All is not lost! Even if your driveway looks like the driveway above, with a significant crack running through the middle of it, it can be fixed!

We know how much you love your driveway and have spent the money on a decorative concrete overlay to make it look fantastic, only to discover that it has developed cracks. Don’t worry, we see this all the time, and its often worse than it looks. That’s what we are here for, to help you to find a solution.

You may ask, “is it possible to make concrete more flexible – that is, bendable without fracturing?”

Flexible concrete makes infrastructure safer, extends its service life and reduces maintenance costs and resource use. However, we all know how hard and brittle concrete is, so theory’s always a risk of developing concrete cracks.

We first need to understand the science behind concrete. Concrete very rarely fails because it lacks compressive strength, that is, the ability to bear loads that push it together, just like when columns support the weight of a building. Most failures occur because structures do not have enough capacity to carry the tensile load – the ability to deform or stretch without rupturing – even though steel reinforcements often are added to concrete to prevent catastrophic structural failure.

Many serious concerns about the woeful state of concrete can be traced back to concrete’s brittleness. Cracks in concrete can reduce a structure’s usable life. They also weaken it and make it less resilient against natural forces, such as ground movement, water, tree roots, or man-made forces like driving heavy equipment on it etc.

So, let’s highlight the main reasons concrete cracks:

• The first reason that concrete cracks is from excess water in the concrete mix
• The second reason that concrete cracks is from the concrete drying too quickly
• The third reason concrete cracks is using a lower strength of concrete that what should have been used
• The fourth reason concrete cracks is a lack of control or expansion joints
• Another reason concrete cracks is pouring the concrete in the wrong weather conditions

By far, the fourth reason is the most common as many concreters don’t put in sufficient expansion joints or saw cuts and therefore the concrete expands, has nowhere to go, and cracks to relieve the pressure.

This is where Barefoot Concrete comes in as we are specialists in this area of concrete repair and restoration as we want your concrete to look good, after we have fixed the problems.

Please note that not all problems can be fixed. Take for example, the first reason of too much water in the mix, we can’t go back and fix that. We also can’t reverse the problem of the concrete drying or curing too quickly and the associated problems. Neither can we change the strength of the concrete as if a 32Mpa concrete was specified and a 25Mpa concrete mix was poured, you still have a weaker concrete.

So how do we fix it? We have developed the technology that produces a solution that minimizes the occurrence or recurrence of concrete cracks.

This is how we do it: Cracks are not always structural problems, most are just cosmetic. Therefore, in these instances we pour a polymerised structural grout into the cracks, this is a really wet grout that will get into every void possible around the cracks and set through the slab. Then we let it sit for a few weeks see how it reacts. As the concrete has already moved and created the cracks it’s unlikely it will move further unless there is another root cause. 

Therefore, after waiting for 4-6 weeks we reassess the situation to see if the grout polymer has created a good bond and there are no reappearances of any cracks. If all looks good we grind off the existing coating and respray a flexible concrete polymer coating in the customer’s choice of natural earth tone colours to blend with their natural environment. 

The above mentos is a system that in most instances works, however, we do not guarantee that the cracks won’t reappear or that new cracks will develop as there are many factors that contribute to concrete cracking. The bottom line is that the concrete should not crack anywhere near like the cracks that originally appeared but a hairline crack may develop but with the decorative concrete coating with colour and fleck on top will help to visually hide any cracks from eye level.

So, in summary, we have a very good method for solving cracked concrete cost-effectively and in most cases, the client does not have to rip and replace their concrete.

Contact us today if your concrete is cracked and you want your driveway or other concrete areas to look good again and we will do a free, no-obligation assessment of your property to determine how we can help you to achieve the outcome you desire.

As a homeowner, when we look at all the things we need to do to maintain our property, one thing usually sticks out – old, dirty, damaged, cracked or stained concrete.

For example, if it is a driveway, this generally ruins the picture from the kerb and generally drags down the appeal of your property and lowers its value.

You may have unsightly cracks or damaged concrete that is affecting the attractiveness of your home or business or making it a hard sell if you are considering moving. Usually the driveway is the first thing people see and experience when they visit your property. We have found that people who look after their driveways generally have a high standard they maintain on their property. 

If this is something you identify with, its time to talk to the experts. But first, you may be wondering about the picture used for this blog. This picture is from one of the top operators we do business with and reflects a key point, that this is what a business looks likes that is professional and organized, who keep their company, premises and gear in top condition, and it reflects in their work, they are one of the biggest decorative resurfacing companies in Australia.

Therefore, if you are considering a concrete resurfacing solution, and before you pick one of the top three quotes, let me ask you a question: Do you know what concreting resurfacing is and how it can be of benefit to you?

You may be considering hiring a concrete removal company to rip and replace your concrete driveway or other concrete surfaces, but before you do, first consider if concrete resurfacing is the right solution for your concrete driveway, paths, house surrounds, pool area or entertainment area.

While ripping and replacing your concrete may be an option, but before you go there let me just say that concrete resurfacing will save time, money and the environment and once you clean up and restore your existing concrete, it will be a prepared concrete canvas for you to design and create a beautiful decorative concrete finish that will look amazing.

