Should I Resurface My Delaware Ohio Driveway?
Should I hire someone to resurface my Delaware Ohio driveway?
Well Toby takes that on in our latest Home Ownership video. Give it a watch, or slip below for more information in written format on resurfacing your Delaware, Ohio drive way.
Should I Resurface My Drive Way?
Is it gray? I know it seems a simple answer but if it is then the shortest possible answer is “yes.
Is it time to apply driveway sealant to your Delaware Ohio driveway and do you need to hire a professional to do so?
Can I Do It Myself?
Of course you can. It is a very easy – though messy – task to complete and will give your home’s exterior and easy pep up when finished.
To start with you need to get the surface ready.
- Place two posts and “caution” tape at the end of the driveway to keep walker, dogs, and cars off your driveway – and you’ll want to leave them up for at least 48-72 hours.
- Use a shovel to clean off the edges of the driveway and push back any growth of grass that has pushed onto the driveway. I usually will cut it back a little further to give a clean look.
- Take a broom and sweep off the grass and debris from the top of the drive way.
- Clean the drive way off. The most common way is to use a pressure washer which uses forced water to combine all the aspects of cleaning off the drive way and usually you don’t need any detergent. These can be rented at most rental appliance locations for about $50 a day – however keep in mind that it will also remove pieces of your drive way along with the dirt.
Once the drive way is clean then you want to make sure to have enough drive way sealant to cover the entire surface without stopping. If you stop in the middle you’ll get two different colors as the batches could be different however more likely is that the sun and temperature will cause it to cure just a little different.
I like to use the heavy-duty sealant that will coat the drive way and if we have a mild winter usually can last for 2-3 years (don’t believe the “five year” guarantee) considering the Ohio winters that’s not a bad deal. But as you can see, ACE has a lot of options – I like to support the local guys but Lowe’s, Home Depot and Andersons do offer cheaper prices on these products – for redoing your driveway.
What Do I Need?
- Sealant
- Squeegee or large broom
- Sunny day with no chance of rain for 48 hours
- work clothes
If you have cracks that are bigger than 1/4-inch wide and less than 3/4-inch wide then you need to get a crack sealer and begin with that process. Basically, it is a 48-hour cure where you squeeze the tar-based liquid into the bottle to fill the cracks in your drive way. The goal is to create a smooth surface that will be sealed when you add the final sealant.
After allowing the crack sealant to cure for at least 48-72 hours, the easiest way is once you have the surface clean and still slightly damp (read the instructions for your particular sealant as each kind is a little different) pour a slight bit out in a corner of the drive. I usually work high to low and will focus on one side and then move across to the other.
The key is to create a smooth coat with no runs across the surface as those “blobs” will become very noticeable in the final product – and yes I speak from experience.
This is why I like to use the squeegee over a brush. The squeegee gives a nice smooth look and you can control the pressure on the blade leaving a little more in a certain section than another if required.
I will always work across and down the driveway towards the sidewalk using little bits of sealant as I go in an attempt to keep from having an overloaded amount at the end.
Why Shouldn’t I Just Hire The Guy?
I’m not saying you shouldn’t “hire the guy” but this is one of those things that I think you do a better job than 90% of the people that will do it for you. My neighbors have someone do it for them every summer at $60 to $80 a pop and I watch these guys do it. They are in and out in 10-15 minutes. How much care is in that process? They are giving you a ‘skin’ of new covering just to make it look nice, but it is a guarantee you’ll be redoing it in 2013. Mine? A really rough winter and I might be, but more than likely it will be 2014 or 2015 before I do it again and I’m paying less for the project. And it just ain’t that hard.
Give it a shot. You’ll be surprised.
