How To Add Traction to Driveway? 4 Best Finishes
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How Do I Add Traction to My Concrete Driveway?
The best and the cheapest way to add traction to driveway, is to reseal it with a topical sealer with non-skid additive in the second coat.
Considering that you anyway need to reseal the concrete driveway every 1 – 3 years, the extra cost is just the cost of the non-skid additive. Topical sealer application, without a non-skid additive will only increase the slipperiness of the existing concrete driveway.
Resurface Old Concrete & Broom Finish
In case your concrete driveway is structurally sound but has developed unsightly cracks, holes or has spalled ten resurfacing is an excellent solution. You can make your concrete driveway look as good as new at a fraction of the cost.
Resurfacing gives you an excellent opportunity to broom finish. Broom finish is simple to do and has excellent skid resistance.
Here is how you can resurface an old concrete driveway.
STEP 1: Clean the concrete surface, especially areas with oil stains & grease marks.
STEP 2: Clean large cracks, holes and spalling. Fill them up with a flexible caulk, liquid filler or patching compound.
STEP 3: Mix the concrete resurfacer with water and stir till it has the consistency of honey.
STEP 4: Pour the concrete resurfacer and spread it with a squeegee to get a nice thick coat.
STEP 5: The resurfacer sets and hardens pretty fast. Use a concrete broom to create broom marks to add traction to driveway.
Finish Options to Add Traction to Driveway
The key to getting a skid resistant concrete driveway is getting the macrotexture to be textured and rough. Typically there are 4 finishing options for a new concrete driveway.
1. Smooth Troweled Concrete Driveway
After the concrete has been poured, screed and bull floated, the concrete is finished using a steel trowel. Troweling is done by moving the trowel, back-and-forth on the concrete surface to remove rough spots and make the surface smooth.
A smooth troweled concrete driveway not only looks very neat, it is easy to clean and maintain too. There is no texture or crevices for dust & dirt to get trapped in.
Smooth troweling is pretty much a part of the entire driveway installation process so it does not add any extra cost. No wonder it is quite popular as a concrete driveway finish.
A major disadvantage of a smooth troweled concrete driveway, however, is that it is quite slippery. The only way to make it skid resistant is to incorporate a non-skid additive in the final coat of the topical sealer or any other coating that may be applied.
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The Best Sealers for Your Concrete Driveway or Patio
A topical sealer is essential for protecting concrete surfaces from water permeation that can damage the concrete from within and compromise its lifespan.
I highly recommend Foundation Armor Concrete Sealers. Pick the one that best meets your aesthetic and application preference.
2. Broom Finish Concrete Driveway
Broom finish concrete driveway is the best and cheapest solution for a skid resistant surface. The troweled concrete surface is roughened by dragging a broom across the driveway, while the surface still has some plasticity.
Of course brooming has to be done very carefully so as to get the right degree of roughness and the broom lines are kept as straight as possible. Timing and skill are critical.
The broom finish concrete still needs to be sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture or water. There will be no need to incorporate any non-skid additive as the surface is already rough.
The disadvantage of using a broom finish is that dirt and dust will accumulate in the grooves. Cleaning broom finish concrete is not easy. Use a shopvac to suck out the dirt and an occasional pressure wash for a deep clean.
3. Stamped Concrete Driveway
Molded polyurethane stamps are pressed into the still soft troweled surface to create a textured pattern. Creative use of a color hardener and release agent along with a glossy topical sealer, lets you replicate natural stone tiles, historic streets & piazzas and much more!
Stamped concrete surfaces look stunning! Unfortunately, the texture does not add traction to driveway. The texture is undulating but smooth. You need roughness for skid resistance.
A stamped concrete driveway needs to be sealed just like any other concrete slab-on-grade. So for skid resistance, a non-skid additive must be incorporated in the final sealer coat.
4. Exposed Aggregate Concrete Driveway
Exposed aggregate finish is created by partially exposing the aggregates on top. To do this the top layer of the concrete, which is mostly cement and fine sand, is removed, before it sets hard.
There are 2 popular ways you can pour and finish an exposed aggregate concrete driveway.
Adding the stone aggregates to the concrete mix
The process of adding all the stone aggregates to the concrete mix saves a ton of labor as the batching is done by the concrete ready mix producer. To keep costs you must use regular aggregates as most of them will not get exposed anyway.
Seeding the stone aggregates on the surface
Pour the concrete in the form and hand float it such that it is about ½” below the top of the form. Seed the concrete with stone aggregates within 20 – 30 minutes of floating. The concrete will be firm enough for the stones to not sink in but soft enough so that they can be pushed down with a jitterbug or a roller tamp.
The stones should be completely covered with the cement that rises up due to the tamping pressure. Be firm yet gentle and do not overdo the tamping.
Spraying retarder and top layer removal
In both cases you must spray the top of the driveway with a retarder (aka deactivator) which essentially slows down the set time of the top layer. Sugar solution works just fine but is messy. Another favorite is good old Coke!
However, I think it is better to use a “deactivator” from a reputed manufacturer, such as Deco-crete Supply. The deactivators come with predetermined exposure depths. This ensures that you wash off exactly the right thickness of the top layer.
At the right time you can remove the top layer of the concrete by using a pressure washer and a buffer equipped with a medium soft brush. The brush does the removing and the pressure washer does the rinsing.
Exposed aggregate concrete driveways can be quite impressive as you can choose the color of the base concrete as well as the aggregates. Exposed aggregate is also a rough finish and therefore will add traction to driveway.
The main disadvantage of exposed aggregate concrete driveway is the high cost. An exposed aggregate driveway can cost 2 to 3 times more than a smooth troweled concrete driveway.
An important component of the higher cost is the need to use highly skilled and professional contractors for the job. It is not a finish which can be accomplished as a DIY project.
Thank you very much for reading this post. I do hope you found it informative and helpful.
