Whenever you need to repaint your concrete driveway, it is not as simple as laying down a base coat of primer and then getting started. Exterior surfaces are designed to be used by vehicles, stand up to weather, and handle all kinds of wear and tear. Your home, yard, and driveway are the first things guests see when arriving at your property. By having all three look amazing from the start is something that any homeowner can do with just a few home maintenance tricks.
Most driveways can be painted with moderate effort and your color choices are as varied as you can imagine. In some ways, painting a driveway is easier and simpler than painting a wall since all of the effort is directed downward. Once you get started and begin seeing the huge improvement to your home’s appeal, it may even become fun to finish up this project alone or with company.
Bristle Broom
If you do not own one already, go to your local hardware store and pick up a sturdy, bristle broom that can handle the coarse texture of concrete. Once you have that in hand, start at whichever end of the driveway is most convenient for you and begin thoroughly sweeping the surface. If any large pieces of debris are present, simply remove it by hand as you go and then sweep over the area to remove any smaller objects.
Once thoroughly swept, any holes or scratches must be patched with concrete filler to ensure you do not have any problems with rolling an even coating on later. This is a fairly cost-effective and quick step, and you must allow the filler to dry completely before moving on with the project. Once dry, sand the surface until it is smooth and beautiful.
Oil and Grease
Due to the nature of a driveway, there are likely a few oil or grease stains along the surface that will need to be washed out. One way you can do this is by mixing ½ cup of trisodium phosphate with a gallon of warm water in a large bucket. Do not touch this mixture directly, as it might cause skin irritation, it is a good idea to wear gloves while you work the solution into the stain with your bristle brush.
Rinse and Paint
Once the stains are scrubbed clean, rinse the driveway with a strong stream of water from any garden hose and allow a minimum of two days for the concrete to dry completely. Once dry, begin painting your driveway during the early hours of the day or during a cool day to avoid the concrete surface becoming too hot to easily work with the paint. You can choose to apply a concrete bonding primer before the paint.
Finally, cut in around the edges of your driveway with a wide brush to simplify the process. Start at the top of your driveway and apply paint in sections of no more than three feet, working left to right and then down, keeping a “wet edge” with the paint roller. Once finished with the first coat, allow it to dry. Adding an additional coat will deepen the color while improving its lifespan.