The surface area you apply Pond Shield to when you are smoothing concrete should be smooth in order to get the full coverage of each kit. The best way to explain this is to compare a ready to coat surface to that of 60-grit sandpaper. If your surface area resembles 60-grit sandpaper, you should not have a problem obtaining maximum coverage and there will be enough tooth on the surface area for Pond Shield to adhere to. The picture on the top is what you should be looking for in regards to surface smoothness.
| Smooth Concrete |
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| Exposed Aggregate |
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While rough concrete surfaces can still be coated, you should plan for extra Pond Shield as those uneven surfaces like the exposed aggregate. Shown here, exposed aggregate will use up some of the square footage allotted for your project. Pond Shield will cover areas like this but in extreme cases you can correct a problem area by applying a bonding agent to your surface area and then a smooth concrete render over than.
Choosing a proper concrete bonding agent is important because it reduces the chance of having problems with the render not sticking properly and eventually falling off of your concrete surface. If the render falls off, any Pond Shield you applied to that render will come off in the process so be sure the render is bonded well.