Are you still thinking of removing and replacing your concrete is a better idea? In your particular circumstance, it may be, but consider the cost and inconvenience, it can cost 3-5 times more to remove old concrete and replace it with new concrete than a decorative concreting resurfacing solution.

You have no idea the headaches of removing concrete, like discovering the concrete is thicker than you thought, whether plumbing and utility lines will be affected and that you may also require the services of a plumber and electrician.

Concrete resurfacing, on the other hand, completely removes all the general and hidden expenses and surprises from the process. A good concrete resurfacing system, like what Barefoot Concrete provides, is designed to bond to the old concrete substrate at the molecular level, creating a seamless surface finish in natural earth tone colours of your choice, without the hassle of pouring concrete and the headaches that go with it.

Let’s get back to our example of using your driveway, this is the first thing that people see and subconsciously the value of a home is often established by the quality of the driveway.

Here in Southeast Queensland, driveways are typically one of the following types – aggregate, stamped or stencilled concrete, just plain concrete or pavers.

Your concrete may be in a good or bad condition. The good news is that we can do a lot with what appears to be bad but actually just looks bad. Concrete can last a long time! Decades, centuries or in some instances thousands of years. Things like age and other conditions such as improperly compacted concrete, wrong mixes, bad placement procedures, or inadequate concrete mix can lead to scaling, spalling, dusting, staining, discolouration or cracking. If this is the case, its not the end of the world, rather than ripping out the concrete and starting over, these problems can be resolved and that old, drab looking concrete can be turned into a decorative feature on your property rather than an eyesore.

For example, we get a lot of enquiries about damaged and cracked concrete and how to make it look like something that actually complements and adds value to your home rather than pulling down the image of your home or business property.

Cracks in the concrete are often the trigger that motivates people to do something about their concrete. Once concrete cracks it can look awful! With our concrete resurfacing system, surface preparation is very important, therefore, we deal with the cracks and cut new expansion joints into the concrete to minimize the reappearance or recurrence of the cracks. Furthermore, our cementitious polymers, that we use in our decorative concrete resurfacing solutions, assist with the flexibility of the concrete, bond strongly to the existing substrate, are tough and durable and are extremely weatherable.

The end result of concrete resurfacing is a complete transformation of the concrete which now becomes a feature that showcases your property.

We all know that in life first impressions count, therefore just as we dress up to impress, so we ought to dress up our property to make them look good! First impressions do count when you get a first-time visitor!

You may be thinking, it’s just a piece of old concrete, just live with it, but no matter how often we are told not to judge a book by its cover or to ignore the telltale defects, as people we are attracted to aesthetically pleasing surfaces and put off by dirty, worn out and damaged surfaces. 

Therefore, as a homeowner, we are all houseproud to some extent and are aware of the importance of how your house looks, not only for real estate purposes but also for the sake of keeping the home in good condition. Look at it this way, it’s easy to see from the garden if someone owns their home or is just a renter. Don’t let your home look like a rental! 

You may be thinking, repairing concrete can cost a lot of money and it can be extremely time-consuming. Fortunately, it usually not as bad as it looks, in most cases you can restore concrete as you are usually dealing with a mildly damaged or worn-out piece of concrete and don’t have to rip and replace it.

This is where a concrete resurfacing solution comes into play. So if you have got this far in the blog and you are still not sure what concrete resurfacing is or why you should consider it, then here goes: Concrete resurfacing can give your concrete surfaces a new finish without the hassle of a complete replacement. The process is easy and saves you a lot of money that you would otherwise waste if you were to replace your concrete. By the way, new concrete also needs to be cleaned and maintained. Also, with concrete resurfacing, you get far more decorative options to choose from so you can customize and get the look you want.

So, how does it work?

If you were to fix a damaged concrete slab traditionally, you would need to break up the old concrete and remove the rubble. This is a big messy job that is expensive and time-consuming. Then the new concrete is poured for the new surface.

This is a labour-intensive process and it can be expensive, especially if it is a large amount of concrete. The difference between the traditional rip and replace concrete process and the concrete resurfacing process is that concrete resurfacing uses the existing concrete structure as the base. The concrete resurfacing material goes directly on top of the existing concrete area.

How do you prepare the existing concrete for concrete resurfacing?

Preparation is the key, and this is where if shortcuts are taken, it generally comes back to haunt you in the future. As such, the area that needs to be resurfaced should be clean with no loose concrete or other debris around it.

The best method for surface preparation is mechanical grinding, however, pressure cleaning the surface and acid washing can sufficiently prepare the surface in most instances. If their are any cracks and blemishes on the surface these should be resolved with a crack repair system and correct saw cuts or expansion joints, so that the surface is ready for the concrete resurfacing micro-topping.

The resurfacing material is then applied with a hopper gun over the area and evenly sprayed to create an even anti-slip decorative finish. After the polymer-modified concrete resurfacing system has cured it will be a beautiful new floor.

What is concrete resurfacing made from?

Simply put, concrete resurfacing is made from a combination of a cement-based resurfacing compound that is mixed with our special flexible concrete polymer that is a powerful and flexible bonding agent.

The resurfacing mix is then sprayed over the existing prepared concrete surface and bites into the existing concrete and bonds strongly to create a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing new surface. The new surface cures and becomes as hard as the concrete it bonds too, you can walk on it after 24 hours and drive on it after 7 days.

