Making cracked concrete driveway more presentable

We will be selling our 28 year old home in Washington in a few months. The concrete driveway leading from the street to our 3 car garage has some cracks and gaps through which weeds tend to grow. Is there a faster and less expensive way to make it more presentable than replacing the whole driveway? Someone suggested having a layer of asphalt applied by an asphalt contractor. Is that a good solution? Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

Reply to
tenplay
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28 years, it's gonna have a few cracks. As long as none of the sections have heaved, not a big deal. Pull the weeds, spray a little roundup down there. They sell a gray goop in caulking tubes for this very application. If the cracks are wide, you may need some of the plastic rope stuff in the bin next to the gray goop, to stuff in there first.

An asphalt overlay, or a rip'n' replace, would be throwing money away. As long a current driveway is in servicable condition, you won't make the money back on sale.

aem sends...

Reply to
aemeijers

They make a product called PourStone, but it also goes by other names. It looks just like flour, and mixes with water. You want it runny like pancake batter.

Clean out the cracks, with a blower, RoundUp, screwdriver, power washer, just get it clean. I'd put some RoundUp in the cracks just to keep down future weed growth, then wash it in a bit so the slurry patch will stick to the concrete.

Mix the PourStone about as much as a milkshake at a time. It sets fast, and you don't want to mix any more than you can use at one time. Pour it right in the crack. If it only fills it half way up, that's okay, because you let it sit for half an hour to an hour, then the next run will make it flush with the surface.

Try to fill it up, but not overfill. Like drywall mud, when it dries, the surface will drop a little. Don't try to use a putty knife on it to get it flat, or it will look like paint smears where it gets on the old concrete. Just let it flow into the cracks and follow them on its own.

This stuff will look lighter than the concrete color, but if put in properly, will make a nice patch that will look a whole lot better than what you got now. I've used it to install wrought iron railings in core drilled holes, fill cracks, fill holes where you cut off pipes, etc. It's good stuff, just go easy so you don't end up throwing any away. When you empty the mixing can (use a coffee can), add a little water, and make a thin slurry which you then use as the bottom layer in any crack.

If you really want it to match your concrete, get some colored sand the same as your concrete. When you pour the slurry in and the crack's full, dribble some sand on top and let it dry without touching it. When dry in a few hours, wash off the excess sand. It'll be pretty close to your concrete color if you've picked the right sand.

Let us know how it works. I've used this stuff a lot and it's real handy, tho there's a couple of tricks. Mix it thin, and don't mix too much at once.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

TODAY we DIY and home repairers arent the average home buyer.

Today people want perfect homes in move in condition, and their first view of the home better be good, or they wouldnt even consider buying. curb appeal is everything.

about 90% want move in perfect leaving just 10% who are willing to do some minor or major repairs. worse most buyers today buy up to the most expensive home they can buy. leaving no money for repairs after purchase.

a cracked driveway will get them thinking there are other troubles they cant see.

Now people HERE will disagree because were not the norm.

Heck when working on my home I feel like I am bonding with it some way, I get real great feelings doing stuff, and feel pride when its complete.

but we here arent the average buyer, and again spend a few hundred and get a pre inspection which will catch all sorts of issues before they freak out a perspective buyer.

Reply to
hallerb

The question isn't whether the cracked driveway will turn some people off. It will. The question is whether putting a couple thousand dollars into fixing it will result in a sale that's either at couple thousand dollars more, or a couple months sooner. The answer to that depends on the state of the housing market in your area. If you're the only house for sale for a couple miles in any direction, I wouldn't worry about it. If there are 6 houses for sale in your developement alone, fix the driveway.

Reply to
Goedjn

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