Stained Concrete Modernizes
an Outdoor Living Space
The owners of this scenic home in Valley Center, Calif., wanted to update the look of their outdoor living space by removing the crumbling, old tiles covering their existing patio and replacing them with a stained concrete overlay. To take advantage of the breathtaking view, they also came up with the idea of adding a smaller stained concrete patio with a vanishing-edge concrete tabletop to overlook the surrounding landscape and serve as an area for serving cocktails. “This project is among one of the most extensive we have completed, because there were several different applications,” says contractor Andy Espinoza of Envision Concrete, Escondido, Calif. Learn more about this amazing transformation. 
Replacing the Tile

After removing the old tile from the elevated concrete patio and steps, Andy’s crew place d a concrete topping mix specifically designed to be poured at a minimum thickness of 2 inches. “This was needed to accommodate the changes of elevations on the patio from the tile removal,” he says. Learn more about resurfacing outdoor concrete.
Staining & Sealing

A concrete countertop and bench were added to improve the functionality of the space and create uniformity. All the concrete flatwork and countertop surfaces were then stained with a combination of acid stain (in chocolate) and water-based stain (in walnut) to add depth to the earth-toned color scheme, followed by sealing with a combination of solvent-based acrylic and polyurethane sealers.
Vanishing-Edge Table

The second concrete patio with the vanishing-edge tabletop allows guests to enjoy cocktails while looking out over the surrounding landscape. “The concept was to have a table that from a distance appeared to be floating,” says Andy. The table is anchored with steel bars to an old concrete block wall fountain that was transformed into a seat wall. The wall was then capped by stained concrete to blend in with the other outdoor design elements. See more ideas for enhancing outdoor spaces with concrete furnishings.
Project Challenges

The biggest challenge of the project was the fabrication of the forms for the vanishing-edge table. “We needed to have enough support for the table without the concrete being an integral part of the wall. The project designer decided to have steel bars anchored into the block wall, with a steel plate welded to the bars to support the table. We then had to fabricate our forms around the steel plate,” says Andy. See another stained overlay project completed by Envision Concrete. 
Andy has been getting job leads through Concrete Network since 2014. Learn more about how you can get local leads for decorative concrete work.
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