Contractors & DIY Enthusiasts, learn how to install concrete microtoppings & skim coats on walls and vertical surfaces to create polished concrete walls.

Applying a Concrete Microtopping to Vertical Surfaces | Part 1

Concrete floors are becoming more popular. But what’s really trending now is taking the concrete up the wall. This video covers the application of Duraamen Skraffino concrete micro-topping in a vertical setting.

This could be useful in a living room or kitchen of a condo or apartment, community center or even a shower. In this video, watch industry expert Bob Harris take you through a vertical application of a micro-topping, from beginning to end. To get started, ensure that your drywall is sound and that any seams where two panels of drywall meet are perfectly flush. If your vertical application is to be used somewhere where it will be exposed to water, such as in a shower or outdoor kitchen area, be sure to use a waterproof board.

After applying fiberglass reinforcement tape over the seam, he begins troweling on the feather finish material, covering up the seam and the screws. Once it’s dried, he will scrape it to be level. This step of the way is not as important that it be smooth—it can always be smoothed out later.

Harris applies two coats of CP1000 applied as a primer. There’s no need to wait more than 30 minutes in between coats before letting it completely dry overnight. Bob Harris explains the different methods that are possible for applying the primer and what method he likes best.

A quick application is important for the vertical application. He uses a hopper to do a quick application. Protecting the surrounding work surfaces is important if you use the sprayer method.

He smooths out the first application and adds a touch more by hand with the trowel where he can see that the application was a bit too light. Move ahead to part two of the video How to apply Concrete Micro-topping to Vertical Surfaces to see how the colors combine for a deep, rich look that looks like burnished concrete without the burnishing.

Applying a Concrete Micro-topping to Vertical Surfaces | Part 2

The goal with this video is to create the look of burnished concrete on the vertical surface through the use of troweled on powdered pigment. Moving quickly to part two, you see that only an hour and a half has gone by since the first application of the sprayed–on Skraffino in the first video. It’s dried a little, so he can go over it with the trowel.

This vertical application would be perfect in a kitchen, bathroom or even a shower if a waterproof drywall board was used behind the micro-topping. Harris demonstrates quick and easy techniques to add texture to the surface which can be left as is or used in combination with another color to create a unique look.

Harris hand-broadcasts the Colorfast pigment while the material is still slightly wet. Then, the powder is troweled on in a non-directional pattern. This is followed by applying concentrated Deso dye mixed with water. It will be sprayed on for this demonstration, but it could be applied in a number of ways.

Harris uses rosy-brown Deso dye and simply applies it with a sprayer. Harris demonstrates that drips from the spraying are not a concern. After showing how the gray and rosy-brown combines to create a beautiful appearance, he explains how to seal it to protect your finish. Harris gives the surface one coat using Duraamen’s Perdure AO3 water-based acrylic sealer, then gives it three to four hours of dry time before applying the second coat. Application is quick, clean and easy using a sprayer followed by a back roller.