From Tired Concrete to a Premium Outdoor Space – A StoneSet DIY Kit Transformation

19m² of old, uneven concrete. Peeling paint, an outdated finish, and an outdoor area that didn’t reflect the home around it.

The inside of Tony’s home was already looking fantastic, but the outside was another story.

The existing concrete was rough, uneven and covered in deteriorating paint. 

Like many homeowners, Tony wanted to transform the area without the cost, disruption and complexity of a complete renovation.

Removing and replacing the concrete seemed excessive. Tiling introduced another set of challenges. And simply repainting the surface would only disguise the problem temporarily.

He needed something that could genuinely transform the space, accommodate imperfections in the existing concrete and deliver the sort of premium finish he’d been hoping for.

Enter StoneSet DIY Kits.

With some clever planning, a few readily available tools and a combination of StoneSet DIY Kits and VertiStone, Tony transformed his outdoor area himself.

And he did it all in just one weekend.

Project Snapshot

The Challenge: When a Simple Renovation Becomes Complicated

Tony’s concrete wasn’t necessarily ready for the tip. It simply needed a completely new look.

The problem was that the slab had seen better days.

Years of exposure had taken their toll on the painted finish, while undulations, inconsistent levels and rough areas made a straightforward decorative coating less appealing.

The surrounding home, fencing, pergola and landscaping had already created the foundations of an attractive outdoor space.

But the concrete was letting everything down.

Why not just tile over it?

Tiling is an obvious consideration when renovating an outdoor area, but laying tiles over an old, uneven slab isn’t always straightforward.

Depending on the existing surface, it can mean grinding, levelling compounds, screeding, adhesives, tiles, grouting and careful movement-joint detailing.

And that’s before considering the finished heights.

Build up an uneven slab with levelling materials and a tile system, and suddenly door thresholds, drainage channels, steps and surrounding surfaces all need additional consideration.

For Tony, the cost, preparation and technical demands of tiling made it a less attractive DIY proposition.

What about spray-on concrete resurfacing?

Spray-on decorative concrete finishes can improve the appearance of an existing slab, but their relatively thin application means they generally follow the contours of the surface underneath.

For Tony, that was a significant limitation.

He didn’t just want a different colour. He wanted to visually correct the imperfections and create a more substantial finish.

And concrete paint?

Painting would have been the quickest and least expensive option initially.

But Tony had already seen what happened when a painted concrete surface began deteriorating.

It wouldn’t meaningfully address the unevenness, and it wouldn’t provide the natural stone appearance he wanted.

This wasn’t a project that needed another cosmetic coating. It needed a genuine surface transformation.

The Solution: StoneSet DIY Kits

Tony contacted StoneSet looking for a product he could install himself.

He considered himself reasonably handy and was prepared to put in the effort, provided the result would be worthwhile.

What appealed to him about StoneSet DIY Kits was that they offered more than a decorative finish.

StoneSet DIY Kits combine genuine natural stone with a single-component polyurethane resin binder.

Once mixed, the resin coats the stone and binds the individual particles together to form a continuous resin-bound surface.

Unlike a painted or spray-applied decorative coating, the finished material has its own physical depth and natural stone texture.

For Tony’s project, that was particularly useful.

At a nominal 16mm installation depth, the DIY Kits allowed him to create a substantially more consistent finished surface, with additional material used locally to accommodate some of the undulations in the concrete underneath.

It also meant the existing slab could remain in place.

No breaking up concrete. No removing tonnes of rubble. No starting from scratch.

Of course, resurfacing still requires a sound, stable and appropriately prepared substrate. StoneSet isn’t designed to correct structural movement, and existing drainage paths need to be maintained.

But where an existing concrete surface is suitable for resurfacing, retaining it can significantly reduce the amount of work involved.

And Tony was about to take that opportunity a step further.

The Design: Two Colours, Sharp Lines & a Fully Wrapped Finish

One of the most impressive aspects of Tony’s project isn’t simply that he installed StoneSet himself.

It’s the thought that went into the finished design.

Rather than applying one colour across the entire area, Tony combined Spanish Charcoal and Sierra Grey to create a contrasting two-tone finish.

