Antiquing your driveway refreshes its appearance, enhances curb appeal, and can even add value to your home. Although this technique can be incredibly beneficial, it’s vital that every step is done right. If this is your first time antiquing concrete, keep reading this article. We’ll give you step-by-step instructions on the entire process, including professional tips that will make the job easier.
Let’s begin with a review of the tools and materials you’ll need to antique concrete.
Tools & Materials for Antiquing Concrete
The basic tools you’ll need for antiquing concrete include:
- Soft-Bristled Pole Brush
- Heavy-Duty Pole Squeeging for Screeding
- Smaller Hand Squeegee for Detailing
- Masking Paper & Tape
- Pole Scrub Brush
- Power Washer
- Pump Sprayer
- Buckets
- Hose
The products you’ll need for antiquing are:
- E-etch: This is an eco-friendly degreaser and mild etching agent. It opens the pores in concrete surfaces, allowing removal of deep dirt, grease, stains, and mold.
- Neutra Clean: Neutra Clean is a petroleum-free neutralizing agent that further cleans concrete and loosens residues, including release powders on previously stamped concrete.
- Brickform Antique-It: Antique-It is the perfect agent for restoring the appearance of old concrete pads, as well as the highlights in stamped concrete that have faded over time. It dries quickly and imparts a durable, colored finish.
- Clear Shield: Clear Shield is a UV-resistant acrylic-based copolymer concrete sealer. It helps increase concrete’s overall resistance to rain, snow, sunshine, stains, and pollutants.
Surface Preparation
Meticulous surface prep is needed to ensure superior results. Before you start antiquing concrete, you want to check to be sure that your driveway does not have a sealer on it. To do so, take a capful of E-etch and pour it onto a small spot on the driveway. If the E-etch lays on the surface and doesn’t start to seep into your concrete, there is a sealer on it that you’ll need to remove with a sealer stripper.
If your driveway is not sealed, you can start cleaning your driveway with E-etch and water. You will use your soft-bristled pole brush here along with a hose. Make sure that all of the E-etch is thoroughly washed off; you will not want to let it dry on your driveway.
Next, you’ll want to use the Neutra clean to neutralize the slab. Use your pole brush to distribute it across the entire surface, and then use a (minimum) 3000 PSI pressure washer to meticulously clean the entire surface. Pay close attention to deep algae, mold and grime in contraction joints and embossment lines. Failure to do so can cause your sealer to delaminate down the line.
After pressure washing the pad, soak up any pooled water with towels.
The last step in the antiquing process is applying Antique-It.
Application
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- In a five-gallon bucket, thoroughly mix Antique-It in water according to the directions.
- Ensure the entire surface is still moist with no pooling water.
- Apply the Antique-It to the damp surface with the soft-bristled pole brush.
- Regularly agitate the Antique-It mixture throughout application to prevent settling in the bucket.
- Allow the surface to dry thoroughly.
- Apply at least two thin coats of Clear Shield with the pump sprayer, allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next.
That’s it! You should immediately notice a difference in your driveway’s appearance.
Conclusion: Get Everything You Need From Stamped Concrete
Stamped Concrete has everything you need for your next concrete antiquing project. You can view our online store here. If you have questions about antiquing concrete, or need help selecting the right products, contact one of our professionals for further assistance.