What are the benefits of concrete resurfacing?

Apart from saving you money and totally transforming your old and worn-out concrete, there are many other benefits of concrete resurfacing. Basically, concrete resurfacing is easier than breaking apart old concrete and pouring it all over again.

Generally, a residential job will take three days to complete and will save you time and money. It is resilient to future wear and tear and will last for many years. It also allows for custom finishes so you can get the outcome you desire, that of a beautiful new surface to compliment your property.

Does my surface qualify for concrete resurfacing?

Concrete resurfacing works best on areas with minor damage. There are a few things we specifically look for when our estimators go on-site to evaluate your project that may be a major risk to applying a resurfacing solution. 

For example, if there is an excessive amount of cracks, it may indicate an underlying problem with ground movement that may cause even our premium flexible concrete resurfacing solution to crack. It may have a dusting problem, or there may be excessive moisture in the concrete. These kind of things can cause a job to fail, therefore, we look to resolve these issues to minimize the risk of the coating delaminating or breaking up and causing the property owner a bigger headache.

As we mentioned earlier, preparation is key, and the difference between a good applicator and a bad one if often in the attention to detail when the surface preparation is done prior to applying a decorative coating.

Also, ff your floors have large holes, pitting, spalling or extreme damage to them you may want to look into repairing that first to ensure a coating won’t fail.

Concrete resurfacing doesn’t fix structural problems, therefore, we will warn you if we discover that a structural problem exists. In this case, we may recommend ripping and replacing the concrete.

If you apply a decorative concrete resurfacing solution over major cracks, without grinding and filling them and inserting expansion joints, eventually the cracks will reoccur or reappear and this will ruin your new surface which may result in having to grind it all off and do it again properly – and that can be expensive, literally more than doubling the original cost.

We have been in business for a few years, and our contractors even longer together our combined experience enables us to confidently provide the best solution possible in your situation.

Therefore, as with any other skill, its best to get in touch with us, we will help you to find a solution to meet your expectations and cost. As such, for a decorative concrete resurfacing solution, you can be looking at a rate as low as $35/m2 to $45/m2 on average, and anywhere up to $65/m2 or more depending on your particular circumstances.

If you want to restore or rejuvenate your concrete driveway or concrete areas with a concrete resurfacing solution please contact us for an estimate or for more information about concrete resurfacing.

We are here to help you and will happily answer all your questions about any of our services and work with you for the best plan to keep make your property look great!

How do silicates work?

Sodium, Potassium, Lithium and Colloidal Silicates react with CaOH to form insoluble Calcium Silicate Hydrate gel (CSH gel, Ca-SiO2) in the pores – some companies will refer to this as a hydrogel.

The additional CSH gel formed by applying a Sodium, Potassium, Lithium or Colloidal Silicate will improve a concrete slab in several ways.

The pros and cons of water

Concrete is made with the optimal amount of water – not too much or too little. 

So, concrete mixes are made with an exact amount of water, BUT, if some of this the water can evaporate out of the poured slab (or prefabricated vertical) before it reacts with the cement to create bonds, this has multiple negative effects on the concrete:

1. Where water evaporates out of the concrete it leaves air pockets, creating weaker concrete while increasing porosity, capillary suction and water ingress.
2. Some cement is left unreacted (too little water) – this means fewer bonds, weaker concrete and an increase in efflorescence (calcium carbonate leaching out of the concrete) when water moves through the capillaries.
3. When water evaporates out of the concrete it also causes shrinkage, leading to spider cracks. 

1. Evaporation increases closer to the surface, leaving the surface of the concrete particularly weak. Also, this means that the surface of the concrete will shrink at a higher rate and spall (pull away from the concrete underneath in pieces) as well as spider cracking. If you knock this concrete it sounds hollow.
2. Egress or water or water vapour (evaporation) can damage floor finishes and lift floor coatings. This means an untreated slab is usually left to cure fully for 60 days before floor finishes are applied, this is too much time (and money) for most building projects. 

Benefits of treating a fresh concrete slab with a suitable silicate

Slabs and other concrete structures vary greatly in density, porosity, and water content (depending on how recently the slab was poured). Silicates range in molecular size, structure and penetrating ability, and the correct silicate should be matched to the project. You would not treat a 25MPA slab with the same silicate as 80MPA density structural concrete.

The correct silicate is applied to the exposed surface of a concrete slab and penetrates the pores from a few millimetres to a couple of centimetres (depending on the type of silicate, the concrete density, the amount of water in the forming capillaries and the amount of silicate applied).

1. Silicate treatment as a curing compound for concrete slabs.

When treated with a Sodium, Potassium or Colloidal Silicate, CSH gel forms in the pores of the impregnated (exposed) surfaces of a concrete slab, substantially reducing water and water vapour permeability.

This greatly reduces the loss of water by evaporation, so the moisture remains in the slab and continues to facilitate the ongoing reaction and curing of cement in the concrete. The more of the cement which is reacted and forms hydrates and then fixed bonds in the material, the stronger and less porous the concrete will be, making it more durable.

2. Silicate treatment as a membrane to allow immediate installation of floor coatings and other finishes on “green” (freshly poured) slabs.

Floor slabs usually need to be cured to 60 days before finished flooring, such as tiling, wood, carpeting or floor coatings are applied.

