How do I remove the pea gravel in epoxy coating?
by
Elaine
+3
We have a decent sized patio but the original owners covered the terrazzo with the pea gravel that was all the rage in the mid 80’s around here. There are places where you can hear/feel it is no longer attached to the patio. We also have a crack through it that was probably the reason they put it down as the crack is in the cement patio as well. The pea gravel is very slippery, attracts moss and mold and holds dirt better than cement. Short of hiring a person with jackhammer, does anyone know a way to remove the gravel?
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I hope you don't mind this labor intense job? You can get an Epoxy Solvent. Apply probably several times. Once it looks like some of the coating has melted then you scrape it off. Another way is to get a blow torch and heat up the epoxy gravel (work small areas) immediately use a jackhammer to remove. Jackhammer looks like a reciprocating saw but with a chisel on the end. You have to hold jackhammer at a 45 degree angle to get under gravel so it will come up. Remember to wear protective clothing especially for face. Good luck.
This is the reason some people say,"consider it permanent."If ...popcorn ceilings, anything stuck on with mastic.... How bad are the cracks and loose stones? If you just concentrated on those areas with Sharon's ideas, and treated the crack, could you throw a decent skim coat of concrete? Maybe a little less sweat? Good luck, Elaine!
Thanks all! After back surgery and three brain surgeries, using a jack hammer may not be my best bet, but I can see if they have small light ones lol...
Sharon, I will definitely try the Epoxy Solvent. I’m getting my fall chore list together as it’s not something I want to do in heat and humidity. But maybe heating a small area and working it up bit by bit would work well. Thanks for the reminder on safety gear!
Shuganne, there one major crack that the edge of the concrete shows to be between 1/4” and 1/2” running straight to the house on a slab. Due to the dang pebble coating, I can’t tell if the porch and slab were done in one pour. Hopefully it wasn’t and we can just have the entire patio removed if we have to. The loose sections aren’t much, you cant see it, just feel small sections when you walk on it,
Thank you for answering! I wish the areas that have become loose were near the cracks. There are areas which seem to be from about six inch square to maybe a foot square. These are the areas I may start at first. I’m anal so it will be a miracle if i don’t start at and edge and move in a methodical manner roflol.