"Stained" My Concrete Driveway

[mmhouse]

My concrete driveway was getting very discolored and splotchy and I was having to power wash it every spring because it looked so dirty. The concrete had become very porous and was just soaking up the dirt.

I power washed the entire drive this spring and then power washed small sections again just before coating them. I first coated with Behr #880 concrete primer and after letting that dry for at least 8 hours according to instructions I put on a final coat of Behr #800 concrete 'stain.' It was a fairly time consuming process but the appearance is great so far. It now looks like brand new concrete. Hopefully this will also seal the concrete so it doesn't soak up so much crud and help protect it from further damage as well.

Before and after photos are attached.

If one of you posted that you were doing this without my having any experience with the product I probably would have told you that you were nuts. However, I've had the product on my front porch for 4-5 years and on my sidewalk for 2 years and it's held up well to both the weather and to power washing. I had also used it on a sidewalk at a previous house a number of years ago and had good luck with it there too. So I decided to give it a try on my driveway.

By the way, I don't consider this product to be a true stain. It does not appear to soak into the concrete to any significant degree but instead sits on top more like a paint as far as I can tell. I'm not certain why Behr calls it a stain. It is fairly thin so maybe that's the reason or maybe it's just for marketing reasons. That's why I put the word stain in quotes in the title. However, the bonding agent/primer appears to do a pretty good job of adhering it to the concrete surface, at least on my lightly broom finished porch, sidewalk and driveway.

So far I have driven on it without any problems (after 72 hours). The instructions say not to park on it for two weeks so I haven't tried that yet. That will obviously be the ultimate test.

I'll keep you all posted on how it holds up.

FYI...I have no affiliation with Behr.

 

[Rickster55]

Looks great! Keep us updated!

 

[TonyF]

This looks really great. I always wondered how it would turn out. Im just curious how it will hold up to hot tires. Keep us updated

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

outstanding results

 

[kmacht]

Looks good. I'm thinking about doing something similar with the quickrete stain they sell. I would be curious as to how it holds up to oil drips. I see a bid downside though if I can't park on it for 2 weeks. Is it just parking or you can't put anything on it for 2 weeks? I'm building an airplane and would hate to have it sitting outside for that long. If I can put it up on jack stands or place the wheels on carpet it might still work. If not, it looks like I am back to expensive epoxy.

Keith

 

[mmhouse]

Looks good. I'm thinking about doing something similar with the quickrete stain they sell. I would be curious as to how it holds up to oil drips. I see a bid downside though if I can't park on it for 2 weeks. Is it just parking or you can't put anything on it for 2 weeks? I'm building an airplane and would hate to have it sitting outside for that long. If I can put it up on jack stands or place the wheels on carpet it might still work. If not, it looks like I am back to expensive epoxy.

Keith

They recommend wheels on cardboard for two weeks which I've done with no problem.

I think you could put stuff on it within reason. I wouldn't be sliding heavy metal stuff around on it or setting planters on it. I've driven on it after 48 hours (instructions actually say 72 hours) and walked on it and put sawhorses on it after 4 or 5 hours with no apparent problems.

I don't know that I'd use it on a garage floor just because there is so much wear and hot tire exposure in one area but I'll see how it holds up and let you know. I was surprised with my sidewalk that I've had no problems with the power washer taking any off after over a year.

 

[AMG]

looks great, I plan on doing the same in the future

 

[The Garage Mahal]

my neighbor and i put this in our garages about 4-5 months ago. it still peels under my hot car tires, as well as scratching easily. i am going with epoxy, racedeck or porcelain tiles next. ILL NEVER USE BEHR CONCRETE STAIN AGAIN.

 

[mmhouse]

my neighbor and i put this in our garages about 4-5 months ago. it still peels under my hot car tires, as well as scratching easily. i am going with epoxy, racedeck or porcelain tiles next. ILL NEVER USE BEHR CONCRETE STAIN AGAIN.

