How Long Does an Exposed Aggregate Driveway Last? (Effective Tips!)
drivewaygeek.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
How Long Does an Exposed Aggregate Driveway Last?
Exposed aggregate driveway will last 25 to 30 years provided it’s built with high-quality materials on a solid stable soil support system. The life can be extended to 50 years or more by regular preventive maintenance and frequent resealing of the surface.
An exposed aggregate driveway is intrinsically the same as a concrete driveway, just with a special finish. Considering that an exposed aggregate driveway costs more than standard concrete driveways anyway, contractors will use a concrete mix with higher compressive strength.
The water-cement ratio and the cement aggregate ratio play critical roles in determining the compressive strength of the concrete mix. The Table below is indicative ratios for different strengths:
| Compressive Strength (psi) | Cement | Sand | Stone | Water |
| 3000 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0.5 |
| 3500 | 1 | 2.5 | 3 | 0.5 |
| 4000 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.5 |
| 4500 | 1 | 1.5 | 3 | 0.5 |
| 5000 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.5 |
Often 3000 psi strength concrete is considered adequate for concrete driveways. I personally recommend using 3500 psi concrete in warm climates and 4000 psi concrete in cold climates.
Find out the reason for my recommendation by checking out my article How Long Does Concrete Driveway Last? (6 Tips To Increase Life!).
However, contractors will often use 4500 – 5000 psi concrete when pouring an exposed aggregate driveway. They prefer a stronger bond between cement and aggregate to compensate for the fact that the top layer of the aggregates will not be completely embedded.
Use of higher strength concrete mix is an important reason an exposed aggregate concrete is more expensive but longer lasting than a standard concrete driveway.
How Do You Maintain an Exposed Aggregate Driveway?
The life of an exposed aggregate driveway will double to over 50 years if you just spend some time and take good care of it. Maintaining our driveway is not very complicated or even time consuming. But you have got to follow a routine.
Here are a few of the things that you must do on a regular basis:
Weekly Cleaning
Exposed aggregate driveways get dusty & dirty just like any other driveway. Unfortunately, the dust & dirt gets lodged in the gaps between the exposed aggregates. If not removed regularly, it can harden and become quite difficult to remove.
I recommend that you follow a weekly cleaning schedule. If your driveway is too long, break it up into sections and clean a section every week.
The best way to remove dust & other debris lodged in the nooks & crannies, is to blow them off the driveway using a leaf blower.
It is important not to let the dust stay too long on an exposed aggregate driveway. Dust lodged in the crevices, along with moisture will encourage the growth of moss, weeds, etc.
Monthly Pressure Washing
Wash away the dirt by using a garden hose. Check for tire marks and oil stains as you go over the driveway. Douse the affected spots with soap solution, let it sit for a while and then use a scrub to remove the marks and stains.
You will need to use a commercial degreaser to remove the more stubborn marks & stains.
Use the pressure washer at a low setting to clean the entire driveway. Keep the jet tip moving and at some distance from the concrete surface. A stationary intense water jet can gouge away the cement and loosen the exposed aggregate.
Repair Cracks Early
An exposed aggregate driveway is basically a concrete slab-on-grade. It will develop cracks just like a standard concrete driveway. And the cracks will grow with time.
It is a little bit more difficult to notice the smaller cracks due to the color and texture of exposed aggregates. However, the larger cracks will certainly become visible, if you keep an eye out for them.
The sooner you repair the cracks the better. If cracks are left for too long, moisture, rainwater or snow melt will find it easy to penetrate the concrete and damage it from within.
To repair the cracks, you should clean them thoroughly first. Fill them up with a flexible cementitious or silicone gap filler. Try tinting the filler to a shade close to the existing driveway color. A translucent filler could also be used.
Clean Drains Regularly
Driveways will often get flooded from the overflow of blocked drains running along the sides of the driveway. Drains tend to get blocked by yard debris such as dried leaves and broken twigs.
Clean the drains regularly. This is even more important during fall or after a thunderstorm. The less water you have on your exposed aggregate driveway, the lower is the risk of concrete slab degradation.
How Often Should You Seal Exposed Aggregate Driveway?
Topical sealers have a life of 1 – 3 years. Timely resealing of an exposed aggregate driveway is your strongest defense against concrete degradation due to water permeation.
“The most destructive agent of concrete structures and components is probably water”.
Quote from Wikipedia
Fall is a great time to consider resealing an exposed aggregate driveway. The ambient temperature is pretty much within the recommended range for sealer application. Resealing the driveway in fall will protect it against the winter snow and ice damage.
Perform a simple test to check whether the existing sealer is still effective or not.
Clean a small spot on the driveway with a damp rag to remove dust. Place a few drops of water on that spot.
If the water beads up, then the sealer is still effective. Do not reseal the concrete driveway. If the water does not bead up and gets absorbed, then the existing sealer is no longer effective. It is time to reseal the driveway.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
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.
Thank you very much for reading this post. I do hope you found it informative and helpful.
