We have just completed a stunning concrete overlay floor in the style of ‘Venetian Plaster’. The client asked us to replace an existing floor that was very light in color, easily marked and not rally in keeping with the rest of the house. Some repairs had been made that were a completely different color and a change was needed. After an initial discussion we prepared some sample boards using Elite Crete Thinfinish and Microfinish products using a steel trowel hand finish. By using two different tones of gray a burnishing effect is achieved that emphasizes the chatter caused by the steel trowel.
The client liked the samples and so we started the work. The first step was to prepare the existing surface to accept the new material. After testing we found that sanding the floor with screens and green pads on a buffing machine would scuff it up enough to ensure adhesion. The edges we prepared with sheet rock screens by hand.
We then coated the floor with Elite Crete Thinfinish with charcoal gray pigment using a magic trowel. The following day we applied the first coat of Elite Crete Microfinish using a steel trowel to keep the material tight to the surface and to induce the chatter marks. Again we used the charcoal gray pigment.
We are now on day three. First of all we lightly sanded the floor using a buffer and green pad. A 220 screen would probably have worked as well. We then coated the floor with the second coat of Microfinish using the steel trowel. This time we used dark gray color pigment.
On day four we sanded the floor again and removed all of the masking tape. Tidying up the edges took a long time. We then coated the floor with Elite Crete PT-3 water based epoxy using a magic trowel and 9″ roller.
On day five we removed any burrs by hand and applied a second coat of PT-3 epoxy.
The result is a stunning, hard wearing floor with a nice shine and a totally unique hand troweled finish.
