When a concrete driveway looks tired, owners usually weigh three jobs: resurface it, pave it, or pull it out and start again. Decograde Concrete Resurfacing resurfaces driveways in Canterbury-Bankstown, so we have a view, and this page sets out when each option fits.
Resurfacing: new face, same slab
A bonded surface layer is applied over the existing concrete. It suits a slab that is solid but worn, stained, faded or lightly cracked. The slab stays where it is and only its surface changes, so there is no demolition and no new levels. Colour, texture and a sealer are chosen to suit how the drive is used, and the existing joints and falls are kept.
Questions about your specific surface or budget? Call (02) 9090 4131 — no obligation.
Paving: a different material altogether
Pavers are laid on a prepared bed, either after the concrete is removed or over it where levels allow. They give a distinct look and individual units can be lifted and replaced. They also add height, which matters at the garage door, and they need a well-built base. A paved drive that has been laid on poor ground can settle unevenly later, so the base is where the cost and the risk sit.
Replacing: break out and pour again
This is the answer when the slab has failed underneath. A slab that has sunk, heaved or cracked through cannot be fixed with a new surface. Replacement costs more, takes longer and brings machinery and waste removal. It also means a new pour has to cure before anyone drives on it, and any ground problem under the old slab has to be dealt with at the same time.
Not sure which option fits your situation? Call (02) 9090 4131 and talk it through with a contractor.
Which one suits your slab
A fast test is to walk the drive and look for movement. If the slab is level, solid underfoot and only looks tired, resurfacing is usually worth pricing. If it has sunk toward the house, rocks when you step on it or has cracks with uneven edges, resurfacing is the wrong tool and we will say so.
How the three compare
- Disruption. Resurfacing is the least, replacing the most.
- Slab condition needed. Resurfacing needs a sound slab. Paving and replacing do not.
- Change in height. Resurfacing adds very little. Pavers add more.
- Look. All three offer choices, and resurfacing keeps the slab’s shape and joints.
Unsure which one your driveway needs? Call (02) 9090 4131 and describe it.
The part of the driveway outside your boundary
The section between your boundary and the kerb is public land. Canterbury-Bankstown Council’s page for vehicular footway crossings says its application covers approval to construct the driveway outside the lot, and that the owner’s consent is required to apply. CCAA likewise tells owners to find out the local authority’s requirements for grades and pavement details between the boundary and the kerb. Check with Council before any work reaches past your boundary.
Still weighing your options? Call (02) 9090 4131 for a straight answer.
Questions to ask whichever route you pick
- What condition does the slab need to be in, and who decides?
- What is done about existing cracks?
- How long before a car can drive on it?
- What sealing and cleaning will it need?
Our concrete resurfacing page explains our process, and the driveway page covers driveways in detail.
Request a written estimate
Tell us the size of the drive, what bothers you about it and send a few photos. We will say plainly whether resurfacing is the right call and put the estimate in writing.