Concrete that fills the need

Every do-it-yourselfer is familiar with prepackaged concrete mix and its many uses for everything from small concrete slabs to setting fence posts. But there are also a number of other concrete formulations available by the sack or bucket that make quick and easy work of a variety of concrete patching and repair tasks all around your home and yard.

* Vinyl concrete.

This type is formulated for patching and resurfacing existing concrete, smoothing out rough areas and repairing mortar joints. It trowels on smoothly on concrete, stone, brick and other masonry surfaces, and can be used for horizontal and vertical repairs.

* Quick-setting cement.

As the name implies, quick-setting cement compounds are designed to set up much faster than standard concrete mixes. This makes it an ideal choice for many repair situations. It’s excellent for repairing curbs, steps, concrete walls and other similar areas without having to erect forms.

* Latex cement.

This type is great for making tough repairs, such as patching or resurfacing existing concrete, repairing concrete steps, leveling uneven surfacing, and even for setting some types of stone or brick. This is a two-part product, consisting of Portland cement mixed with fine sand along with a liquid latex binder. The mixtures are typically packaged together in a bucket, which can double as your mixing pail. No water is used with this type of cement.