How to Resurface a Concrete Driveway Like a Pro

Cleaning your driveway is the first step toward a good-as-new concrete driveway. Power through dirt, grime, oil, and old, crumbly concrete using a pressure washer with a pressure level of around 3,000 pounds per square inch (PSI). Make sure you wear goggles, ear protection, long sleeves, boots, and gloves to protect yourself when using a power washer. Also, keep pets and children away from the area.

Before you can begin resurfacing your concrete driveway, you'll first need to repair any damaged concrete. To repair your driveway, use a repair kit to fix crumbled sections and a concrete crack filler to fix cracked sections.

If it's a hot day, give your driveway a quick spray with your garden hose before you apply a concrete resurfacer. Doing so helps cool the concrete down, giving you more time to work with the concrete resurfacer. Be sure to sweep away any excess water. 

Keep in mind, if you used a power washer to clean your driveway in the first step, then you might not need to use a hose to dampen the concrete, as it's already damp from the pressure washing.

Mixing the concrete resurfacer is one of the most important steps to getting the perfect resurfaced concrete driveway. Much like mixing cocoa powder in room temperature water, mixing concrete resurfacer with water can be lumpy. The best way to mix a concrete resurfacer is by using a paddle mixer and drill rather than hand mixing. 

Resurfacers have a different consistency than your standard concrete—aim for a loose, syrup-like consistency. Using a five-gallon bucket, follow the instructions on your resurfacing compound to ensure that you have the right ratio. Most resurfacing compounds require one part water and seven parts concrete resurfacer.

Pour the resurfacing compound onto the concrete driveway in small sections, using a trowel for smaller applications or a masonry brush for larger applications. You’ll want the mixture to be roughly 1/16 to 1/4 of an inch in thickness.

Once you've poured the resurfacer onto your concrete driveway, time is of the essence. Concrete resurfacers only stay malleable for around 30 minutes on a moderately warm day. If it's 75 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter outside, then the resurfacer will dry more quickly. So, factor in the weather as you're tackling your driveway. 

If you have concerns about managing a larger driveway in only 30 minutes tops, consider dividing your driveway up into sections and applying the resurfacer one section at a time. Quikrete recommends sectioning up your concrete surface to no larger than 144 square feet.

You can also create a slip-resistant finish by brushing the driveway with a concrete brush before it dries. Sweep the brush across the surface in one direction so that the resurfacing material looks uniform.

Go in with a paintbrush to touch up the edges of your concrete driveway. This will give the surface that added extra touch that really pulls together the appearance of your driveway.

All that's left now is to simply wait for the concrete resurfacing compound to cure. It can take around six hours before the concrete is ready for you to walk on it. You'll need to wait a full 24 hours to park your car on a resurfaced driveway. But to be on the safe side, you might want to wait a complete 48 hours before you drive your car onto the driveway.