The darker Spanish Charcoal forms the main surface, while the lighter Sierra Grey creates defined borders and geometric features.

The contrast works beautifully against the existing white brickwork, dark fencing and landscaping.

And the details make all the difference.

1. A custom two-tone layout

Tony installed powder-coated aluminium angle approximately 150mm in from the perimeter of selected sections of the slab.

These angles formed a physical separation between the two StoneSet colours, creating consistent borders and clean transitions.

The result resembles a carefully designed decorative paving layout, rather than a conventional resurfaced concrete slab.

It’s also a great example of the flexibility of StoneSet DIY Kits.

Different stone colours can be incorporated into the same project, allowing homeowners to create borders, patterns and architectural features without needing to purchase separate paving units.

2. Aluminium edging with a purpose

Because parts of Tony’s concrete slab were raised above the surrounding gravel, the exposed concrete edges also needed attention.

Rather than finishing the StoneSet flush with the existing concrete edge, Tony installed aluminium angle around the slab perimeter.

The angle was positioned to overhang the existing slab face by approximately 6mm.

This created a clean, defined edge for the horizontal StoneSet surface and a neat interface with the vertical finish below.

It’s a relatively simple detail, but visually it makes an enormous difference.

The finished surface appears deliberate and complete, rather than looking like a new layer added on top of old concrete.

3. Bringing the natural stone finish down the slab faces

This is where VertiStone came into the picture.

StoneSet DIY Kits are designed for horizontal surfaces. But Tony also wanted to conceal the unattractive exposed concrete slab edges and finish the stair risers.

Instead of leaving those areas painted, he incorporated StoneSet VertiStone, our resin-bound natural stone system specifically developed for vertical applications.

VertiStone uses a dedicated primer and binder system to adhere natural stone to suitable vertical substrates.

By applying VertiStone to the exposed slab faces and step risers, Tony was able to visually continue the natural stone appearance from the horizontal paving down the vertical surfaces.

The combination of StoneSet DIY Kits, VertiStone and aluminium edging created a much more cohesive result.

Rather than looking like an old concrete slab that had been resurfaced, the finished area now presents as a thoughtfully designed natural stone installation.

4. Keeping the drainage working

The existing linear drainage channel was another detail that needed consideration.

Tony raised the plastic drainage grates by approximately 16mm to accommodate the new StoneSet surface.

But he also made an important modification.

He drilled openings into the sides of the plastic drainage channels to allow water to enter the drains from beneath the StoneSet surface, as well as through the grates above.

This is a clever detail when resurfacing concrete with a permeable resin-bound material.

StoneSet contains interconnected voids, allowing water to pass through the surface to the underlying concrete. Rather than becoming trapped against the drainage channel, water travelling along the underlying slab can enter through the additional openings.

The result is a drainage arrangement that accommodates water flowing both across the finished surface and through the StoneSet layer.

The principle is straightforward: if the existing concrete drained effectively before resurfacing, a correctly detailed StoneSet DIY Kit installation should maintain that drainage performance.

StoneSet doesn’t automatically correct pre-existing drainage problems, but it doesn’t need to create new ones either.

Tony’s attention to the drainage detail is another example of why planning matters.

The Installation: One Homeowner, One Weekend

With his layout planned, materials on hand and aluminium angles ready, Tony got to work.

While he’d describe himself as handy, he wasn’t a professional StoneSet installer.

And that is exactly what makes this project such a compelling example of what’s achievable with DIY Kits.

Step 1: Planning the layout

Before mixing a single kit, Tony worked out how he wanted the two colours to appear across the surface.

The contrasting borders required careful positioning to maintain consistent widths and align the design with the shape of the existing slab.

Using spray paint, he also marked out sections to help calculate and manage his material usage as the installation progressed.

Planning the layout in advance helped him approach the project systematically, rather than attempting to cover the entire area in one go.

Step 2: Installing aluminium edging

Tony fixed powder-coated aluminium angle to the concrete using masonry fixings and construction adhesive as appropriate to the detail.

The internal angles separated his two stone colours, while the perimeter edging provided a neat termination for the StoneSet and a defined junction with the vertical VertiStone surfaces.

