The Best Way to Make a Concrete Driveway Look Good

A concrete driveway needs some maintenance to look good.

Certain areas of your home are subject to a great deal of wear and tear, particularly areas on the outside of your home. For example, your concrete driveway is likely used every day and has to take the abuse of foot traffic, the tread of both bicycles and lawn equipment, and at least a few tons of weight from your regular vehicles. However, there are several strategies that you can use to keep your concrete driveway looking good all the time.

Things You'll Need

• Power washer
• Cat litter
• Degreaser product
• Concrete patching compound
• Calking gun
• Sealer

Instructions

1. Clean your concrete driveway every year with a power washer. This will eliminate any surface dirt and debris from the driveway. You may need to clean it more often if you live in a dry climate where there is little rain to keep dirt and debris from building up.

2. Remove any stains that you find on your driveway as soon as you notice them. The most common driveway stain is motor oil. Sprinkle cat litter over the stain and allow it to sit for several hours or overnight; sweep up the cat litter at the end of your designated time period. If the stain is still visible, wash it with a commercial degreaser product.

3. Use a caulking gun filled with concrete patching compound to patch up any cracks you find in your concrete driveway. This product can fix cracks up to ¼ inch thick. Place the tip of the gun's nozzle into the top of the crack and pull the trigger to release the compound. Gently fill the crack with the compound. Once the crack is filled, smooth the top of the compound with a damp towel and allow it to dry overnight. Dampen the compound over the next seven days to condition the concrete.

4. Seal your concrete driveway with a coat of translucent masonry sealer to help it look new again. Reapply the seal at least every two years to make sure your driveway keeps looking good.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use deicing chemicals on your concrete driveway or drive vehicles on it that weigh more than a few tons as they will likely damage the surface of your driveway.

References

• Don Vandervoort's HomeTips.com: Cleaning & Repairing Concrete or Brick Driveways
• Concrete Network.com: How to Maintain Your Concrete Driveway