DIY Concrete Engraving

Various techniques enable you to add decorative touches to concrete surfaces, whether they're horizontal or vertical. Yet for plain concrete, from patios to sidewalks to driveways to walls, you have another choice for decorating concrete: engraving. Engraving cuts patterns or texture into existing surfaces. Designs often simulate stone, tile, intricate brick paving or geometric designs. It’s all about working thoughtfully with what’s already there. If you’re new to the process of engraving concrete, start with simple designs. Once concrete is stained and carved, there’s no going back for a do-over. Tackle more complex projects as your confidence and skill grow.

Trisodium phosphate (TSP) cleaner
Rotary floor scrubber
Wet shop vacuum
1/4-inch masking tape
Concrete stain or stains
Chemical vapor respirator
Shatterproof safety goggles or glasses
Dust respirator
Circular saw
4-1/2-inch angle grinder with abrasive blades
Epoxy grout, if needed
Concrete sealer

Instructions

- 1
  Sweep and thoroughly clean the concrete surface you will stain and engrave. Scrub it with a rotary floor scrubber, using trisodium phosphate (TSP) solution. Rinse well with water. After the concrete dries, vacuum it thoroughly with a wet vacuum.
- 2
  Mark out and score your overall pattern in the concrete, using your engraving tools, if you’ll be staining the concrete in multiple separate colors. Or use quarter-inch masking tape. Scoring helps keep stain colors separate. Later, you can remove any stain colors than run into engraved areas, using a router; and you can fill in the engraved areas with epoxy grout.
- 3
  Apply concrete stain according to its manufacturer’s instructions and using techniques appropriate to your aims. For instance, apply a single stain color very thick, allowing it to puddle, for a mottled, multi-tone look. Or use two coats for a much darker color effect. Wear a respirator while working with stains and sealers.
- 4
  Lay out the engraving pattern you will follow, using quarter-inch masking tape, if you didn’t do so earlier. Wearing the dust mask, score thick lines using the quarter-inch abrasive blade. Use one-eighth-inch blades for thinner yet visible lines. File deep engraved lined with epoxy grout if desired, to hide color leakage or as part of your intended design.
- 5
  Sweep and vacuum the surface to remove all concrete dust. Apply a concrete sealer according to the manufacturer’s instructions, wearing the protective respirator.

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