Outdoor pebble finish

Hi guys, I have a 1970 house with what looks like an original "pebble finish" on the front veranda and stairs. I think it was reasonably common so hopefully you know what I am talking about, if not, it's about a 10mm thick mortar mix with small (5mm) pebbles embedded in it on top of the concrete slab.

The problem is some of it is cracking and, with all the rain we've had in Sydney, the water has got underneath and delaminated a few patches. A chunck of it just fell of a stair tread as a matter of fact. The veranda itself seems to be sound but some of the finish on the treads is cracking/hollow sounding. Eventually I'd like to replace with tiles but until then want to patch up the existing finish as best I can, or possibly re-do just the stairs so at least that part looks even.

Can anyone guide me to information on this as it's something I'm totally unfamiliar with. I'm assuming you simply mix up a mortar mix and tint to match, then sprinkle some pebbles and roll them in. But I'm truly only guessing so help for blind Freddy over here would be great!

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Originally Posted by Pete F

Hi guys, I have a 1970 house with what looks like an original "pebble finish" on the front veranda and stairs. I think it was reasonably common so hopefully you know what I am talking about, if not, it's about a 10mm thick mortar mix with small (5mm) pebbles embedded in it on top of the concrete slab.

The problem is some of it is cracking and, with all the rain we've had in Sydney, the water has got underneath and delaminated a few patches. A chunck of it just fell of a stair tread as a matter of fact. The veranda itself seems to be sound but some of the finish on the treads is cracking/hollow sounding. Eventually I'd like to replace with tiles but until then want to patch up the existing finish as best I can, or possibly re-do just the stairs so at least that part looks even.

Can anyone guide me to information on this as it's something I'm totally unfamiliar with. I'm assuming you simply mix up a mortar mix and tint to match, then sprinkle some pebbles and roll them in. But I'm truly only guessing so help for blind Freddy over here would be great!

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In my opinion, it is time to tile, trying to patch up pebble crete is a pain, as it will always show as a patch up job. The pebble need to be trowelled, and washed, it does need an experienced person to do, specially to do stairs and vertical work with peebles, and knowing how to whash them, not under wash, nor over wash, believe me at the end of the day even if you are not a tiler, you might endup doing a better job trying to tile than peeble crete. I've been trying to search for pebble crete tutorial myself for weeks and there is strictly no information on how to pebble crete. My friends does peeble crete and I did a few job with him, still he does not want to share his knowledge as far as pebble cretes goes...

Cal