This is to prevent these finishes from being damaged, becoming mould infested or lifting due to water or water vapour coming out of the concrete slab.

Correct treatment with a suitable silicate will limit evaporation or water egress through the top of the slap sufficiently to enable floor finishes and coatings to be applied as soon as the silicate has cured, rather than having to wait until the concrete is completely cured. 

Silicates form more of the same structures already present in concrete and so are compatible with most floor coatings, adhesives and finishes.

3. Silicate treatment to densify cured concrete to facilitate diamond polishing. 

Polished concrete is one of the toughest, most durable, practical and aesthetically pleasing floor finishes. A raw slab is ground with rough diamond pads to flatten it completely and then with progressively finer diamond pads until the suitable honed (matte) or polished finish is reached.

This requires treatment with suitable sodium, potassium, lithium or colloidal silicate densifier. As explained previously, silicates react inside the concrete to form extra silicate gels in the pores. Think of it as glass structures forming in the pores. This reduces the porosity and stain resistance of the concrete and allows it to be honed or polished to an aesthetically appealing gloss level.

Many of the premier concrete polishing companies will apply silicates of different types 2 or 3 times to facilitate and dense floor with a beautiful finish. They may treat the concrete first with larger molecular size sodium or potassium silicate when it is still fairly rough and the pores have been nicely opening by the initial few grades of grinding.

Then as finer diamond pads are used to achieve a smoother and smoother surface, a lithium or suitable small particle colloidal silicate, which can penetrate more easily into the previously treated concrete and fill more of the nano-sized pores.

4. Silicate treatment of engineered concrete structures to reduce salt spalling and rebar corrosion from saltwater ingress, freeze-thaw action and carbonation.

High MPA concrete can be treated with a lithium or small molecular size colloidal silicate (4-8nm).

A small test area should be treated and a small core sample (3cm diameter, 3cm depth) drilled from the centre of the sample area and tested to check if there is sufficient depth of penetration before proceeding with the silicate treatment. 

5. Silicates for concrete crack repair.

Most concrete crack injection systems for concrete use an epoxy or urethane polymer, but there is an argument that because these differ in their physical properties so much from concrete, that this can cause them to degrade over time.

Colloidal silica, forms the same hydrogel compound found in cured concrete and has the same physical properties, including reaction to changes in temperature and moisture and will move with the concrete. A colloidal silicate of small size will also penetrate the walls of the crack, anchoring the filling very securely.

Colloidal silicate crack fillers are 2 part – the colloidal silica and a catalyst. Colloidal silicates cure particularly quickly but this can be moderated to some extent by adding more or less catalyst. Micromesh sand and some cement can also be added for filling large cracks that require some solid aggregate to help fill the gap.

To an entrepreneur, times of uncertainty, fear and massive shifts in global and local markets are times of opportunity and growth. It is in these uncertain times that fear paralyzes and indecision rules as people falter and wonder what’s happening around them.

It is in these times that companies like Barefoot Concrete see the greatest opportunities to grow and to capitalize on the windows of opportunity that present themselves in our market. As I say, “opportunity is often disguised in overalls and looks like work.” What I have discovered is that the movers and shakers of business are pressing into the marketplace aggressively to increase their advantage. It’s times like this when there are winners and losers, and good businesses are looking to come out the other side as winners!

As such, Barefoot Concrete has partnered with a like-minded business, Chemforce, as their distributor for Queensland. They are a business that is dedicated to producing a superior technology that is safer for people and the environment. For those of us who are in the industry, we know that the chemical industry doesn’t have a good reputation, there is so much going on between the lines that its often difficult to see the forest for the trees, to separate the average from the good, and to find a truly great company. Barefoot Concrete is aiming high! we want to be a part of the solution, where our main goal is to offer superior products at better prices than is currently offered by the chemical industry.

Behind every great chemical company like ours is an unrelenting commitment to excellence, a responsibility to the environment and best safety practices and who possess true forward-thinking scientific innovation, these are the values that have driven and is the bond of our new partnership with Chemforce.

When you combine strong values and an uncompromising commitment to the best technology and don’t lower these standards, in order to meet the highest performance goals, maintain exceptional quality and keep the price fair, you have a winning formula every time!

Our company is also not just about the products or the environment, its about people, who ultimately come first. If you are a Barefoot Concrete customer, your success is our concern. Success comes from people, processes and technology, therefore our relationship with you is paramount, as without you we don’t get the feedback, knowledge, and understanding from the field from the technologies we offer. Our people, whether they work for us or use our products, are our priority, and this is what makes us different, our consideration and commitment to people, products and systems that are the safest and most effective solutions to common problems in our industry.

Aside from building and distributing products through our channel, our responsibility is to provide effective education and technical support to improve the knowledge of construction chemicals amongst tradies so that together we get the best results and the outcomes our clients desire.

You may be asking, what is Barefoot Concrete’s value? Well, we believe that every product Barefoot Concrete offers must equal or offer a clear technical advantage over the best competitor’s technology at a better price.

This is where Barefoot Concrete and Chemforce™ agree, we share a common dedication to superior technology, simply put, we want to offer the best products are the best price, underpinning our company slogan of: Simply good value!

