How to Paint a Driveway in 7 Simple Steps

For at least the next few days, you'll need to find somewhere to park your vehicle(s). If street parking isn't an option where you live, ask friends or family for a temporary spot. You'll be unable to park in your driveway during the duration of the project.

Use a broom to remove rocks, pebbles, leaves, dirt, and any other debris you find on your driveway. Be diligent with this part of the project; it's the first step to make sure your driveway's paint job looks smooth and neat.

To really wash away the grime, use a pressure washer to get rid of bacteria, weeds, chalk marks, and other difficult driveway stains. Cleaning your driveway is about half the job of painting it, so be thorough. Let the surface dry before you continue.

There are pros and cons when deciding whether to rent or hire a pressure washer. In this case, it might be best to just rent or borrow one since you're just washing your driveway.

Mix 1/4 cup trisodium phosphate cleaning agent (or another driveway-safe alternative) for every 1 gallon of water. You can find these products at outdoor stores for $10 to $20.

Using a brush, apply the degreaser to stains on your driveway then scrub the affected area. You may have to go over it more than once. Wear latex gloves to prevent getting the agent on your skin.

Degreasing agents won't do much good for spray paint removal. A squirt of soap and water or a spray paint removing agent are your best bets.

By now, you've likely sussed out any major holes and cracks on your driveway. Now's a good time to fill them! You can buy an outdoor driveway caulking agent tube for around $10 at home improvement stores.

Each caulk product is different, so read the directions before you start. Some quick-dry formulas dry in as little as 30 minutes, while others may need a whole day to solidify. No matter what you use, wait for the caulk to dry completely before you begin painting.

Most of the driveway paints you'll find at home improvement stores aren't actually paint at all—they're usually an epoxy paint, which is a latex acrylic product. Due to its strength, epoxy works especially well on floored surfaces.

A gallon of epoxy costs around $35 on the low end, but could cost up to $100 for different colors or higher durability ratings.

Once more you'll want to carefully read labels and directions. Some epoxies come premixed, while others you'll need to mix with water. Take note of dry times and other pertinent details.

Work around the perimeter of your driveway with a smaller, handheld brush. Add epoxy paint to all the edges first. Paint a 6-inch "barrier," so to speak, before working your way in towards the center. Once you've painted the perimeter, switch to the big roller and paint the rest of your driveway.

If plants surround the immediate edge of your driveway, you may want to cover them with plastic or create a tape barrier between where you're painting. Paint of any kind can kill plants if it seeps into the ground in large doses.

Most epoxy coatings for driveways take 24 to 48 hours to dry. After everything’s dry, assess your driveway. Does it look new and sleek, or could it benefit from another coat?

If needed, repeat step six. Painting an old driveway to make it look new is definitely time-intensive, but a lot of that is just waiting around for stuff to dry. Be patient and rejoice in the fact that your driveway's about to look brand spanking new again!

After you're done you might consider sealing your driveway. Ask a local driveway sealing professional for a quote or information about getting started with your project.