This is why I stated earlier that I would be hesitant to use it in a garage.

My driveway is much more porous and rougher than most garage floors which I think helps it adhere better. I have used a screwdriver to scrape on the sidewalk I coated a couple of years ago and it did not scratch easily, but I'm sure enough pressure would eventually take it off.

About three or four days after I coated one section (and before I read the two week instructions for parking) I had a service tech park on it. The bad news is that it left some dark spots under his tires. The good news is that it did not peel. I guess time will tell how well it ends up working out. My major concern is a car with hot tires parked for an extended period in one place. Fortunately we don't park on the drive often which is another reason I took the chance to see how it would work.

 

[rwhite692]

MMHouse, That looks great! Nice job!

I am considering doing some type of concrete stain...My driveway is a patchwork of old, discolored and new(er) concrete...

What kind of coverage did you get out of the product? estimated cost per sq.ft?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Real acid stain (what most people use) is approx: .30 per sq. ft.
We have it.

 

[rockchucker]

^ That.


I will NEVER use Behr Products for Staining ANYTHING! Their Wood Stain ***** and if their Concrete Stain sits on top of the Concrete it WILL fail eventually. That is what their Wood Stain does. Not even a True Stain.

The results look good but I am curious as to how long it will last. Probably have to Strip it with their Special Stripper before re-Staining too. Then the Prep before the Stain then the Prep Prep and so on. This is just getting you into the Catch 22 of buying their Products that ****.

 

[mmhouse]

MMHouse, That looks great! Nice job!

I am considering doing some type of concrete stain...My driveway is a patchwork of old, discolored and new(er) concrete...

What kind of coverage did you get out of the product? estimated cost per sq.ft?

For a little over 2,000 sf it took 6 gallons of primer @ $18/gal and 6 gallons of stain @ $15/gal (I was able to special order a five, otherwise it would have been $25/gal). I probably spent another $50 of disposable roller covers, brushes, pan liners, etc. So I got about 333 sf/gal coverage and it cost approximately .125/sf including disposable items.

Of course my time is worth zero.

 

[mmhouse]

^ That.


I will NEVER use Behr Products for Staining ANYTHING! Their Wood Stain ***** and if their Concrete Stain sits on top of the Concrete it WILL fail eventually. That is what their Wood Stain does. Not even a True Stain.

The results look good but I am curious as to how long it will last. Probably have to Strip it with their Special Stripper before re-Staining too. Then the Prep before the Stain then the Prep Prep and so on. This is just getting you into the Catch 22 of buying their Products that ****.

I cannot deny that rockchucker, only time will tell. I guess the good news for you is that it's my driveway and not yours.

As I mentioned in my original post, had the product not held up extremely well for me on my porch and two sidewalks I would not have tried it. Quite honestly I've never been a big fan of Behr products either and I agree wholeheartedly that it is not a true stain.

I will come back to this thread and give updates on the product's performance in the future.

 

[rwhite692]

Real acid stain (what most people use) is approx: .30 per sq. ft.
We have it.

...Which is great, if what one is trying to achieve is a deep color, mottled, deep browns / greens / etc (like the various colors shown in the chart at your website).

I'd be interested in a product to simply get all of my existing concrete back to a clean looking, uniform gray.

 

[ParAsh]

Looks good. I'm thinking about doing something similar with the quickrete stain they sell. I would be curious as to how it holds up to oil drips. I see a bid downside though if I can't park on it for 2 weeks. Is it just parking or you can't put anything on it for 2 weeks? I'm building an airplane and would hate to have it sitting outside for that long. If I can put it up on jack stands or place the wheels on carpet it might still work. If not, it looks like I am back to expensive epoxy.

Keith

Keith
Have you thought about doing tiles? It might work better for you. There is one tile that can with stand about 2700 pounds per square inch, I don't know that it would be less expensive than epoxy, but it does look great when it is done and it is very durable. And you can park on it as soon as your done.

