How to Refinish a Concrete Driveway

As the years go by, your driveway can become cracked and damaged. This can take away from the curb appeal of your home. Your driveway can be repaired and restored to like-new condition, though. It will take almost a week, but all the supplies are readily available at your local home improvement store. If you have the time and desire, you can repair your driveway using these step-by-step directions.

Things You'll Need

• Power washer Tarps or plastic sheets Landscaping pins Sand bags Concrete patch Metal trowel Bricks Electric/Battery sander Broom Concrete sealer Paint roller Paint roller extender handle Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Power wash the driveway. Do this on a sunny, fair-weather day. Allow it to dry completely. You may not be able to begin the refinishing until the next day to ensure that the driveway is dry.

2. Block the city drains that may be affected by the debris from refinishing. Sand bags are effective for blocking any drains. Cover any grass that meets with the driveway. Use a tarp or plastic sheets used for painting and landscaping pins to hold the protection down.

3. Use concrete patch to fill in any cracks or breaks in the concrete. Use a metal trowel, and follow label directions exactly to be sure that your repair takes. Try to make the repair very smooth and level with the existing driveway. The concrete patch can take up to 4 days to dry and must be protected from moisture during this entire drying process. It is best to cover patched areas with plastic sheeting, and secure in place with something heavy and wind-resistant, such as bricks.

4. Remove the plastic when the concrete patch is dry. Use a sander with a metal polishing pad attached to smooth and level patched areas. Clean away all debris created from this polishing.

5. Sweep the driveway again to be sure it is debris-free.

6. Use a paint roller on an extended pole to apply concrete sealer to the entire surface of the driveway. Because these products vary, be sure to follow your product's label directions. You may need to use a brush on any driveway areas that meet with other parts of your home, such as the garage. The concrete sealer may take approximately 24 hours to dry completely. Do not allow foot traffic until the surface is completely dry.

7. Remove the tarps or plastic sheets and landscape pins, and discard them.

Tips & Warnings

• If there are extensive cracks in your driveway, you should consider hiring a company to refinish it.

References

• Resealing Concrete
• Repairing Driveways