# Forum Home Renovation Concreting  Setting Pebbles in Concrete

## bunchan

I've just finished building some concrete garden steps and on top of the concrete I laid 10mm river pebbles set into the concrete.   Having never done this before I'm not sure how fixed the pebbles will be.   Is there a product, like a resin of some sort, that I can apply to the top of the pebbles to ensure they don't come loose over time? 
Thanks for the help. 
Steve

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## Emmyjay

I've done a couple of areas involving pressing pebbles into concrete. Unless the pebbles were pushed well into the concrete they just came out over time. I think on one area I glued every single pebble back into place with bondcrete. The bigger the pebble the better it sticks and they need to be pushed in at least half way and preferably on their edge so more of the pebble is in the concrete.
However you have already done the job and probably don't want to hear this! Perhaps something like slate sealer would work? Good luck.

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## Master Splinter

To do it permanently, you need to put the pebbles in the actual concrete mix, apply a retardant to the top (to stop the very top layer setting) and then pressure wash off the thin top layer of cement when the slab has set, exposing the aggregate. 
You can sorta' fake it with a scrubbing brush and a sponge, but you have to pick the right time to do it.

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