How to Replace Pebble Stones in the Driveway

Pebble stones add style to a concrete surface.

Pebbles add a decorative touch to concrete driveways. A pebble surface is created by pressing the stones into wet concrete and allowing them to harden to the surface. If the concrete becomes brittle, cracks form and pebbles dislodge from the driveway leaving pits. Replacing pebbles is a weekend do-it-yourself project that effectively stops the damage from spreading and improves the driveway's appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Scrub brush
• Power washer
• Stain remover
• Painter's tape
• Concrete vinyl patch compound
• Putty knife
• Trowel
• Concrete resurfacing mix
• Wheelbarrow
• Paddle bit
• Drill
• Shovel
• Gauge rake
• Squeegee
• Pebbles
• Broom
• Board
• Hose
• Sealer
• Penetrating sealer

Instructions

1. Scrub the driveway with a scrub brush and power washer to remove debris and stains from the surface. Use grease or stain remover if necessary and rinse off the solvents thoroughly.

2. Protect the expansion or control joints by covering them in painter's tape and plan to remove the tape before the new layer of concrete hardens.

3. Patch the pits and cracks with concrete vinyl patch compound. Stuff the mix into the crevices with a putty knife and spread it over the surface with a trowel.

4. Shovel concrete resurfacing mixture into small piles over the driveway. If the surface is large, work in small sections. Spread the mix with a gauge rake until you have an even, 2-inch-thick layer. Use a squeegee to make the surface smooth and fill in low spots.

5. Distribute pebbles over the driveway with a shovel and spread them with a broom. Lay a board across each part and press it down evenly.

6. Brush off the thin coating of cement from the top of the pebbles. Do not expose the stones too much or they will dislodge again. Reveal only enough to show the top of the stones and hose off the loose cement.

7. Roll penetrating sealer over the driveway with a roller brush to protect it from drying out.

Tips & Warnings

• If pebbles are missing from only a small section of the driveway, use epoxy to adhere new pebbles into the holes. Press the patches down with a board so they are even with the rest of the driveway.

References

• Concrete Network: How to Expose Aggregate

Resources

• Paving Expert: Exposed Aggregate Concrete