Pimp up Your Old Driveway With This Awesome Surface Coating

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Are you bored with your old concrete driveway and path? Why not consider pimping it up using products like this concrete surface coating?

Kits like this are designed to easily cover your existing exterior concrete surfaces by adding texture to it for grip. The product adds extra grip to existing concrete and has been shown to be around 30% cooler than regular concrete on hot days (depending on color).

It is important to note that such products are not designed to completely cover existing surfaces, but rather add traction to it while providing a two-tone look to it. This is achieved by combining the color of the kit chosen with the color of the concrete surface it is to be applied to.

While you can attempt to perform the application yourself, it is highly recommended you employ the services of professionals. However, the skill and ability of the installer will dictate the quality of the final look -- for obvious reasons. 

Before you even attempt such a project, you'll need a few things: 

• Pressure washer
• Pressure sprayer
• Concrete spraying machine (you may need to hire one)
• Masking tape
• Blue duct tape
• Measuring tape
• Stanley knife
• Brown paper
• Old cardboard boxes
• Plastic sheeting
• Specialist surface coating material (like a concrete overlay, liquid polymer, and WB sealant).

Will all your gear and materials in hand, it is time to pimp your driveway. 

The first step is to use your pressure washer to remove any grit, weeds, and other detritus from all concrete surfaces. This will ensure a clean and solid application later down the line. 

Ensure that you pressure wash all surfaces including within cracks and expansion joints. Don't worry if the concrete crumbles a little in places, you will be covering up small damage with the textured coating later.

With this stage complete, the next part is to mark out the design of the driveway with masking tape. The design is completely up to you, but the installers in this video opted for roughly 5cm wide borders.

You don't need to do this, but giving your driveway a multi-tone look will certainly make you the envy of your neighbors. If you are not bothered, simply jump to the next stage.

With the borders marked out, add another layer of brown paper to protect the main surfaces from overspray. Once the bordering concrete is cured, these will be removed ready to cover the other sections. 

Now take your desired tone of concrete coating (in this case black) and mix as instructed. Add the concrete mix to a concrete spraying machine and begin to apply as evenly as possible on all border surfaces. 

For best results, take some sheets of old cardboard to minimize overspray and protect other surfaces like walls, doors, plants, etc. Do this for all border surfaces. 

With that complete, allow the concrete to cure, remove the masking tape and brown paper, and prepare the borders for the next phase. In this video, the installers covered all border sections using blue duct tape and brown paper for larger border sections. 

Ensure good coverage of all areas to prevent them from being covered with the main surface spray. Also, ensure you cover (or remove) any other features of your driveway and path you don't want to be sprayed like manhole covers, etc. 

You can also cover walls, doors, plants, etc with plastic sheeting to prevent accidental overspray too. 

Now mix the main area concrete as required and transfer it to your concrete spraying machine. Then cover all of the main surfaces ensuring as even a spread as possible. 

Remember you do not need to cover the entire surface of the concrete, just apply a textured coating to it. Watch the video for assistance if required. 

Allow to cure, as instructed, and then begin removing all paper and duct tape from the border sections. You can also remove any plastic protective covering too.

The last stage is to load your pressure sprayer with some form of sealant. Like the border and main sections, spray coat all surfaces as evenly as possible. 

With that complete, clear way all waste materials, clean all your equipment (and yourself if needed), and enjoy your workmanship!

Well done you.