Giving new life to older home exteriors is easy. Just ask Chris Mikkelsen of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
“We have precast concrete stairs at the front entrance of our home,” says Mikkelsen. “These are original to our house, which is 49 years old. We haven’t done anything to them in all this time.
“They were pitted. And we had the same situation with a small concrete patio at the back of our house. No treatment in more than 45 years. Then we got new landscaping and knew these two areas needed an upgrade.”
Researching Options
Mikkelsen went to his usual “go to” places for home improvement ideas. He headed to Home Hardware and The Home Depot®. He found Daich Coatings products at both places. At home he researched the company’s website and requested the $10 sample package.
A surprise call from Paul Bordin from the service team changed everything for Mikkelsen.
Service Sells
“Paul reaching out was so unexpected,” says Mikkelsen. “In my mind this wasn’t a big project, so I was really surprised. He was so helpful with putting together a material list and pricing. In the end it was his service that sold me on the products.
“We chose the Harvest Tan in RollerRock® from the 15 samples sent to me. And, I’ve got to say, the color of the product that was supplied truly matched the sample color.”
Starting the Project
With the RollerRock product in hand, Mikkelsen carefully reviewed the instructions. “If I was to emphasis one thing it would be that you follow those instructions and not take any short cuts,” says Mikkelsen.
The homeowner pressure washed all the surfaces first, then applied Daich All-in-One Concrete Cleaner & Etcher. Then he pressure washed a second time. Once the surfaces were dry (several days later) he used a shop vac to do a final cleaning.
The 72-year old homeowner enjoyed the entire process. He used a paint stirring attachment for his battery-powered drill to make stirring the RollerRock easier in the container, since the aggregate settles at the bottom of the can.
“I also masked all the adjacent surfaces prior to starting,” says Mikkelsen. “This made cutting in the edges with a paint brush so much easier. Once the edges were done, I applied the RollerRock to all the larger flat surfaces with a roller that was supplied.”
Mikkelsen waited about four hours to apply a second coat. The following day he applied two coats of Daich Hi-Build Ultra Multi-Purpose Satin Sealer, and the project was done.
Satisfied DIY Homeowner
The immediate results are impressive. Neighbors and friends have commented on the upgrade and commended Mikkelsen for his work.
“Overall, I’m very pleased with the final result,” says Mikkelsen. “I’ll be interested to see how it fares through our Northern Ontario winter, but I don’t foresee any problems. I’ll definitely recommend RollerRock to anyone considering an option for dressing up their concrete surfaces!”
