# Driveway Resurfacing



## HauteShots

I just moved into a new property a few months ago and I was notified last week by the HOA that my driveway is in violation because it needs to be re-stained. I bought a power washer and tried to clean it first and now it looks even worse then before and it cracked a bit more too. There is about a 1/2 layer of cement on top of the original concrete with a slate like pattern in printed. According to my neighbor the doctor who lived there before me had the driveway re-surfaced 3 times in 7 years. While the good doctor could afford to do this every couple of years, I can't. I am looking for a more permanent solution. 



Can the refaced layer be removed altogether without ruining the cement under it?

What are my other options?

Thank you!


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## joecaption

No skim coating is going to last in a driveway. To me it looks like the underlayment was not done right in the first place and is causing it to crack.
For that small an area I would hire a pro come and remove what you have and do what's called stamped and dyed concrete. Once the concrete pored they stamp it with a rubber stamp to make it look like stone, slate, or brick then stone or brick dust it thrown down over it and it becomes part of the mix.
New concrete does not like to stick to old.
http://www.concretenetwork.com/


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## HauteShots

I sent the photos to a few contractors and a number of them recommended that I epoxy the driveway and acid stain it. 

I looked it up on Google and I do like the epoxy with the pebble face. Has anyone tried to do this themselves or do I need a pro for this?

If I need a pro whats the going rate per sqft?

Thank you!


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## HauteShots

I&#8217;m so freakin' confused&#8230; I contacted about 6 contractors and all of them told me different things&#8230; Not only is epoxy coating the cheapest, it also sounds like the best solution to me. Here is just a few responses I received:



> Anyway, the answers you are getting are correct. Most often the finish on these types of driveways is matte. Needless to say it does not always hold up the best with both hold and cold weather, not to mention vehicle traffic. Best advice I can give is a good pressure wash with potentially some cleaning solutions up to and including an acid etch. THEN apply an epoxy coating. My recommendation would be the Behr two part epoxy. It is only available in a couple colors, I believe tan and gray. It is a time sensitive application as once the products are mixed for application they begin to react. It is a really good product yet it can be slippery. However, there is a non slip additive that can be added at the time of mixing and application. You can also add a clear coat for protection after the initial coat dries. I recommend if adding the non slip to add it to the clear coat. This is a good and strong surface, however there at times in which it too needs maintenance. For the size of your driveway you should expect around $200.00 in product and then add application items, rollers, etc.



However, I contacted a guy from Las Vegas Epoxy Floor Coatings: Infinity Epoxy Garage Flooring Systems who only does epoxy floors and driveways and he said:



> Unfortunately it appears that your concrete will most likely need to be re-surfaced again.  Epoxy alone will not fix the deterioration and cracking that is present; &#8220;Like putting lipstick on a pig&#8221; as they say.  I suggest calling Concrete Accessories here in town, they are my supplier, and know plenty of great concrete guys who may be able to help fix your driveway permanently.



Still Another contractor told me:



> Oh man this isn't looking to good.  Sorry but I think you will have to take it all out and replace it.  Most overlay materials are made to adhear and be stronger then the concrete beneath it so usually removal of the overlay is impossible.  Even if you took it off, your concrete below would look so damaged your hoa would still make you fix it.  The best thing is to take it all out and repour it.  Or try to take the overlay off and re overlay it.  Both would be close to the same price as overlaying is more expensive but demo and disposal is costly also (concrete weighs so much).



Finally this one told me:



> Epoxy for a driveway, basicly looks like a painted floor and is a good solution for this problem. I specialize in acidstain. I would grind acidstain and seal for $3 sq ft. We can also grind it off for $1.50 sq ft or patch and re-seal.




What is the best solution? Does anyone have any more comments?


Thanks!


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## oldognewtrick

Joe, I wish it was as simple as coating the top of the existing because my driveway is also cracked and it would be cheaper for me to coat it and forget it. But heres the issue, the concrete is not stable and simply coating it won't stop the the movement of the driveway. Movement will cause what ever you topically apply to crack also. Thank goodness I don't have a homeowners ASSN breathing down my neck to fix it.

Remember, the cheapest solution will probably be the least effective. Just don't throw good money after bad.