Just a thought.

 

[hguerrero]

does this mean you sell it or you used it?

Real acid stain (what most people use) is approx: .30 per sq. ft.
We have it.

 

[kmacht]

Keith
Have you thought about doing tiles? It might work better for you. There is one tile that can with stand about 2700 pounds per square inch, I don't know that it would be less expensive than epoxy, but it does look great when it is done and it is very durable. And you can park on it as soon as your done.

Just a thought.

In the end, epoxy came out cheaper for me. I found a garage floor epoxy on sale at Sears for 50% off. I bought two kits for $60 total. For that price, even if I have to recoat it in 5 years, who cares. By the time I would have bought cleaner, primer, stain, and sealer for my garage I would have been way over $60. Yes I know it isn't 100% solids epoxy, yes I know it may not be extremely tough, but who cares. I just wanted something cheap that would make my garage floor all one color.

Keith

 

[ct71rr]

Looks nice. Is it a "stain" or more like an epoxy/paint coating? You have a nice piece of property there, as well.

 

[mmhouse]

Looks nice. Is it a "stain" or more like an epoxy/paint coating? You have a nice piece of property there, as well.

I'm no paint chemist but I'd consider it a paint, maybe a thin paint. The primer information does refer to 'epoxy' but it's not a two-part and nothing like an epoxy coating that's typically used on garage floors. I think it's just used to help the 'stain' adhere a bit better.

As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't use this product on a garage floor and until it's on my drive for awhile I wouldn't recommend it on a driveway either.

I do know at this point that it holds up well on a porch or sidewalk even to power washing.

 

[Kevin54]

Real acid stain (what most people use) is approx: .30 per sq. ft.
We have it.

I'd be interested in seeing some pics. The concrete under the overhangs of my garage are stained and rusted and generally looking bad. I have tossed it around about staining but just don't know how it would hold up. The concrete also has a broom finish is that would make a difference. If you SELL it, how much would it take for an area that is 70' x 6' and something close to looking like natural concrete? One problem that we have with concrete in our area is that depending on where you get it at, some of the concrete comes out rusty looking due to the stone use in it. Other concrete companies used crushed limestone and it will come out white. Our main company uses washed river stone and usually has mud in it.

Also how would it hold up outside in an area that has snow and ice? In the winter the area I have usually has snow and /or ice built up on it for at least 3 or 4 months. And does it soak in enough that powerwashing would not affect it?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Stain becomes part of the concrete. It will wear as the concrete wears.
Coverage is approx. 200 sq ft. per gallon. You densify the surface post staining.

If it wears over time, you simply re-stain.
Depending on the color and level of exposure it should last many years.

 

[mmhouse]

**UPDATE**

My Behr 'stained' concrete driveway has now gone through a winter and a spring power washing and is approaching one year of wear. I'm very pleased with how it's holding up. There has been no peeling or hot tire lift.

The driveway does not get heavy-duty use and if it did I would think twice about coating it with this product. But for my kind of use - driving in and out of the garage, occasional parking, washing cars, etc., it looks to be a good solution.

I think the key to success as with all coatings is proper preparation - thorough power washing (I washed it twice) and use of the recommended primer.

Here's what it looks like after about a year.....

 

[Edger]

I'm no paint chemist but I'd consider it a paint, maybe a thin paint. The primer information does refer to 'epoxy' but it's not a two-part and nothing like an epoxy coating that's typically used on garage floors. I think it's just used to help the 'stain' adhere a bit better.

As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't use this product on a garage floor and until it's on my drive for awhile I wouldn't recommend it on a driveway either.

I do know at this point that it holds up well on a porch or sidewalk even to power washing.

I like thin products because they seem to peel and chip less if they adhere well, and the fact that your other areas have stood up over years and with pressure washing is a big sign that your drive will perform much the same. You have attacked an old area with a screwdriver and that is a good test too, I would have done that if I was wanting to decide.

