Repairing Divots in Concrete Before Staining

Direct the spray of a garden hose onto the concrete surface to allow water to collect in the divots, identifying all depressions. Let the water evaporate until only water stands in the divots.

Place a small rock in each divot that requires repair to avoid missing a hard-to-see depression. Soak up the water from each divot with a rag.

Abrade the base and sides of the divot with a stiff wire brush to remove the top layer of concrete and expose a rough surface.

Mix cement-patching material with water in a trough, bucket or wheelbarrow according to the cement manufacturer's instructions. Properly mixed cement will have the consistency of a thick paste that remains firm when cut with a hoe or trowel.

Apply an epoxy-based bonding agent, made specifically for cement patching, with a brush to the roughened surface of the divot. Some cement patching materials come with a bonding agent in the mix, making it unnecessary to use a separate bonding agent.

Scoop up enough wet cement to fill the divot with with a gauging trowel. Place the concrete into the divot while the bonding agent still is wet.

Press the cement patch firmly into the divot with the trowel. Smooth the surface of the wet cement patch with the trowel, making the repair flush with the existing concrete. Smooth the edges of the repair at the point at which the wet cement meets the set concrete with the rounded nose of the trowel, feathering the edges to blend the new cement with the old concrete.

Sweep a broom in a circular motion or back-and-forth across the finish, if the existing concrete has a rough texture, to match the existing concrete finish.

Lay a sheet of plastic over the wet cement and weight the edges with bricks to prevent the new cement from setting too quickly. Fast-setting concrete mixes are available that do not require keeping the patch moist. If you are using a fast-setting concrete patch, skip steps 9, 10 and 11.

Examine the new concrete daily for three days and spray the concrete patch with water from a spray bottle if the cement appears dry and leaves a powdery residue on your fingertips.

Remove the plastic and allow the concrete to set as directed by the stain manufacturer.