How to Pour Cement With Rock Texture

Combine Portland cement, sand and decorative gravel to form the cement additive for your project. Add 1/2 bag of Portland cement to a dry wheelbarrow and eight shovels of sand. Mix the contents using a hoe. Add six shovels of decorative gravel to the mixture and combine with the hoe. Add 2 gallons of water to the mixture and combine the ingredients with the hoe. The final ingredients should be the consistency of pancake batter.

Pour the cement mixture into your prepared forms -- sidewalk, patio or pad. Rake the mixture around using a hard rake. Tamp the mixture down with the rake, and continue filling until you have filled the cement to the top of the wooden forms. Smooth the cement with a concrete hand trowel. Using a bull float, rented from any tool rental store, smooth the cement further. Allow the finish to set for 30 minutes to one hour. Use a concrete edger, purchased at any hardware store, to round the edges of the cement where it meets the wooden forms.

Fill a 5-gallon bucket with water. Dip the sponge into the water and squeeze out about 3/4 of the water. Gently wipe over the cement surface, removing the gray cement. This process will remove the top layer of film, exposing the variety of colored gravel. Continue to clean the surface until the exposed gravel is clearly seen. Allow the finished textured cement to dry for 48 hours. Remove the forms.

Apply concrete sealer to the textured cement. Add 1 gallon of sealer to a pump-up sprayer, applying two coats to the cement. Allow one hour drying time between coats. Apply more coats for a thicker seal look, if desired.