How to Make Concrete Coatings

Mix 3 parts sand with 1 part portland cement to make a thin concrete coating or to apply a new concrete coating less than 1-inch thick. Add just enough water to create the consistency of mortar.

Mix 3 parts gravel, 2 parts sand and 1.5 parts portland cement for your homemade concrete coating mix if you need a new concrete coating more than 1-inch thick. The larger aggregate is necessary for the concrete mix to hold together. Again, add only enough water for mortarlike consistency.

Mix your concrete coatings in the 5-gallon bucket if you’ll need only a small batch or two, such as for resurfacing steps. Add the water to the dry ingredients and mix the concrete thoroughly with your electric drill and paddle. For larger batches, use the wheelbarrow and hoe to mix water into the concrete mix.

Once the coated concrete has fully cured, add a protective sealing coat that’s also slip-resistant -- making the new surface less slippery when wet -- by adding polyethylene “grit” to the sealer. Add 1 pound for every 5 gallons of sealer -- first mixing the grit into a small portion of the sealer and then blending that mixture into the rest of the sealer -- before applying the sealer to the concrete coating with a roller.