Residential

Exposed Aggregate

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Turning old stained, shaling concrete into an exposed aggregate look is becoming more and more common in our surrounding area. Advantages to exposed aggregate are that stains from vehicles are much less noticeable and deficiencies in a concrete pour will be blended in. Besides the fact that exposed aggregate not only raises the value of your property, it will also make it the “talk of the block” creating much more curb appeal and save you thousands in replacing an old driveway, steps or side walk. For Contractors, we can clean underexposed concrete if something went wrong with your pour or cleaning methods i.e. it was too hot or the retarder did not work properly. Even if it is left for months and it is MPA 60 + concrete, we can fix it without damaging the rocks.

WozBuilt can also make your existing exposed aggregate look like new again and give it a non-slip surface.

Wet abrasive blasting exposed Aggregate: Our method does slightly etch the rocks and cement as it cleans the oxidized layers off of the rock (rocks are older than dirt). We absolutely make sure we do not damage the rock (aggregate) or over expose the aggregate. Once everything is cleaned, we pressure wash it, let it dry and then apply a high end sealer that will be expected to last for years.

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Sealing concrete and exposed aggregate after blasting: WozBuilt can give you the choice of colored water born dyes to color just the cement, not the aggregate. We can darken the concrete to make it unique and then add a high end UV protected sealant. We have flat, mat and gloss finishes all with extra anti slip properties if requested to protect it from the elements.

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Dulling after blasting: Even though our process looks like it has dulled the finish, once the sealant is applied it brightens everything right up. It is like sanding paint and putting water or clear coat on it; it shines right up and all etching or scratches are gone. Because of the way our system works and the fine abrasives we use, the etching action is much finer than dry blasting which allows easy coverage of sealants and guaranteed adhesion.

Etching of the surface: Three amazing things that happen from etching and cleaning the surface with wet abrasive blasting.

1. Our method etches & cleans the surface better than any other method getting rid of all impurities.
2. Wet abrasive blasting etching gives the sealants and coatings something to stick to. We have found it gives a much better adhesion and longevity to even acid etching, which is really frowned upon these days.
3. One of the best points is the anti slip properties of wet abrasive blasting concrete or exposed aggregate. Our process really complements the anti slip property and this safety aspect is what our customers like the most. Add this to our dyes or stains and our non-slip range of sealants and you will have the nicest, longest lasting driveway or patio on the block.

Here is a 3 part article on concrete surface prep by the Blasting Journal – blastjournal.com

Here is a video on why you end up with shailing and spalling concrete.

Concrete being blasted and turned into exposed aggregate.

An aggregate driveway blasted and sealed

Graffiti removal

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For Graffiti, WozBuilt can give a choice of clear UV protected sealers. We recommend a permanent sealer for one time problems or restoration, but if your property keeps getting tagged with graffiti on a regular basis we would recommend a Silicone based sealer. The Graffiti will just come off when washed with hot water, biodegradable soap and a pressure washer. Then the next time WozBuilt comes back it will just be to reseal the surface saving lots of time and money as it won’t have to be re-blasted. WozBuilt can apply the sealer for you for $2.00 / square ft or we can recommend the products to use which you can apply yourself.

Steps being blasted and stripped

Masonry Restoration

WozBuilt can restore masonry products like brick, stucco, sand stone, concrete, cindercrete, asphalt, patio blocks, paving stones, ceramic tiles etc. With our Geoblaster equipment we can remove and restore these surfaces from graffiti, water, grass, rust, lime stains, pealing, faded paint, moss, mold, fungus, mildew; just about anything masonry oriented without damaging the substrate.

We can also prep any masonry surface for new paint, stains , sealers, or repairs using a course media leaving a clean substrate and profile for adhesion. Or we can leave a lightly polished, like new surface using very fine grit medias.

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Wozbuilt recommends putting on a clear UV protected sealer after the surface has dried to protect from stains, dirt, salt, moss or fungus. For sidewalks and driveway areas we can add an anti slip grit that can prevent it from being too slippery.

Brick wall being stripped and restored

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A stamped concrete patio being stripped, dyed and sealed.

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Wagon wheels being striped – Before

Wagon wheels striped – After

Wood Projects or Deck Restorations

WozBuilt can be very delicate even with cedar. We can use low pressures and media designed for cleaning, not etching or cutting. Because wood is soft and it is easily damaged, even with a small pressure washer, it is important to use an abrasive that rolls, not cuts. Because of the water and the flushing / cooling action it gives, we are able to strip coatings and give great adhesion without damaging the wood. Our technique and our customized equipment also allows for a very consistent finish with no lines or start stops. Also, you don’t have to worry about a large consumption of water as we can use as low as 5 g/hr

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WozBuilt is even able to remove Behr Liquid Rawhide from pine and cedar without damaging the wood.

Decks being stripped – Before and after.

Pools

For pools, WozBuilt is able to just quickly brush blast the pool for adhesion and clean the surface that already exists. This gives it great adhesion for new coatings which won’t peal. This is assuming the existing coating is still in good shape and hasn’t been left too long.

WozBuilt can also strip the contaminants and coatings down to the substrate to be completely ready for new coatings, concrete repairs or new parging.

Pool being stripped by wet blasting

Above – Basement parging ready to be blasted

Below – Parging removed. Notice how much loose concrete was revealed.

Concrete Repairs

Don’t think your drive way is too far gone because this might not be the case. WozBuilt is able to save many deteriorated driveways by just patching and repairing the cracks, smoothing off the imperfections and resealing. Others can be blasted clean to feather out all the repair areas for repair to the cracks and then a skim coat on the surface with a reinforced topping, which is actually stronger than most driveways were originally.

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Driveway replacement: Replacing a driveway can run you anywhere from $12.00 to $15.00 / sq. ft. Then you still have to prep and seal it if you want it to last. The worst case scenario is WozBuilt can be half of this, in most cases, for blasting, repair, colored over lay and resealing. However there are cases where it is just best to replace. If that is the case WozBuilt can also suggest great people to deal with this situation.

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Trusted Companies: WozBuilt has built a great network of trustworthy people over the years, which we have complete faith in, and would go as far to say we ourselves would stand behind their work.

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Sealant removal: WozBuilt can remove the sealant from stamped concrete, exposed aggregate, flat concrete without removing the dye or accent color. Our process slightly etches the surface and creates the best adhesion possible for new coatings while leaving the surface non slip.

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About The Process: When WozBuilt is finished it will be better than it was when it was new. The original exposed aggregate cleaning process never gets the rocks completely free of the concrete, leaving the rocks dull and dirty looking. WozBuilt recommends all concrete to be wet abrasive blasted before sealing for not only guaranteed adhesion, but to clean the surface like it has never been cleaned before! This exposes all the rocks to their cleanest form removing the oxidized layers of rock so when it gets sealed all the colors come out crisp and clean protecting the substrate from the elements while leaving a slip resistant surface.

Sealing and minor concrete repairs: WozBuilt can apply colored dies and stains and then seal over them on your driveway, sidewalks, steps and patios.