Chemforce not only has extensive experience at the cutting edge of construction chemicals, but they are all experienced innovators and inventors across a broader market segment. So, although we have “concrete” in our company name, we sell the full range of products to a broader industry. Therefore, just like Barefoot Concrete, Chemforce is experimenting and innovating in areas of materials science outside of construction chemicals, in mining, roadbuilding and other industries.

On this, we fundamentally agree, that people come before commerce. Business is about people, therefore we care about people above the bottom line. This is not always the case with the chemical industry, which has a poor reputation, which operates on a commerce before people principle, that money comes first, which leads to all sorts of integrity-bending and questionable practices. As a famous CEO said, “the more we help our customer succeed the more successful we will be.” As soon as we start caring about the people, the money takes take of itself! 

Barefoot Concrete is a company that is part of the solution in the chemical industry, as such, we support and partner with responsible companies, who produce functional chemical solutions which do not “poison the well.”

Now, lets get to the categories of products that we offer. The following categories of products that are available to purchase through Barefoot Concrete is as follows:

• Cleaning and maintenance
• Coating removers and strippers
• Concrete cutting and coring
• Concrete polishing
• Concrete primers and membranes
• Concrete slab curing
• Diamond tool performance
• Earth / PFAS remediation
• Geotech and hard rock drilling
• Graffiti control
• Precast concrete
• Road building
• Silicates
• Stone cutting and polishing

Call us to discuss your requirements or ask us for a quote. We service Queensland and can send you products, wherever you are.

If you have high-quality stonework on your property it deserves to be protected with a high-quality stone sealer.

Natural stone is porous, which means it has interconnected capillaries through which liquids and gases can move. In fact, porous materials act like a hard sponge and actually suck in liquids over time, along with any dissolved salts and other minerals or contaminants.

More porous stone, such as sandstone will absorb liquids relatively quickly, while denser volcanic stones such as basalt are significantly less porous and may take longer to absorb oils and water-based liquids.

Natural stone should be protected against sub-surface staining, everyday dirt and spills; this can be done by sealing the stone with a penetrating.

A waterbased penetrating sealer is carried into the stone by water. It then dissipates bonding the sealer resins with the stone. This process doesn’t alter the slip resistance or natural look of the stone. The deposited resins then create an oleophobic (oil-repelling) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) barrier which prevents subsurface staining.

Barefoot Concrete provides a high-quality, concentrated natural stone sealer that is an eco-friendly, non-toxic, and breathable penetrating sealer.

These products are considered “breathable,” meaning they allow for vapour transmission.Eco Stone Sealer is on the cutting edge of this type of technology and is the perfect product for both DIY applications and commercial.

This product is ideal for granite, marble and other natural stone surfaces. It can also be used on commercial, workshop and warehouse floors. It is a pure cross-linking acrylic sealer, developed for Australia.

To understand the difference, most acrylic sealers consist of large individual polymer chains that clump together to form a thick film on the surface. These films rely on a fairly weak adhesion to keep them stuck to the surface. As such, they are far more prone to delamination and failure than a polymer waterbased penetrating sealer.

However, Eco Stone Sealer is different. It’s polymer chains are very small, they are just a few nanometers in length. As such, they penetrate deep into the substrate and bond together to form an interlocking matrix from the inside out. This matrix is permanent and serves to strengthen and protect the materials sealed. The top of this matrix sits above the surface and provides a wear layer. Maintenance is easy, you can simply apply a maintenance coat every few years to replenish the wear layer and deliver the ultimate in protection.

Eco Stone Sealer has the smallest polymer size in our range of waterbased sealers. Therefore, it’s ideal for dense materials like densified concrete, granite and marble. For more porous surfaces, like normal concrete, we recommend Eco Concrete Sealer which is more suitable.

Eco Stone Sealer is a true nano sealer, it builds a very thin, yet tough surface layer. It is not a self-levelling sealer that delivers an artificial gloss, however, on smooth surfaces, Eco Stone Sealer will be glossy and it can be buffed to achieve even higher sheen levels.

You can apply the product as a two coat stand-alone sealing system on natural stone or polished concrete or you can use it as a final coat over Eco Concrete Sealer or Premium Concrete Polymer on more porous surfaces.

Features

• Versatile sealer for dense, natural stone and polished concrete surfaces
• Developed with moisture retention technology to aid in the curing of new installation cement-based materials
• Increases the surface quality of new and old concrete
• High-level stain resistance
• Eco-friendly Non-hazardous material
• Easy water clean up
• UV stable
• Industrial grade pure acrylic sealer
• Will not delaminate, blister, peel or turn yellow over time
• Commercial / Industrial Grade
• Applied to a wet substrate, saving time and money

Contact us to discuss how to DIY, or one of our applicators can do your project for you.

Barefoot Concrete supplies eco-friendly sealing products that can outperform traditional solvent-based alternatives. We provide high-quality products to the concrete sealing industry that are safe without compromising on quality, performance and durability.

Anyone who has applied a concrete sealer knows that you need the surface to be as dry as possible, with less than 4% moisture in the concrete, so that the sealer will be drawn into the surface and thereby bind to surface strongly and consistently.

In the case of most solvent-based sealers, any moisture remaining in the substrate may cause the sealer to whiten or have hazy patches. For freshly poured surfaces this often means waiting up to a month before a decent sealer can be applied. For surfaces that need to be pressure cleaned prior to sealing you will normally need to wait at least a day for the surface to dry out sufficiently. 

