[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

In the past 2 months I have encountered 5 different folks with stamped concrete that is starting to separate from the original driveway. This work was done by different companies. Most were 7 or 8 years old. The repair was very expensive. One with a large driveway and lots of damage was a 12K fix.

So this raises some questions as I am getting ready to have my drive done. Have others had this problem? How old is your stamped concrete? Many of you seem to love the job done, but does the work last? I don't want problems in 7 or 8 years.

Pavers crack but repairs seem lower cost, stamped concrete delaminates and is very expensive to repair, as much or more then the original cost to install, and plain concrete stains. What other options are long lasting? How long does the stained design concrete option last? What are the repair costs for that option? I have seen several stained concrete driveways that are 10 years plus and still look good. But is that the normal life?

I believe the application you are referring to is not stamped concrete but a concrete overlay. Stamped concrete is done with a brand new slab of concrete and then stamped to make an impression. The concrete overlay is applied in a very thin layer over the existing concrete slab then color applied to it.

I was really leaning toward concrete overlay but I'm hesitant after hearing of problems in the future which may require costly repair.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by photo1902

A product called Iron Out removes spots from concrete. Muriatic acid and other products simply won't. You can buy Iron Out at Lowes, Home Depot and Ace.

Sorry for the orientation of the photo.

I will try the Iron Out but.....I still plan to cover the driveway with something. The concrete itself is quite unsightly looking. There are blotches that are uneven all over the place and it looks very unappealing. I would leave it alone if the concrete were an even color and there were no stains.