Coating Transforms Dingy Surface into Inviting Patio in Clear Lake Shores

Posted by admin on November 17, 2022 in Blog

Upon purchasing a home in Clear Lake Shores, Texas, two homeowners set out to renovate the property. Among the many projects on their list—which included replacing the home’s siding, repairing the plumbing, and more—was to resurface the outdoor patio. Though they didn’t know exactly what they wanted, they knew they wanted a change, so they called SUNDEK of Houston to take a look.

For a patio surface in Clear Lake Shores, TX, SUNDEK of Houston applied SUNDEK’s SunStone product to create the look of natural stone. For color, they used EZ-Tique pigments in Oceanside, Navajo, and White.

Steve Mergler, territory manager for SUNDEK of Houston, said that even though the homeowners didn’t know what look they wanted yet, that was not a problem. “We sent them images so they could see some possibilities,” Mergler says. A project completed with SunStone stood out to the client.

SunStone allows SUNDEK to create look of limestone that appears and feels authentic. Since the coating is finished by hand, it can be customized with unique designs, textures, and coloring effects. Its durability makes it a great product for just about anywhere—on patios, pool decks, driveways, entryways, walkways, and more.

After choosing the product, the next step was to choose how to customize it to fit the aesthetic the homeowners were looking for. They knew they wanted a contemporary look and light colors to match the exterior of the home.

One challenge here was working around the fence that runs along the perimeter—and through the patio in one spot—but the team was able to successfully work around it.

When assessing the colors of the space, Mergler made an observation: While the color of the SunStone surface would complement the aesthetic of the house nicely, the surface of the driveway, which was black river rock, might stand out. To tie everything together, Mergler suggested giving the surface a dark grout between the tiles. The dark grout would help create a visual transition from the dark color of the driveway to the light color of the home. The homeowners loved the idea.

Along with color, the clients needed to decide on a style and size for the tiles. After looking at several options, they leaned towards a geometric Versailles or slate pattern and opted for large tiles: 4 by 4 foot and 2 by 2 foot.

Based on the clients’ preferences on color, size, and pattern, Mergler and his team came up with samples for approval. After getting feedback, SUNDEK made adjustments and created several more iterations until the color and pattern was just right.

For the grout lines, Steve Mergler, territory manager for SUNDEK of Houston, suggested coloring it a gray color to complement the gray of the river rock. This choice resulted in an attractive transition from driveway to home.

It was time to start the project, and all quality jobs begin with surface preparation. According to Mergler, removing paint coatings is typically a straightforward task, usually taking up about a day’s worth of work. In this case, though, removal took three days as the existing epoxy paint coating did not come up easily and required the use of grinding blades and a scarifier.

Once they’d removed the old coating, the SUNDEK of Houston team power washed the patio to find that they were faced with about 115 feet of cracking. To address each crack, the team began by opening them with a diamond cut. Next, they patched them with a mix of epoxy and sand. Finally, they grinded each spot smooth so it wouldn’t leave a lip on the surface. “This type of epoxy weld creates such a tight bond that it typically doesn’t crack ever again,” explains Mergler. With crack repair complete, Mergler’s team put down the basecoat, smoothing down any imperfections.

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Once the basecoat was dry, they applied the SunStone product by laying it on the surface, troweling it, letting it set to a certain point, then hand carving the grout lines. That’s when the coloring process began. This step required meticulous attention to detail, as not all stones would be the same color. Lastly, the team applied a coat of sealer mixed with aluminum oxide for traction. Living near the coast means for frequent rain, so it was important to the clients to have a surface that doesn’t get too slippery when wet.

This image shows what the surface looked like before SUNDEK of Houston began their work. The existing epoxy paint coat was difficult to remove, but crews used grinding blades and a scarifier to adequately strip the surface.

Just 24 hours later, the surface was ready to walk on, and Mergler was able to do the final walk through with the clients. After looking closely at the new surface of their 963-square-foot patio space, the clients were over the moon.

As is the case with many resurfacing jobs, all this detailed work was completed with a physical barrier—a fence. Mergler notes, “Our crews are trained to overcome those areas and get underneath to make it work the best we can.” Though he mentioned to the homeowner that those areas might not be perfect, when the homeowners saw the finished product during the walkthrough, they commented that even the area under the fence line looked great.

With the right products, careful application, and attention to every detail—both on and around the project, SUNDEK of Houston installed a patio that provides a beautiful transition from driveway to home.

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We service all the major cities in the area including Houston, Missouri City, Pasadena, Baytown, Sugar Land, Pearland, League City, Katy, Aldine, Spring, The Woodlands, Humble, Meadows Place, Mission Bend, Cinco Ranch, Bellaire, Deer Park, La Porte, Cypress, Jersey Village, and the surrounding areas.

If you need resurfacing done at your home or your commercial property, we’d love to come out and give you a free quote.

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