less than 2 inches thick at any point.

To top a concrete slab, clean the surface with muriatic acid or concrete cleaner (available in paint and hardware stores). To ensure that the topping bonds well, roughen the surface of any slab that has a shiny, smooth surface. Use a wire brush and full-strength muriatic acid to do this.

Next, mix a slurry of cement, sand and water and scrub this onto the surface with a throwaway scrub brush. This slurry acts as a primer to ensure a good bond between the slab and the topping. Apply the concrete topping mix on top of the slurry before the slurry starts to dry.

Heat Softens Carpet for Easy Installation

Q: We are considering laying our own carpeting and would appreciate any suggestions you might have on working the stiff material into corners and around stair steps.

A: Modern carpeting is made of man-made fiber held together by a latex or foam backing (Kanga-back). The carpet is very stiff and hard to handle, but here are a few easy tips to help you add flexibility to the carpet so it will fit easily into odd shapes and around stair steps.

If at all possible, lay the carpet flat, unrolled, to let it “relax” and lose any wrinkles that resulted from rolling. If you have a large paved area, such as a driveway or patio, unroll the carpet outdoors, so the sun can warm and soften the backing. This will make the carpet more flexible.

If you are working in cold or wet weather, unroll the carpet in a basement or garage and let it lie loose for a day or two to lose its wrinkles. If you still have trouble fitting the carpet around stair steps, apply moisture to the latex backing with a plant mister.