Avoid Installing a New Driveway with Concrete Rejuvenation

Concrete driveway with overlay

Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware of concrete rejuvenation and how it works. As a result, they invest in having a completely new driveway installed. If your driveway has developed cracks, spalling, or some other type of imperfection, before you invest in a completely new driveway, learn the facts about concrete rejuvenation.

Key Benefits of Concrete Rejuvenation

Any time a new concrete driveway is installed, the homeowner is inconvenienced for a period of time. That means parking on the street or perhaps a neighbor’s driveway. The problem is that some homeowners live in cities that have no street parking or very strict rules about street parking.

In addition to the inconvenience of a new driveway installation, there is the mess. With a new driveway installation, the old concrete must be ripped out. In comparison, rejuvenation involves making any necessary repairs to the surface and then applying a new concrete surface. When the work is performed by a professional contractor, your driveway will look brand new.

Another benefit of concrete rejuvenation is that this is the perfect opportunity to have a colored stain or stamped pattern applied. Using a top product, like SunH2O, enhances the aesthetics of the driveway and provides protection from harsh UV rays and stains. Even more exciting is the fact that this particular acid stain comes in many gorgeous colors. In fact, your driveway will have a one-of-a-kind appearance that stands out and adds value to your home.

Concrete rejuvenation will also increase the lifespan of your driveway. Because of the resurfacing materials, your driveway will now repel moisture that can cause unsightly chips and cracks to develop. Even if your driveway has small imperfections, concrete rejuvenation is capable of hiding them. Ultimately, your driveway will last much longer when you choose rejuvenation over a simple repair.

Concrete Will Crack!

There is an old saying in the concrete business that proclaims: Concrete comes with three rock solid guarantees

1) If you leave it alone in downtown Detroit City no one is going to steal it.

2) It won’t burn.

3) It WILL crack!

The iconic Will Rogers even mentioned concrete cracks in his epic quote: “All you need to grow fine, vigorous grass is a crack in your sidewalk.”

Even though well placed concrete has great hardness (compressive strength), it does not have good elasticity (tensile strength) which is the ability to stretch and bend very far. This results in cracks. Having cracks in a beautiful concrete patio or pool deck is like having ants at a picnic – they are not very welcome! 

So what are your options as a homeowner or property owner to repair or fix this unsightly concrete? Hire Sundek! We take cracks very seriously. When we are getting ready to have a Sundek concrete coating installed and know you don’t want to see those nasty cracks again. We take do a mini-root cause analysis of each crack which includes identifying the source of each crack and what your expectations are for future crack re-occurrence. 

Option One – You can remove and replace the cracked concrete areas. The new concrete must be provided with proper soil compaction and expansion joints. This option can get a bit pricey but in some cases this is the must-do best option. We are good, but we cannot hurdle poorly placed concrete in some cases. Thus not every chunk of concrete can be restored with Sundek and we’ll advise you if the deck needs to be torn out and replaced – with no warranty against cracking –again. This option can run you anywhere from $8-$12 a square foot depending on your local market and the job conditions. (Yikes!) 

Option Two– You can saw cut the concrete at the cracks and epoxy weld the structural cracks. This option is again pricey and not fool proof. You might call this the “Cut and Paste” option. It can be difficult to find someone who does this type of work and usually it has a very limited warranty. Pricing can run as high as $20-$30 a lineal foot. 

Option Three– Sundek Custom Scoreline Effects. This technique was invented and perfected by Sundek dealers over 40 years ago. The idea is to think of the concrete cracks as “Mother Nature’s Expansion Joints”- they are just doing their job in controlling the natural expansion and contraction movement of the concrete as it heats and cools. With the typical Sundek application when Custom Scoreline Effect is needed you add only 50- to 60 cents a square foot to the price of the job and you get a two-year warranty that if another crack returns, the local Sundek Dealer will come back and create a new scoreline with the new crack.

Compare that to the other two options – This is a Pretty Easy Choice!!

The creation of a beautiful – eye catching Custom Scoreline Effect is a real skill that the Sundek installers have perfected to an art-form. Each “stone” pattern is indeed “Custom”.  Here is what to expect if you choose the custom scoreline option:

Each crack is carefully opened with a grinder wheel and then an extended Custom Scoreline pattern is designed and developed by further grinding.

The existing scored crack is then filled with a urethane sealant to prevent water and debris intrusion. This also helps blend in the original crack with the new custom score lines.

The project is then completed with the Sundek acrylic color Finish Coat of the customer’s color choice. Now the moving cracks –Mother Nature’s expansion joints- can do their job without looking like a nasty old crack.

The Custom Score line Effect can be incorporated into most any other Sundek Effect but it is most often used with the Classic Sundek Texture Effect. #418 Custom Scoreline Cut Sheet

If you already have a Sundek installation that has developed cracks in the concrete and it was not originally crafted with a Custom Scoreline Effect, now would be a great time to give your local Sundek Dealer a call and get an estimate on making those nasty cracks turn into a thing of beauty! 

Maybe you are considering a decorative concrete coating but weren’t sure about the cracking issues and nobody else has a good solution – your answer in just a phone call away to your local Sundek Dealer.

Crack Repair

These products and systems are designed to help fill and prevent further cracking.

Tips for Coordinating Outdoor Concrete Colors with Poolside Landscaping

When having a new decorative floor, countertop, or wall installed inside the home, you would consider the interior style and color scheme. However, for outdoor applications, the focus shifts to the home’s architectural features, color, and even the poolside landscaping. To enhance your backyard space, it is important to consider appropriate outdoor concrete colors. 

Sundek Products Outdoor Concrete Colors

Especially if you spend a great deal of time outside, having family gatherings, entertaining friends, or hosting special events for important clients, choosing the right color or color combination that complements the poolside landscaping will set the stage for success.

For a cohesive look that is more visually pleasing, while adding value to the home, certain outdoor concrete colors work best.

Consider the type of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs around your pool. Although you want to think about the colors they produce year-round, focus more on summertime colors since this is the season when you will likely use your backyard most often. Therefore, look at blues, greens, and even certain hues of red and orange. If you have landscaping that blooms multiple colors, this opens up more options.

Something else to consider is the way your landscaping is maintained. For example, if everything is pristine, then you might want to stick to outdoor concrete colors that are considered refined and sophisticated. However, if your landscaping has a more natural and countryside aesthetic, then either bolder or more subdued colors would be stunning.

Although you might already have some ideas regarding specific outdoor concrete colors that you like, spend time conducting research online or going through magazines. Using the information that you find, you may be happy with your initial choice. However, you might also find colors to add to your preferred design aesthetic or choose something completely different.

Having unlimited possibilities is what makes choosing outdoor concrete colors that coordinate with poolside landscaping exciting and fun. As an example, SunAcid is a muriatic-based acid coloring solution that produces a translucent mottled aesthetic by penetrating the concrete where it reacts to salts and minerals. As for colors, this particular product is available in earth tones, vibrant green and teal, as well as rich buckskin and cola, among others.

SunH20 is another exceptional choice. As a blend of liquid pigments and soluble polymers, not only are the outdoor concrete colors gorgeous, the application creates one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Available in more than 20 beautiful vibrant colors, you will have no problem finding the perfect solution to enhance the home, pool, and landscaping.