This waiting can turn even a relatively small day job into a two-day job. For contractors, this means a return trip a day or two later to apply a sealer. Worse still, all the time you are waiting for the surface to dry is time that the clean surface is at risk of getting dirty again.

With our sealer, damp substrates are a non-issue. In fact, the moisture is required to help the sealer to migrate into the substrate to give that deep penetrating and long-lasting protection.

As such, our product Eco Concrete Sealer can be applied to new concrete as soon as the surface is hard enough to walk on. This strengthens and protects the concrete against stains from day one.

We get this question a lot, “What makes Eco Concrete Sealer so special?” Well, besides the fact that this is a premium quality water-based sealer, THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THIS PRODUCT IS THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO BE APPLIED TO WET SURFACES!

Eco Concrete Sealer is a nano polymer solution that creates a breathable matrix seal in the surface of the concrete. This matrix regulates moisture content by slowly allowing water to be absorbed and/or released. This ensures the substrate does not remain waterlogged but that there is sufficient moisture for proper hydration of the concrete.

When Eco Concrete Sealer is applied to freshly poured concrete, it will prevent premature drying and ensure that sufficient moisture is retained for proper curing reactions to take place. The end result is increasing the strength of the concrete and reducing the risk of cracking and dry shrinkage. As a bonus, it also provides an excellent solution for prevention or fixing concrete dusting problems.

Key Features:

• Premium Grade, UV Stable Sealer
• Non-toxic and eco friendly
• Suitable for concrete, exposed aggregate, stone and other paved surfaces
• Tight cross-linking forms a tight matrix below the surface
• Premium stain protection against oil, dirt and other substances
• Applied to a wet surface immediately after cleaning
• Will not whiten, flake or yellow
• Increases surface quality and durability
• Saves applicators and clients time and money
• Can be buffed to a high gloss finish

What are the benefits to applicators or contractors?

• Safe and easy to apply. Non-toxic, No VOC’s and BPA free
• Clean and seal the SAME DAY – applied to wet surfaces
• Apply sealer throughout the winter months without fear
• One coat sufficient in most cases. A second coat can normally be applied within 30 minutes
• Seal concrete as soon as it is firm enough to walk on
• Exposed aggregate concrete can be sealed immediately after exposing the aggregate – No need for acid washing
• Concrete sealer doubles as a curing agent for new concrete
• Concentrated formula – a 20kg pail is enough product to seal up to 450m2

What are the benefits to homeowners?

• You can do it yourself – it’s that easy to apply!
• Environmentally friendly
• Contains no VOCs = healthy choice for your family and pets
• High quality, extreme durability and long-lasting protection
• Excellent stain resistance and water repellency
• Does not significantly alter the appearance of concrete, limestone or pavers
• Will not make surfaces more slippery when wet
• Minimal disruption – get the job done in a day

Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Barefoot Concrete is a premium supplier of Polyaspartic and Epoxy Floor Coatings.

We supply a range of proven flooring solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

We specialise in epoxy, epoxy flake, polyaspartic, polyurethane and crack repair resin systems for concrete surfaces.  

We also carry Rhino’s “Concrete Solutions” range of decorative concrete resurfacing products, this range has been purposely designed to restore old stained concrete. These concrete floor coatings are a decorative system that consists of epoxies, acid stain, spray top and other cement polymer-based overlay systems.

Our flooring products meet industry standards and can conform to any specification. They are seamless, food-safe, chemical resistant, and with added granules meet AS/NZ standard for slip resistance.

As a supplier of polyaspartic and epoxy resins, we are committed to delivering nothing but the very best solution for your flooring needs. Our experienced sales team offer technical support to specifiers, architects, designers, builders, and work directly with qualified flooring applicators and contractors Australia wide to ensure the best results.

Whether you want stunning, decorative, functional or safe, durable, slip-resistant concrete floor coatings, know that you can rely on our range of polyaspartic and epoxy flooring systems.

Residential solutions

Are you currently building a new home or renovating an existing one? It’s not only colour schemes and finishes you need to consider, but flooring options as well.

Superior to traditional epoxy flooring, Rhino ArmaFloor 500 is unique to the home flooring industry. This polyaspartic floor coating combines the hard-hitting toughness of polyurethane protection with beautiful colour combinations that will maintain their look and integrity for years to come.

If you are looking for something that is not only easy to clean but aesthetically pleasing as well, add colour paint flake or quartz chip to achieve a stunning, seamless decorative floor finish that is second to none.

Rhino ArmaFloor 500 is fast to install, and depending on the size of your room can be completed in just a day. You could be back using your space the very next day.

When installed by one of our experts, our coating will fully protect your residential floors for lasting durability and beauty.

Industrial and commercial solutions

The use of epoxy for industrial flooring applications have been increasing significantly over the years. Rhino ArmaFloor epoxy can be used in the most demanding of industrial environments, this seamless, durable and waterproof product protects surfaces from chemical spills, heavy foot traffic and even forklifts driving over it.

Rhino ArmaFloor epoxy bonds to almost any substrate, the product is extremely durable and long-lasting, and as mentioned above, is seamless and even waterproof. The low VOC epoxy systems can be applied directly to existing substrates, as well as to new floors, offering a seamless, monolithic film.