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## itsreallyconc

*most overlay contractors don't have real conc experience & many conc contractors don't yet understand the relationship w/overlay products,,, polymer-modified cements/concrete have proven themselves & are an accepted architectural/engineering process,,, if the underlying conc is a mess, no o'lay product will perform acceptably,,, anyone who's in the craft knows epoxy is NEVER used for exterior finishes,,, we've been o'laying conc over 20yrs & never place a product when its sure to fail,,, along w/choosing the correct mtls & method, prep is equally important,,, doesn't appear your d/w's a good candidate for overlay but you have eyes on it & we only have pics,,, has anyone done a sound test yet for adhesion ? *


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## joecaption

I never suggested overlaying it I suggested cutting it out, redoing the underlayment right this time and redoing it. If you like the stone look then they can do exposed agragate. The stone is in the concrete mix, they wait untill it starts to set up then mist water over it to wash some of the concrete away and leave the stone exposed. Laying anything over that cracked and sinking drixeway is going to fail.
http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/exposedaggregate/


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## SteelToeS

First remove the skim coat and go from there, looking at the pictures it is already falling apart and it needs to go out.
Once you get the skim coat off you can  inspect the first pour and determine if is salvageable or not.
If it is in salvageable condition and there is no cracks outside the control joints you can adhere 1" pavers over the top.
Forget about epoxy or  skim coating these are not going to least.
What matters is prepping the surface correctly for pavers and using the right products.


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## designer-fixit

wow...i really thought i was really going to be able to help with this one....i feel bad now cause i dont think my opinion will do any good. sorry. so at this point i just want to wish you luck on this project and see how it turns out after your done.


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## frozenstar

Hmmm. Seems like the contractors that you contacted has different ideas and opinions about the problem. I wish I could help. But I just don't want to add to the confusion. Wish you luck on your driveway resurfacing.


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## junkyarddog

To fix the problem for good, tear out and repour.


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## HauteShots

I had about 10 different contractors come in and look and estimate and to do the job correctly it has to be grinded off and repoured. Since the skim coat is made to stick good to the base below it will most likely be damaged. This doesnt mean that we need to repoor the entire driveway we can just repour the skim coat. However, I think that the solution I'm leaning towards is epoxy mixed with pebble stone which looks like this:






It has to resealed every 3 years but I like it better then the refaced concrete. I have always decided to go after the previous home owner and possible the title company for failing to disclose the pending violations during closing. It can easily be argued that I might not have purchased the property or I would have degotiated a lower price for the home if I was aware that the driveway had to be fixed in order to satisfy the HOA. 

I will keep you updated!

Joe


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## TheMcs

Your overlay is cracking (obviously) and failing.  

I don't like acid stain on concrete, it requires resealing on a regular basis (which wasn't done to yours, or it wouldn't be faded) and the sealing makes it slick.  If you remove the overlay and try to stain the actual pad, you'd better know the composition of the concrete or you might get some chemical reaction surprises (fly ash will turn any color black, etc.).

If you do go with another overlay, make sure they remove the old one first.  Then do as suggested above and go with a dyed concrete (color mixed into the concrete mix).  The color is throughout, so gouges and wear won't affect it.  You shouldn't have to seal it either.  You can have it trowelled smooth or have a stamp pattern done.  

Epoxy stone overlay is hardy stuff, this I have 17 years experience with.  I love the product and it will withstand driveway use, but you'd better stay on top of the maintenance.  It will have to be powerwashed and resealed (another epoxy coating) every 2-5 years depending on wear.  Around here install (not including removal of your overlay, which is necessary) runs about $4.50sf, resealing is $0.60sf and powerwashing is extra.

Straight epoxy coating is good as long as it's given some texture.  If not it will be slick as snot.  Again, you'll have to remove the overlay.  Some serious cleaning/degreasing of the base slab will have to be done to prep.

Best of luck in choosing your solution.


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## TheMcs

Looks like we posted at the same time.  Let me know if you have an questions on the spoxy stone, as I said I've got a lot of experience with it.  I quit installing it a few years ago but still have some maintenance accounts.  We also used to manufacture the epoxy and sell it worldwide, let me know if you need an installation reference.


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## HauteShots

TheMcs said:


> Your overlay is cracking (obviously) and failing.
> 
> Epoxy stone overlay is hardy stuff, this I have 17 years experience with.  I love the product and it will withstand driveway use, but you'd better stay on top of the maintenance.  It will have to be powerwashed and resealed (another epoxy coating) every 2-5 years depending on wear.  Around here install (not including removal of your overlay, which is necessary) runs about $4.50sf, resealing is $0.60sf and powerwashing is extra.



I understand the pebble stone coating needs maintenance every few years but if we removed the skim coat and repoured a new layer would this not also need maintenance as well? Hence, it was not maintained before I purchased the house and possible the reason that it is in such bad shape having only been refaced 4 years ago...


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## TheMcs

HauteShots said:


> if we removed the skim coat and repoured a new layer would this not also need maintenance as well? Hence, it was not maintained before I purchased the house and possible the reason that it is in such bad shape having only been refaced 4 years ago...








If I am seeing this right, #1 is your overlay and #2 is your actual driveway.
Remove the overlay completely, then thoroughly clean the driveway.  The epoxy stone does not need any additional overlay, other than itself.  (there is no other overlay maintenance)

The pebble stone is mixed with the epoxy resin, then poured onto the driveway (we did 35sf at a time) and hand trowelled.  The excess epoxy in the mixture migrates to the driveway surface and forms the bond.  Some installers prefer to also roll on a coat of epoxy prior to pouring the mixture, but I've found this messy and unnecessary.