The perimeter angle extended approximately 6mm beyond the existing concrete edge.

This detail gave the finished installation its clean, framed appearance.

Step 3: Adjusting the drains

With the new surface planned at a nominal 16mm depth, the existing drainage grate levels needed to be raised.

Tony adjusted the plastic drains to suit the proposed finished paving height, maintaining a neat transition from the resin-bound surface into the drainage channel.

He also drilled openings through the sides of the plastic channels at the appropriate level.

These openings allow water travelling through the StoneSet and across the underlying concrete to discharge into the drains, rather than relying exclusively on water entering through the grates.

It’s a relatively simple modification that makes good use of StoneSet’s permeable structure while preserving the drainage function of the original concrete.

Step 4: Applying VertiStone

Before completing the horizontal paving, Tony addressed the exposed slab faces and stair risers.

The vertical surfaces were prepared and coated with the dedicated VertiStone Primer.

Importantly, the VertiStone resin-bound mixture was applied directly onto the primed surface while the primer was still uncured.

This wet-on-wet application is an important part of the VertiStone installation method, helping establish the bond between the prepared substrate and the resin-bound stone finish.

Tony mixed the VertiStone material and trowelled it onto the freshly primed vertical surfaces.

Working to the underside of the aluminium perimeter edging helped create a clean transition from the vertical stone finish to the horizontal paving above.

In total, approximately 2m² of vertical surface was completed using three VertiStone Kits and one VertiStone Primer.

This removed the visual contrast between the old painted concrete edges and the new paving surface.

Step 5: Mixing the DIY Kits

For the horizontal areas, Tony used 24 StoneSet DIY Kits in Spanish Charcoal and Sierra Grey.

Each DIY Kit comes with natural stone and a pre-measured, single-component polyurethane binder.

The installation involves adding the stone and resin to a suitable mixing container and thoroughly mixing them together until the aggregate is evenly coated.

Tony used two 60L flexible tubs and a paddle mixer to prepare his batches.

Having separate tubs helped him organise the process and continue working across the area.

Once mixed, the resin-bound stone was ready to be placed and trowelled.

Step 6: Laying StoneSet at 16mm

Tony installed the DIY Kits at a nominal 16mm depth.

However, because the original concrete had several undulations and uneven sections, he locally increased the depth where necessary to improve the finished surface.

This is a major advantage of using a resin-bound aggregate system with a meaningful installation depth rather than a thin decorative coating.

Small variations in the substrate can be accommodated within the depth of the StoneSet layer, subject to maintaining suitable minimum depths, levels and drainage.

Using a timber batten as a makeshift screed bar and a trowel for finishing, Tony progressively worked across the area.

He followed the aluminium angle guides to keep the two colours separated and the finished lines crisp.

The result was a visually consistent natural stone surface that significantly improved the appearance of the old concrete underneath.

Step 7: Finishing the details

Once the main areas had been laid, Tony completed the remaining edges, colour transitions and junctions.

The contrast between Spanish Charcoal and Sierra Grey became particularly striking where the lighter borders followed the shape of the slab and formed the decorative rectangular features.

The finished paving, combined with the VertiStone slab faces, gave the entire space a much more complete appearance.

From preparation and detailing through to the installation of the resin-bound stone, Tony completed the project himself over one weekend.

No specialist paving crew required.

The Tools: Nothing Particularly Complicated

Another important part of Tony’s project was the equipment he used.

Rather than needing specialist resurfacing machinery, he completed the installation with a relatively straightforward selection of tools and consumables.

Tony’s tool and consumable list:

• 2 × 60L flexible mixing tubs from Bunnings
• Paddle mixer
• Trowel
• Timber batten used as a screed bar
• Disposable gloves
• White spirits for suitable tool cleaning
• Rags
• Builder’s film for protecting surrounding surfaces
• Spray paint for marking out installation areas and material usage
• Drill and masonry drill bits
• Masonry screws
• Construction adhesive
• Powder-coated aluminium angle

Appropriate personal protective equipment, ventilation, and handling practices should always be used in accordance with the relevant product instructions and safety data sheets.