Rhino Linings epoxy systems are suitable for commercial kitchens, warehouses, garages or retail applications. The flooring systems will give your floor a good-looking finish that will remain integral for many years.

When it comes to colours and textures, speak with your flooring applicator who will be able to provide you with a variety of options.

Backed by industry-specific experts, we provide back up and technical advice to the flooring applicator, ensuring that your floor coating will be installed to the highest possible standards and providing you with the ultimate solution for your flooring needs.

What’s the difference between polyaspartic and epoxy flooring?

Polyaspartic floor coatings are a fast turnaround solution for commercial, residential, chemical resistant, retail and other trafficable surfaces.

The polyaspartic floor coatings will enhance aesthetics and functionality, as they are non-yellowing and UV stable. These polyaspartic floors are glossy and are easily maintainable, with generic cleaning systems.

Epoxy floor coatings are a rapid curing two-component mix designed as a heavy-duty coating for garages, restaurant floors, aircraft hangars and most industrial applications.

If you have a question about our flooring products and application capabilities, please contact us. Barefoot Concrete uses independent approved flooring contractors and coatings applicators and we offer support from the design through to the installation of the flooring systems – you can rest assured we have it covered.

We are living in interesting times. The Coronavirus or covid-19 epidemic has dramatically changed the world in a very short time. This has resulted in an effort to contain the virus through social distancing and other means to minimize the spread of the pandemic.

If you, like me, are spending more time at home, either by choice or self-isolation or just practical social distancing you may find yourself wondering what to do.

While I have seen many silly videos of what people are doing while spending time at home I want to help you to focus on some of the things that you have wanted to do but have been putting them off because you are too busy or at work all the time.

Home maintenance and getting those jobs done while spending lots of time at home will help stave off the boredom and will keep you in shape. Getting outdoors in your garden and working on your house instead of vegetating indoors and binge-watching Netflix or movies and eating junk food will keep you healthy! Vitamin D is an excellent source of building up your immune system, so make sure you do stuff outside!

This is where we can help, our work is outside, we can come and do a free onsite assessment of your situation and help you get your project completed.

We do things like cleaning and sealing. Just as in the photo above we can clean and seal driveways, sandstone, and all types of concrete. We can also apply a coloured sealer as you can see from the gallery photos. Then we can also restore your concrete by fixing concrete cracks and putting on a decorative concrete overlay. Then, we can also do a flake epoxy floor for your garage.

If your business is closed and in much need of some work on the property, please call us, we can turn an eyesore into something aesthetically pleasing.

Whether it’s your driveway you want cleaned and sealed or resurfaced, or your house surrounds and paths, patio or entertainment area, we can help you to get those things done that you want to get done.

Make the most of the opportunity and do whatever you can to help your neighbour and your community get through this crisis.

The difference between a small job and a big job is the prep time.

Time is money and a key component of keeping costs in check. When a tradie prices up a job, the price is made up of the following formula: Price = Scope + Time + Resources.

Any changes to one or more of these components that make up the price affect the job costs and profitability of the job. Therefore, finding efficient and effective ways to do a job saves us time and when we save time we save money! 

However, preparation is the bane of existence for lots of tradies because they don’t expect it to be so time-consuming. You can easily devote an entire day or more to preparation – all before even starting the actual work.

When you need to protect outdoor surfaces by masking off areas, you need a good product and a good product, if you are going to save time. If masking up is done properly the whole job can be done without a mess, splatter or overspray on a surface that you have to clean up afterwards. 

For example, when applying a decorative concrete coating you can be sure that overspray is inevitable. While the applicator can use their own plastic, newspaper or boards to mask up, you’ll make your life easier if you use a construction grade outdoor masking film like Mask Up Outdoors from Barefoot Concrete.

What Is Masking Film?

Masking film is not the same thing as a tarp. Tarps are not meant to be form-fitting or to create a paintable edge.

If you need to walk on or cover items, consider using an industrial-grade drop sheet or dropcloth.

Pre-taped masking film comes in long rolls of 50m and widths from 550mm to 1400mm. You will find two types of masking film:

1. The first kind of masking film is called a pre-taped masking film. It is represented by Mask Up Outdoors from Barefoot Concrete and has a strip of 36mm masking tape running along one edge of the film.
2. The second kind has no tape, relying instead on the plastic’s static-cling properties to hold it in place. You can still use masking tape to tape the plastic sheet, however, the pre-taped masking film may cost more but it will save you time.

Choose the Right Size

The pre-taped film combines two steps: taping and draping. Firstly, you apply the masking tape, and then you pull up or pull down the plastic sheeting (draping) and tag it with masking tape to hold it in place.

Pre-taped masking film usually has static cling properties to cling to the surface you are protecting, however, due to wind and other factors, you will still need to use some masking tape so it doesn’t blow off when you are working or if its a bit windy.

Remember, too, that bigger is not always better. Using oversized masking film doesn’t just result in waste – you also need to cut or tape up all of that excess, which can be a pain when dealing with this extremely thin film that always wants to cling to your hands and arms.

Ask Barefoot Concrete for the sizes they have in stock as you will find one that best fits your requirements.

