Concrete Driveway Repair

Most driveways are made up of either concrete or asphalt. These days, concrete has become more popular due to the various decorative options it provides, making your driveway look beautiful without burning a hole in your pocket. The quality of materials used along with the workmanship will determine how long your concrete driveway stays good.

The concrete used for building your driveway is made up of four basic ingredients - gravel, cement, sand and water. Sand and gravel are held together tight by the cement. This happens because there is a chemical reaction taking place when water is added to the cement powder, which results in formation of small crystals. These crystals then form a mesh which holds all the irregular sand and gravel particles together. Thus, more the crystals formed, stronger the bond, and longer your driveway will last.

When cracks develop on your concrete driveway, it is time for concrete repair job. Cracks on the driveway are caused because of very cold temperatures, roots of trees or movement of the soil. Instead of spending a lot of money and getting a new driveway, you can easily repairs those cracks.

Repairing a Concrete Driveway

Materials Required

• Cleaning solution
• Trowel
• Bucket with 5 gallon capacity
• Hose
• Mixing paddle
• Concrete resurfacer Mix
• Extended handle
• Water
• Cordless drill
• Pressure washer
• Float
• Broom
• Rubber squeegee with a long handle

Instructions

Step 1
Using a power washer, thoroughly clean the whole concrete driveway. In the reservoir of the power washer, add a specifically manufactured masonry cleaning solution to the water. While cleaning the whole driveway, ensure that you pay extra attention to places where cracks are formed and remove all accumulated dirt from these areas. If dirt is not removed from the cracks, there are chances the sealant may not stick well and hold the crack.

Step 2
Look at the cracks and estimate how much concrete mix you will be needing to fill them. Accordingly fill water in the 5-gallon bucket and add to it the cement resurfacer mix. As the preparation time for the cement mix is not much, you can make more later on if required. Keep mixing these ingredients in the bucket by with help of a cordless drill with an attached mixing paddle, till it gets thick and feels like a pudding.

Step 3
Fill all cracks with the concrete mixture you have prepared and then use a trowel to push the mixture tight into the cracks. After the cracks are filled, drag a float over it so that the surface becomes smooth. Leave the cracks to dry for about 14 to 16 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 4
Next day, prepare a water and concrete resurfacer mix mixture in the bucket, but this time, make it thin by adding more of water and less of the resurfacer mix. Spray water on the entire driveway with a hose. Pour down all the mixture you just prepared on the entire surface, and use a rubber squeegee to spread it evenly throughout. Ensure that all of your driveway is covered with the mixture.

Step 5
To give the surface a textured look, sweep it with a broom. This will also make your driveway less slippery for the time it is wet. Attach an external handle to the broom handle so that you can even reach far away places. Leave it to dry for 6 to 8 hours, after which you can walk on it. Drive your car only after 24 hours have passed.

The repair cost, if you do it yourself, should be less as you would be spending only on the materials required for repairing the cracks. However, if you wish to get it done professionally, then the cost could be anywhere between US $2 to US $6 per square feet, depending upon the extent of damage and the overall driveway area. Repairing your driveway, if done properly, should make it last for another 8 to 12 years without a problem.