Driveway Paint is Peeling Off

I paid a company to fix cracks, clean, seal, and paint my driveway and carport about 12 months ago. The company went bankrupt, my driveway and carport are peeling in chunks. What in the world can I do to make it look better or whom should I contact to try to remedy this? I know it has to be completely scraped off or something needs to be used to fill and smooth the surface. I wish I had just stained it myself, but I did not know how to fill the cracks. Please help.

By marmar from Orlando, FL

Answers:

Driveway Paint is Peeling Off

I guess your driveway in made of concrete. They really can't be painted. They will peel as yours is doing now. Concrete cellars, and concrete floors inside buildings are painted with a two part epoxy paint after special preps to the concrete are made. You could try using a power washer to remove the rest of the paint. What isn't removed from power washing will wear away in time. One idea is to have a concrete company overlay a new concrete driveway over the old. Concrete companies can add a color to the new mix when it is poured.

You could also visit a big box store and ask for their opinion. (05/13/2009)

By Deanj

Driveway Paint is Peeling Off

I'm pretty sure that they made the mistake of not cleaning the concrete well then using poor quality paint, etc. Before you begin, your driveway has to be pressure washed then also cleaned with an acid-based cleaner. The good news is I have seen some shows on the DIY channel that that talk about products you can use to repair cracks.

If it were me, I'd start by scraping off any loose junk, then clean the concrete with what's recommended, then you can stain or paint it (with a special concrete epoxy paint). Talk to the person at Home Depot about which is best for you, stain or paint. Epoxy paint made for garages is extremely expensive (at least $45 per gallon), but regular porch and concrete paint tends to peel after several years. Stain is usually best. Maybe you could find a black stain.

Another way you can go is to have new blacktop brought in (asphalt, "not" new concrete) then have the black top rolled over your concrete driveway (with a big roller). The blacktop can look pretty good and give you a new driveway for much less money than fixing your concrete. Blacktop is much cheaper than concrete!

In the mean time read these URL's:
http://landscaping.about.com/od/hardscapefences1/ht/resurfacing.htm
http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/fixing/

Over pouring Old Concrete with New Concrete:
http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/fixing/overpouring.htm (05/13/2009)

By Cyinda

Driveway Paint is Peeling Off

OK, go to the hardware store and ask for the concrete patch in a tube. Buy a caulk gun. This is for cracks. If you have never worked with a caulk gun ask them how. You will need to cut the tip (cut a smaller section vs. big), insert something long down the nozzle to poke through the aluminum seal, then you can ratchet the gun and use it.

If you have sections that are all chewed up and messed up that's another story, email me (through this site) and I will walk you through it. You will need to be able to lift a bag of cement and put in wheelbarrow or some container, mix the cement and apply.

Paint will "not" hold up on cement. You will need to get off the loose stuff. Do you have a drill? eye protection? gloves? pick up circular wire brush or wire cup for drill. Most home drills are not set up to handle continued use, take breaks or it will overheat. If it's only a tiny area then use a wire brush by hand. What colour did you use?

Stain "will" work on concrete. I put the cheapy WM redwood stain for wood on virgin (no sealer) concrete blocks, they have gone through one winter (ME) so far fine, this is with snow piled up on it too. If I could talk my dh into it I'd stain the driveway and seal it

Concrete is supposed to be sealed about 6-9 months after it was done and every 3-5 years after that. I finally got around and did it to mine and it was at least 8 years old. Sealer is rolled on with paint roller. It is not hard work, smelly though.

Ria (05/21/2009)

By REE