Where to Use

Interior Walls

A common way to use masking film is primarily when painting indoors like a ceiling. You can run the adhesive edge along the top of the wall, unfold the film downward, pressing it flat against the wall, tagging it with masking tape. Then begin to paint.

Windows and Doors

Masking film works great on windows because it sticks well to the glass. Masking film will rarely match the exact size of windows and doors. But all you need to do is run the adhesive strips down two sides of the area to be masked. If you have at least six centimetres of overlap, it’s not necessary to tape between the two sections (though it can never hurt).

Other Areas

Remember that masking film isn’t just for painting right to the edge. Often you need to cover cabinets and flooring to protect them from an ambient spray. Masking film works great for this.

Outdoors

A construction-grade masking film is perfect for masking up outdoors and where the tape needs to stick to rough, uneven, dirty or damp surfaces.

Large Areas

If you have large areas to mask, it’s nearly impossible to use newspaper or cardboard. Masking with masking film consumes far less time than masking with something else because, with film, you’re only dealing with a single sheet of film. With newspapers or cardboard, it can take five or six sheets to properly cover an area.

Barefoot Concrete recommends Mask Up Outdoors, a high quality, construction grade, multi-purpose pre-taped masking film. The product is suitable for masking up both indoor and outdoor areas in diverse weather conditions and is fit for purpose across many different industries.

The basic reason for masking up is to protect indoor and outdoor areas that we don’t want overspray or paint on. 

For every decorative concrete applicator working with spray-on concrete or concrete sealers, they are all familiar with masking as a form of prep work for decorative concrete resurfacing or painting.

Even though this could be seen as the most vital step for a successful job we still find applicators using a variety of methods and tools to make this an efficient and effective part of surface preparation.

To start masking you will need three things:

Firstly, you will need Barefoot Concrete’s Mask Up Outdoors product

Secondly, you will need an efficient and effective masking up process

Thirdly, you may need a tool to speed up the process

The first thing we recommend is using a good product. Barefoot Concrete has designed a product that is fit for purpose for the decorative concrete resurfacing industry. 

Mask Up Outdoors is a high quality, industrial-grade, multi-purpose pre-taped masking film that is suitable for masking up outdoor areas in diverse weather conditions and is fit for purpose across many different industries.

Why is it different? Because it has been designed for the outdoors with superior adhesion. As such it will hold up better in outdoor windy conditions better than any other market. It also has great UV resistance as well as waterproof properties so it can resist moisture and cling to outdoor surfaces.

Its a great product for protecting outdoor concrete, walls, glass, aluminium, pillars, pool surrounds, gates, garage doors and fences when painting or spraying on and sealing concrete overlays for decorative concrete resurfacing.

Secondly, things work best when we use good processes that are efficient and save us time on the job. As such, the functional design is critical to how the applicators apply the product so that their work is easy.

The best way to apply Mask Up Outdoors is at ground level and the masking film pulled upwards and secured to the wall by tagging with bits of masking tape.

The quality and durability of the Mask Up Outdoors are extremely important as it has to attach to outdoor brick, concrete, smooth and rough surfaces, and slightly damp surfaces at ground level and not allow seepage or bleeding through onto the surface it is supposed to protect. Therefore, the process is greatly affected by the features of the product so it can be applied efficiently. All Mask Up pre-taped masking film has an electrostatic charge to help to keep the masking film in place and cling to surfaces for ease of use and when using spray equipment in windy conditions.

Thirdly, some applicators use innovative tools to help speed up the process, as you can see from the main video. This masking tool enables the applicator to mask up areas much faster than not using a tool.

When using a masking tool you want to start out with a good process where you mask to the wall at ground level to minimize bleed through onto the surface. The tape is a pressure-sensitive adhesive so as you go stick the end of the masking paper down and walk your fingers back towards the masker, pressing the tape onto the surface as you go. When you are ready for more masking, press your fingers down on the masked wall to create tension, and simply pull out another length of masking as you go. Rinse and repeat.

When it does come time to cut the masking, use a box cutter or scissors, tear at an angle, as opposed to placing all of the teeth of the blade to the paper. This allows a smooth, clean line to tear off every time.

Probably the biggest trick in making sure your masking job is successful, is going back and tacking your paper down to the surface about every meter. When you spray the pressure may cause the masking film or tape to loosen so make sure it adheres firmly to the surface. Tacking that masking tape and film down properly will prevent any overspray on the protected surfaces. from sneaking up under where it’s unwanted. Also tape any seams where two pieces of pre-taped masking film connect by using Barefoot’ Concrete’s masking tape to you don’t have gaps in your protective masking.

My last tip for you is this, make sure that you have good coverage in every direction. Don’t leave any spaces that may be vulnerable to overspray if you do not cover it. Don’t forget to tack it down so it doesn’t kick up from the force of the pressure of the hopper gun.

Finally, one of the keys to masking is remembering that it is always better to over mask than to under mask. It’s going to take much less time to over mask than it would to try to remove overspray from your surface, that’s for sure! Especially something like brick! Masking up with Mask Up Outdoors is so cheap, so really go overboard to ensure that you’re not going to have any overspray messing up your plans at the end of a long day!

Go to our Facebook page to see a video of the Barefoot Concrete Mask Up Outdoors pre-taped masking film application in action!