Concrete Driveway Getting Older? 2 Tips To Help It Last Longer

If your concrete driveway is getting older, it can be expensive to replace it with a new driveway. To help you save money, there are a few things you can do not help your driveway last longer, two of which are listed below.

Repair Cracks

If your driveway has any cracks, you need to repair them quickly. If you do not, the cracks will spread and getting much deeper. Fortunately, if the cracks are not deep yet you can repair the cracks on your own. In order to do this, visit a home improvement store and purchase concrete crack filler. When shopping for filler, you will find it comes in different colors, allowing you to choose a color that will go well with your driveway.

If the cracks are larger and deeper, you should consider hiring a professional concrete contractor to repair them for you. This may involve removing sections of cracked concrete and replacing the areas with new concrete. The contractor also has other options, such as laying a fabric over the cracks and then laying a thin layer of concrete over the fabric. This can be expensive, but is still far less expensive than installing a new driveway.

Resurface the Driveway with Rubber

Another way to make your driveway last longer is to resurface it. One type of resurfacing material that is available is rubber. You will find rubber to be less expensive, when compared to other types of resurfacing. Rubber also does a great job protecting your driveway from future damage, such as cracks and holes. Rubber is a porous material, which means water will sink down into the rubber when it rains. This will prevent puddles of water from getting onto your driveway and prevent your driveway from feeling slippery when it is wet. 

The most important thing the contractor has to do before they resurface your driveway with rubber is to ensure the concrete is clean. The contractor mixes a type of binder with the rubber materials, and then pours the rubber onto the driveway surface. As they go they smooth out the rubber to ensure the driveway is level when they are finished. 

Talk with the concrete contractor about other things you can do to help your driveway last longer for you. If the contractor finds a lot of damage, however, such as extensive cracking, spalling, or scaling, they will likely suggest that you replaced the driveway with a new one.


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