Making my driveway look new again?

[highside]

I have a 4 year old driveway that just looks dull. I have power washed, cleaned spots with thinner, tried many household detergents but have not gotten that new concrete look back.

It almost looks as if when the contractor put the color release on the edging strips on the sides of my driveway that the powder blew across the driveway and VERY VERY lightly dusted the main part that is just bare concrete. It is a couple of shades darker (dingee) than the sidewalk in front.

What should I use? Should I try the Muratic acid route or is there another product that can give me that NEW bright gray concrete look?

Thanks all,
Rob

 

[Everyday]

Might not be an option for you but you could always try a concrete stain. It will soak in and not look or act like paint since it's a stain. You can pick just about any color you can imagine. Might be nice to give it a slight color or even a dark color to change how the front of the property looks.

 

[menz300]

Acid stains are a great look on driveway. It would be nice to see pics of driveway to see what it looks like next to places you had some color work done.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

There is a guy down the street from me who actually paints his driveway every spring. He keeps it a dark gray color and it actually looks really good. He keeps his yard and property very, very neat. His driveway is about 14 feet wide and proably 30 feet from the road to the garage.

 

[rsanter]

acid wash or sand blast and then either stain it or seal it with an emulsifier

bob

 

[highside]

acid wash or sand blast and then either stain it or seal it with an emulsifier

bob

Definately don't want to stain the driveway, I just want it brighter.

What is an emulsifier and where can I get it? If an emulsifier is what I think it is, won't it darken the concrete, thus leaving me back at step 1?

Rob

 

[ddawg16]

If you like the way it looks when it is wet....the go with stone sealer....easy to apply and it doesn't really get damaged....just have to redo it after a few years....depending on the type you get, you can go from the really wet simi shinny look to just a slight damp look.

Yes...it will make it look a little darker but it will repel the oil....and it's easy.

Otherwise, if you want it lighter....tear it up and pour a new driveway.

 

[rsanter]

you can get a stain that is very light and will look very much like fresh concrete.

the emulsifer is something that will seal the pores of the concrete by causing a calsium type growth in the voids. it is my understanding that it does not effect the color

I would like to qualify what I am saying by admitting that I am not an expert at this stuff.
I had the concrete ground and stained at work so I had looked into several options that we can do.

bob