The main problem with peeling and hot tires is insufficient preparation and it is not fair to blame the paint companies exclusively if it happens. Driveways are usually porous and as long as they are cleaned first paints usually stick quite well. Garages are normally not worn or porous so guys have problems with adhesion if they do not prepare them properly.

Your pics look good, hope it works out.

 

[ford33]

How about an update after two years of use. This is a good idea and I am curious to know how it is wearing after two years.

Please update us.

 

[mmhouse]

How about an update after two years of use. This is a good idea and I am curious to know how it is wearing after two years.

Please update us.

It has been nearly 3 years now and has worn quite well. I power wash it every year and we get lots of rain so it gets a lot of dirt embedded - so it's time to re-coat it again. It still looks better and much more even than when I originally stained it. There has been no peeling or chipping and no tire lift. However, I was very careful to power wash it thoroughly and use the recommended primer before staining.

 

[EMC2]

It's great that you've kept this thread updated. The results looked really good.
I know a lot of people don't like Behr products, but I've had great results with their solid color Waterproofing Deck Stain (which is also more like a paint).

Outdoor horizontal surfaces take a real beating from the elements alone, so it seems reasonable to need another coat after 3 years.

Was their any claimed durability (number of years) on the Stain when you bought it?

 

[fury9]

Your shutters are open, drive looks really nice though, good job, almost surgical!!

 

[mmhouse]

Your shutters are open, drive looks really nice though, good job, almost surgical!!

Had me there for a second - checking my shutters.

 

[mmhouse]

It's great that you've kept this thread updated. The results looked really good.
I know a lot of people don't like Behr products, but I've had great results with their solid color Waterproofing Deck Stain (which is also more like a paint).

Outdoor horizontal surfaces take a real beating from the elements alone, so it seems reasonable to need another coat after 3 years.

Was their any claimed durability (number of years) on the Stain when you bought it?

No. Just says "long lasting" on their website.

The sidewalk has been on for either four or five years and still looks pretty good after it's power washed - not as good as when it was put on obviously.

I was impressed that the stuff just stayed on for this long without any peeling or lifting at all but I was careful to clean really well (two power washings) and use the recommended primer.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I'd be interested in seeing some pics. The concrete under the overhangs of my garage are stained and rusted and generally looking bad. I have tossed it around about staining but just don't know how it would hold up. The concrete also has a broom finish is that would make a difference. If you SELL it, how much would it take for an area that is 70' x 6' and something close to looking like natural concrete? One problem that we have with concrete in our area is that depending on where you get it at, some of the concrete comes out rusty looking due to the stone use in it. Other concrete companies used crushed limestone and it will come out white. Our main company uses washed river stone and usually has mud in it.

Also how would it hold up outside in an area that has snow and ice? In the winter the area I have usually has snow and /or ice built up on it for at least 3 or 4 months. And does it soak in enough that powerwashing would not affect it?

Kevin:

Acid stain goes about 200 sq ft. per gal. It won't be consistent. It will have highs, lows, varying color, etc... This is why people want it, artsy.
Naturally, this should be sealed 2x with a good clear sealer ment for outside. These sealers usually get about 275 psqft on coat 1, more on coat 2.

We do have a tinted sealer as well. We recommend (2) coats for an opaque finish. (12) colors available.

Much thinner than paint and does nicely against normal driveway traffic.

Link for your review: http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/hd6500-gloss-sealer-exterior-p-256.html

Have had some nice reviews.

 

[JZeld]

Want to thank MMHouse for his recommendation of the Behr "stain" as I used it in 2013 and recoated in 2015. It has held up amazingly well, with the only issue really being occasional tire marks. Thanks again!

 

[mmhouse]

I'm glad that it worked well for you JZeld. I moved from the house in the summer of 2014 and up to that point....about 4 years....the Behr product held up well with no peeling and one re-coat.