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Yes, you can pour new concrete over old concrete, but you need to apply a concrete bonding agent to the existing concrete to ensure the new concrete sticks. Keep in mind that even with a bonding agent, large cracks and other flaws will still come through. If the concrete has heaved, settled, or cracked, pouring new concrete on top won’t address any root structural problems. Removing the existing concrete and rebuilding will be your best solution in that case.

Use a dehumidifier for indoor concrete and a wet vacuum for outdoor surfaces. Sprinkle absorbent materials like sawdust or cat litter to soak up the remaining moisture. If the concrete is outside, simply wait for a few hot, dry days. If the concrete is inside, make sure you have good ventilation for a few days so that any remaining moisture can completely dry out.

Generally speaking, adding concrete landscaping features will cause your property taxes to increase. That’s because projects that involve a permanent concrete foundation require permits and permanently improve the land. Since taxes are based on improvements, your taxes will go up. Here are some projects that will likely have an impact on your taxes:

• Concrete pool decks

• Concrete patios

• Concrete walkways

• Concrete driveways

• Concrete steps

• Concrete foundations

Since most of these will only lead to a partial improvement, you can expect the bump in your taxes to be minimal, but this is still something to consider.

For homeowners, it’s better to dry grind concrete. Dry grinding is the method described above and can be done by experienced DIYers for smaller projects. Wet grinding requires a big volume of water, a way to collect the slurry created by the water and dust, and an environmentally-safe place to dispose of the slurry. In general, only professionals do wet grinding.