The important takeaway isn’t that every DIY project will be completed in a weekend, or that no preparation is required.

It’s that a premium-looking natural stone resurfacing project doesn’t necessarily need complicated machinery or professional installation.

With suitable substrate conditions, preparation, planning and the right tools, homeowners can take on projects that might otherwise have seemed well beyond their capabilities.

Why StoneSet DIY Kits Worked So Well for This Project

Tony’s transformation highlights several practical advantages of resin-bound natural stone resurfacing, particularly when working with existing concrete.

1. A premium finish using genuine natural stone

StoneSet uses real natural aggregate, not a printed pattern or imitation stone effect.

The result is an authentic stone surface with a distinctive texture and appearance, bringing a premium finish to an otherwise tired outdoor space.

2. It helped disguise the uneven concrete

Unlike paint or thin decorative coatings, StoneSet DIY Kits are installed at a meaningful depth.

Tony’s nominal 16mm application allowed him to create a more consistent finished appearance, increasing the depth locally where the existing concrete dipped or undulated.

Rather than simply highlighting the imperfections underneath, he was able to create a much more uniform-looking surface.

3. The existing concrete stayed in place

One of the biggest advantages was avoiding unnecessary demolition.

No breaking up the slab, no concrete disposal and no reconstruction of the entire paved area.

By retaining the existing concrete, Tony reduced the amount of work, waste and disruption involved in transforming the space.

4. The permeable surface worked with the existing drainage

StoneSet’s interconnected void structure allows water to pass through the resin-bound layer and reach the underlying surface.

Tony took advantage of this by modifying the existing plastic drainage channels, drilling openings that allow water to enter the drains both above and below the finished StoneSet surface.

This allowed the new paving to work with the original drainage arrangement.

Where an existing concrete slab already drains effectively, a correctly installed StoneSet DIY Kit surface can maintain those established drainage paths.

There’s no need to overcomplicate it. If drainage wasn’t a problem before, and the original falls and outlets are properly maintained, StoneSet shouldn’t make it one.

5. A slip-resistant surface for outdoor living

The natural stone texture creates a finish with good underfoot grip, making StoneSet a practical choice for pedestrian areas.

StoneSet systems can achieve a P5 slip resistance classification, depending on the system, installation and testing conditions.

The result combines an attractive natural stone appearance with the functional benefits expected of an outdoor paving surface.

6. Complete flexibility with colour and design

Tony’s two-tone layout is a perfect example of what’s possible with DIY Kits.

Using aluminium angles and contrasting aggregate blends, he created crisp borders and geometric features without needing separate pavers or tiles.

It’s a customised design that makes the finished space look far more elaborate than the installation process might suggest.

7. VertiStone completed the transformation

By extending the natural stone finish down the exposed slab faces and stair risers, Tony avoided leaving the old painted concrete visible around the edges.

The dedicated VertiStone system allowed him to create a complementary vertical finish, with the resin-bound mixture applied directly onto the uncured VertiStone Primer.

Combined with the aluminium edging, the result is a cohesive surface that appears finished from every angle.

Could You Do Something Similar?

You don’t need to completely rebuild an outdoor area to change the way it looks and feels.

Sometimes, the opportunity is already sitting underneath your feet.

An old concrete entertaining area. A tired courtyard. A faded pathway. A small outdoor space that’s never quite lived up to its potential.

If the existing substrate is sound and suitable for resurfacing, StoneSet DIY Kits offer a way to create a genuine natural stone finish without the need to remove and replace everything underneath.

And as Tony has demonstrated, a little creativity can go a long way.

24 DIY Kits. 3 VertiStone Kits. One homeowner. One weekend.

An old, uneven painted slab transformed into an outdoor space worth showing off.

No concrete demolition. No skip bins full of broken slab. No tilers or paving contractors.

Just clever design, straightforward tools and the determination to give it a go.

Ready to transform your own outdoor space?

Explore the StoneSet DIY Kit range at stoneset.shop, or contact the StoneSet team for guidance on product selection, quantities and suitability for your project.

Every project is different. Ensure existing substrates are suitable, adequately prepared and correctly drained before installing StoneSet DIY Kits. Follow the relevant product installation instructions.