Concrete Resurfacing Cost Calculator

How do you work out concrete resurfacing cost?

Resurfacing is priced by the bag, not the yard. Measure the area, choose a thickness, divide by the coverage per bag from the product’s data sheet and add 10%. Multiply the bags by your bag price, then add cleaning, crack repair, tools and labor.

Bags = area (ft²) × thickness (in) ÷ 12 × 1.10 ÷ yield per bag (ft³)

The yields come straight from the data sheets. QUIKRETE says a 40 lb bag of Re-Cap covers about 16 ft² at 1/4 in, which is 16 × 0.25 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft³ (9.4 L) of material. SAKRETE’s Flo-Coat sheet gives 18 ft² at 1/4 in, or 0.375 ft³ (10.6 L). The calculator above is preset to Re-Cap’s 0.333 ft³; change it to your product’s yield.

This page does not quote a national price per square foot for resurfacing. Bag prices, contractor rates and the amount of prep a slab needs vary too much, and we have found no primary source that publishes an average. What is fixed is the material quantity, so start there and price it with local quotes. If you are pouring new concrete instead, use cost to pour a concrete slab.

How much does a bag of concrete resurfacer cover?

Coverage depends almost entirely on thickness. The data sheets give two points each; the rows in between are computed from the same volume per bag.

Re-Cap’s data sheet limits each layer to 1/4 in (6.3 mm) and the total to 1/2 in (13 mm). Flo-Coat’s sheet says to build thickness with additional thin layers after each layer cures for 24 hours. Thicker than that is a new topping or a new slab, not a resurfacer job.

How many bags of resurfacer do I need?

The table gives 40 lb bags with 10% extra for waste and uneven spots. Flo-Coat’s slightly higher yield saves a bag or two on larger jobs.

SAKRETE’s own quick table, which does not add extra, lists 1, 1.5 and 3 bags for 50, 100 and 200 ft² at 1/16 in, and 3, 6 and 11 bags at 1/4 in. Our counts are a little higher because of the 10% allowance.

What does resurfacing cost per square foot?

For materials, each $10 of bag price adds a fixed amount per square foot at a given thickness. Multiply the figure below by your bag price ÷ 10.

So doubling the thickness doubles the material cost, and a contractor’s quote for a thicker coat should reflect more bags and more passes. Material is usually the smaller share once a pro is involved; prep and labor dominate.

What drives the price of resurfacing besides bags?

Both data sheets put most of the work into preparation. These are the items to price or ask about:

• Cleaning. QUIKRETE calls for a 2,500 psi (17.2 MPa) pressure washer and SAKRETE recommends one at 17 MPa (2,500 psi); QUIKRETE calls this step “essential to ensure a proper bond”. Rent or buy one, or pay for it in the quote.
• Stain and coating removal. Re-Cap is for bare concrete only, not painted or sealed surfaces, and Flo-Coat needs a surface free of paint, sealers and curing compounds. Grinding off a sealer adds cost.
• Crack and spall repair. Cracks are widened, cleaned and filled before the coat. QUIKRETE notes that cracks can reflect through the new surface, especially without good control joints or if the slab settles.
• Joints. Control and expansion joints must be kept open and protected with tape or weather-stripping, then re-cut or raised.
• Crew size. QUIKRETE suggests sections no larger than about 144 ft² and about 20 minutes of working time at squeegee consistency, so a 480 ft² drive is at least four sections. Enough people to mix and spread without stopping matters.
• Finish and color. Broom finish is standard; liquid cement colors and sealers are extra.
• Weather window. Apply between 50 °F and 90 °F (10 to 32 °C) per Re-Cap; Flo-Coat needs 50 °F or more for 24 hours. Rain protection for 8 hours.

Is it cheaper to resurface or replace concrete?

Resurfacing uses a fraction of the material when the slab underneath is sound. Replacement means demolition, haul-off, base work and a full ready-mix order. The table compares material quantities only, as a starting point for quotes.

As an example with placeholder prices, the 12 × 40 ft driveway at 5 in would be 8¼ yd³ × $160 = $1,320 of concrete alone, before tear-out, base and labor; the resurfacing material in the worked example above was $425 plus supplies. Use concrete driveway cost or concrete patio cost to price the replacement side properly.

Price is not the deciding factor, though. A resurfacer restores the surface; it does not fix structure. QUIKRETE warns that old cracks can reappear from movement in the base concrete. Slabs that are heaved, sunken, broken through or badly cracked are usually candidates for repair or replacement rather than a thin coat. Have a contractor look at the slab before buying bags.

How do I resurface concrete in metric?

Use litres. Multiply the area in m² by the thickness in mm to get litres of material, add 10% and divide by the litres per bag: about 9.4 L for an 18.1 kg bag of Re-Cap (1.5 m² at 6.3 mm on its data sheet) and 10.6 L for Flo-Coat.

Common mistakes when pricing a resurfacing job

• Using the thin-coat coverage for a thick coat. 65 ft² per bag applies only at 1/16 in; at 1/4 in Re-Cap covers 16 ft².
• Skipping prep in the budget. Both data sheets call for thorough cleaning (pressure washing) and filling cracks first; these are not optional extras.
• Resurfacing over a sealer or paint. Re-Cap’s sheet says bare concrete only.
• Covering joints. Both sheets say keep control and expansion joints open.
• Resurfacing a failing slab. Settlement and active cracks come back through a thin overlay.
• Planning for a cold or hot day. Stay inside the 50 to 90 °F window on the bag, and see concrete curing time for how temperature affects cure.

Brand names are used only to identify the data sheets the figures come from; this site is independent of QUIKRETE and SAKRETE.