Beginner’s Guide on Staining Concrete Driveways
Make your driveway look like a million bucks with Direct Colors Concrete Stains and Sealers. Because driveways take a beating in both the summer and winter, selecting the right stain and sealer options is critical. Here are a few recommendations to ensure your next staining driveways project goes off without a hitch!
Staining Concrete Paver Driveways
Patio pavers come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. But, sometimes they aren’t the exact shade you were expecting, or you aren’t as happy with it once it’s installed as you were when you bought it. Not to worry, Direct Colors has three great stain options to get the look you desire.
2. EasyTint™ Colored Sealer
EasyTint™ Colored Sealer is a one-step stain and sealer for exterior concrete surfaces. Restore faded concrete paver color. Rememebr that EasyTint™ is not paint. EasyTint™ remains translucent and do not completely hide imperfections in the concrete.
EasyTint™ & Potico™
You can even combine products for stunning results!
3. Colorwave™ Water-Based Stain
ColorWave™ is a penetrating, water-based stain specifically formulated to stain concrete by delivering ultra-fine pigment to the concrete surface.
Selecting the Right Sealer for a Driveway
Because driveways are generally use areas, we recommend only two concrete sealers for this purpose. If you are looking for a satin finish to accentuate the stained appearance of the concrete, our Solvent-based satin finish acrylic sealer is your best bet. It’s very easy to apply using a Fence and Deck Sprayer and will not create a slip-hazard when wet on most concrete surfaces. Smooth finished may still require an anti-slip additive in the final coat of sealer. Solvent-based satin finish sealer is our most popular outdoor concrete sealer and is the best choice for either an acid or antiquing stained driveway.
We also offer a penetrating sealer for use on smoother finished concrete driveways called Penetrating Concrete Sealer. This sealer should not be applied rough, heavily textured or antique stained concrete. If you are looking for a no gloss finish on an acid stained driveway, our Penetrating Sealer is a good option. It’s a one-time application sealer and is a great salt proofer for those living in very cold climates. Keep in mind this sealer will not enhance the color of the acid stain after application.
Seal your Driveway and Enjoy
Solvent-based acrylic sealers are easy repair and maintain. If damage to the sealer occur, touch up the concrete with a small amount of the acrylic sealer repair and a foam brush. It will be good as new in a matter of moments! Also, avoid using chemical de-icers or snow removal equipment with sharp blades. Both will damage the sealer finish. Reseal once every two to three years for best performance. Remember to clean thoroughly and allow to dry well before attempting to reseal.
Tips for Summertime Sealing: Without question, DO NOT attempt to seal in the heat of the day. Colored concrete in direct sunlight, especially dark browns and black, could be several times hotter than the ambient temperature and just a few minutes of sunlight will raise the surface temperature very quickly. If the concrete is too hot, small air bubbles will often appear either during the application or just after. The air bubbles are formed by air rising through the concrete and becoming trapped in the sealer. The bubbles will eventually collapse leaving unattractive concave spots behind. Finding the right time of day to apply concrete sealer during the summer months can be a challenge. Sealers, like acid stain, should be applied when the concrete is at its lowest temperature either early in the morning or late in the evening. East facing concrete should be sealed later in the day and west facing early in the morning.
