Bob Harris' Guide to Concrete Overlays & Toppings [Paperback]

Bob Harris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 2006

Become an expert in concrete overlay and topping. Learn from this practical instruction manual how to rejuvenate concrete floors, driveways, exterior flatwork, and even wall surfaces. Offer your customers beautiful alternatives to costly removal and replacement of old concrete.

Here you will find detailed application techniques for concrete on different surfaces, and how to select the most appropriate resurfacing system for each project. You will learn how to estimate materials, prep and prepare surfaces, repair cracks, and test for moisture-vapor transmission.

Step-by-step instructions are included for obtaining different finishes including the use of stamping mats, stencils, spray-downs, micro-topping, scoring techniques, working with gelled acid, polishing, and applying stains, dyes, tints, and even selecting and applying the right sealer. Shows how to set up a mixing station and gives estimated curing times for many overlay jobs.

Provides proven marketing tips to get your overlay and topping business going. Includes Websites and addresses of manufacturers offering overlay and coating products.

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: Craftsman Book Co (January 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974773727
• ISBN-13: 978-0974773728
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,171,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview, February 7, 2007

By 

G. Ferguson (Austin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bob Harris' Guide to Concrete Overlays & Toppings (Paperback)

Of course, for me to review a book by Bob Harris is a bit presumptuous, because, well, he is a legend (in decorative concrete). However, I also do this for a living, so maybe not.

Anyway, this is a very good book, with a great overview of a fairly broad topic. From this book, you would learn enough to probably do an overlay, and to decide which type to pursue for your application. It is not exhaustive in everything you might encounter, or all the issues that might occur, but it is a worthy entry in his series.

The only thing I would change, if I could, would be to have more details on each of the photos (e.g., this floor was done with XYZ companies overlay type 2, stained with the ABC companies antique amber, and sealed with ABC's water-based acrylic). This would be more useful....

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Needs Applicable Title, June 13, 2008

By 

Clint (California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bob Harris' Guide to Concrete Overlays & Toppings (Paperback)

The book is more of a guide for beginning contractor - most experienced contractors would already know how to plan, estimate, and bid the job based on manufactures installation procedures.

It's a very poor book if you are looking for a detailed "How To" book or looking for ideas about concrete overlays or toppings possibilities. It contains a chapter by chapter general overview of the work processes but lacks details. The book provides the very basics of overlays and toppings, but not how to make your work stand out from others nor more than the basic possibilities.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars POOR POOR POOR !, July 20, 2007

By 

Bjarki Magnusson "Bjarki M" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bob Harris' Guide to Concrete Overlays & Toppings (Paperback)

This book is very poor on information,its nothing more than the pictures in it. You get more information on how to do overlays with reading manufacturers installation guide.