External step needs repair, 2mm thick, what mix?

[Solyom]

I have a 1/2 moon step to repair. The patch is about 20cm x 15cm x 2mm painted over

I have been told to seal it and then use just cement and water mix which I think will crack the 1st time anyone steps on it.

Can anyone give me advice please?

 

[tony1851]

Try a 50kg bag of ready-mixed concrete 1:2:4 mix, with 10mm limestone aggregate.

 

[Solyom]

As the section that has cracked off is 2mm thick I think 10mm aggregate might be too big!

Any other suggestions?

 

[noseall]

You are unlikely to achieve a lasting repair with cement based products at 2mm thick.

Either replace the step or tile it or use an epoxy coating.

 

[Solyom]

Thanks for the reply Noseall. The steps have been in place for at least 12 years so have lasted fairly well.
What I would really like to know is how??? There are 3 or 4 areas which need patching, mostly very small but all are only 2mm thick. Does anyone know what could originally have been laid? It certainly looks like a cement based mix.
I will take a photo later today and post it this evening if it helps. You can see the steps in this pic, will do a better one later

 

[xdave]

You can make a cement + sand + water/latex slurry to patch thin areas but you need to religiously clean, key and prime the area to be patched to prevent it lifting up. If it gets attacked by the elements it will lift within weeks so it would need propper sealing. Alternatively as the patch is small enough for it to be economical you could just patch the hole with straight epoxy. It has the advantage of being quick, simple to mix and self-leveling. You can mix with 50% sand to thicken it up and make it go a bit further.

If the step has a continuous 2mm top layer (except for the broken patch) then it would be better to remove the lot and reapply a new coating. Assuming the subbase is solid then you can use a product like Watco's Flowtop. (There are many others, but I have used that particular product before.)

 

[Solyom]

cheers Dave, what ratio would you recommend for cement + sand + water/latex slurry

 

[tony1851]

you need to religiously clean,.)

Does he have to say his prayers while cleaning the step? or 3 Hail Mary's perhaps!?, or have it consecrated?

Or should he clean the step 'rigorously'?