Don Vandervort, Head Homeboy, has written more than 30 DIY home improvement books, been a segment host on HGTV, served as MSN.com's home improvement expert and written countless magazine articles.
Cleaning and sealing a concrete or brick driveway can make it look almost new again. If a good cleaning is in the cards for your concrete or brick driveway, plan to rent or buy a power washer. After a thorough cleaning, you can remove any deeper stains, seal cracks, and then coat your driveway with a translucent masonry sealer.
If grease or oil stains still remain, soak up the offending substances with cat litter, fine sawdust, hydrated lime, or cement powder, and then brush away the residue.
For older, persistent stains, try applying a commercial degreaser, emulsifier, or 1:4 bleach-water mixture. You may find that certain stains cannot be completely removed but can be significantly lightened.
You can seal hairline cracks in the surface of your concrete driveway with concrete- patching compound (applied using a caulking gun). For any blemish wider than 1/4 inch, widen the crack with a mason's hammer and cold chisel, sweep away the rubble, and trowel on concrete-patching compound.
When the compound starts to set, use a wet trowel to smooth over the patch so it is even with the surrounding concrete. Moisten the patch throughout the week to ensure the concrete dries slowly.
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