The epoxy needs a temp of about 60F in order to be workable and allow it to migrate to the driveway surface.  In colder weather we're able to manipulate this a bit by heating the epoxy, but that can only overcome so much.  I'd advise against installation in temps below 45F and that's pushing it.  Doing otherwise and you'll see the epoxy stone delaminate and fail.

To get a leg up on maintenance, I'd advise your first reseal after year one.  It's not necessary but the best long term success I've seen was done this way.  Powerwash (lightly, my 3800psi can remove stone when right up on it) and roll a mixture of the same epoxy over the clean and dry surface.  After that you've likely got another 4-5 years before it needs any more.  Keep up on powerwashing, once a year is fine, to avoid accumulation in the areas between the pebbles.

You can reseal yourself, it's not hard, but does take some finesse.  You'll have a limited amount of work time with the epoxy.  Straight epoxy (not mixed with rock) can set up in about 15 minutes on a hot day (90F+) whereas you've got about 30 minutes when it's in the 70s.  It might be worth it to hire this out to the installers the first time, just watch and learn.  You can buy the epoxy from them the next time.  DO NOT buy any of the reseal junk at a box store or paint store, it is not intended for epoxy stone regardless of what the label says.

How long is your HOA giving you to get this done?  Late March is usually the soonest I've been able to begin installations, other than the occasional fluke warm day (I did one on Jan 3rd one year).


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## TheMcs

Just thought of a couple more things to help out;

If you're driveway underneath moves (cracks), the epoxy stone will crack with it given enough movement.  From what I can see this shouldn't be a concern since all you have are stress cracks in the overlay.  If it does crack, it's repairable.  The crack is chiseled out, new epoxy stone patched in.  Depending on the age of the original epoxy stone, it may take time to blend in (think new picket in an old fence).

The edges along your yard normally see the most wear.  Since you've got gravel and not grass you don't have to worry about edgers, but it is still the weak spot.  We've overcome this by using the thin metal garden edging.  Installed along the edges first, higher than the drive, it provides a form for the installation as well as a permanent edge guard.

I'm sure more will cross my mind, and feel free to ask any questions.  It's off season here now so I've got my winter brain clicked on.  Might take me a bit to think of everything.


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## mudmixer

Your driveway has already failed and temporary patches may look good in show-room ads, but they will not last because they are applied over a poor, failed surface that will cause very early failure of the surface band-aid. That concrete probably was patched and cover enough to make it last longer than it would in more severe climates.

Tear it out, compact or replace the base and then pour a new slab. In most areas a good concrete supplier can supply a standard mix on call (often called a McDonalds mix) since the materials are readily available that is very durable and works for many applications. - Not too coarse, but some good local color hues.


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## TheMcs

From what I can tell in the pictures, only the current overlay has failed, not the driveway itself.  Given that only the overlay needs to be removed at which time the driveway can be assessed.  Another overlay on a sound driveway would be just fine given sufficient prep.

If I'm wrong then I agree with mudmixer.


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## Jamie_ada

You could try to remove the overlay by putting saw cuts in it and then jackhammering it off this will damage the existing slab though you can have it resurfaced with a stencil spray - on which would only need resealed once every few years dont know what the price in the usa is, in australia its about $40sqm for basic pattern on decent slab to work with
Decorative Concrete Resurafacing Gold Coast Brisbane


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## itsreallyconc

*you can keep repairing it but dick's advice is the most sound,,, all that's been mentioned is our work & some can't be saved ( think lipstick & PIG ! ) 

to our mate in the land of oz, lighten up on the self-promo's,,, most everyone knows about polymer-modified cements & o'lays,,, for the most part, epoxies are a no-no in the sun, too !*


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## Gwilliams

HauteShots said:


> I sent the photos to a few contractors and a number of them recommended that I epoxy the driveway and acid stain it.
> 
> I looked it up on Google and I do like the epoxy with the pebble face. Has anyone tried to do this themselves or do I need a pro for this?
> 
> If I need a pro whats the going rate per sqft?
> 
> Thank you!


There is a company in Las Vegas called Pebblestone Coatings.  They install epoxy with the pebbles in it.  I've seen their work done on a driveway down the street from me and it looks great.  I had an estimate done but am waiting to save some money for this project.  I would give them a call.  It's not cheap but it looks great and I'm going to eventually go with it because they offer a warranty on it and I don't want to have the issues like you are having with the skim coat surface.


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## joecaption

I've seen hundreds of post over the years on all the DIY sites from people asking what to do when it all starts peeling off.


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## luckywinks

A family member had this done on an outside patio.  It requires upkeep and maintenance.  I would not recommend for a driveway that is exposed to elements, especially if budget is consideration.  This would be nice for garage interior or covered patio.


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