The driveway paint is probably the first thing your eyes land on when you visit friends or relatives house. In order to prevent your own driveway from looking unflattering, you need to know how long it takes for the paint to show signs of aging.
Your driveway paint should last for a minimum of five years, depending on how well you picked things like the paint itself, the sealer, and the primer. Another important factor is how well the driveway was painted. Amateur painters can forget to prime the driveway, apply only one coat, or not leave it to dry for long enough.
In this article, we’ll go in-depth to answer the question, “How long does driveway paint last?” We’ll also share some valuable tips and tricks to make sure your driveway paint looks fresh for years to come.
Let’s get started!
It All Boils Down to Paint Quality
Additionally, a lot of external factors can affect the lifespan of the paint job. Hot climates will cause the paint surface to skin over before the lower layers dry properly. This is the most probable cause of early crackings, bumpings, or discoloration.
A driveway painting job can last for decades if you take good care of it. However, even top-grade paint will start showing signs of degradation after a period of time, however long that may be.
How to Make Your Driveway Paint Last Longer
If you’ve just painted your driveway or are planning to, there are a few things you can do to extend the lifespan of the paint job.
Use High-Quality Masonry Paint
The quality of paint used in your driveway determines how long it’ll last. Bad paint can be uneven in thickness, peel off easily, or dry improperly. Make sure you choose highly-rated masonry paint to ensure longevity.
Of course, even the best paint won’t look good if you use a single layer of coating. A driveway should have at least two layers of paint coating. Both should be thin so they can dry faster and blend better with the other layers.
Once your driveway is painted, refer to the instructions of the paint to see how long you should avoid walking on it. Once the driveway reaches full hardness, you can either apply an additional coat of sealant or masonry waterproofer to add a protective layer.
If you’re not going to use a sealant, we recommend using the INSL-X Acrylic Masonry Waterproofer as a coating because it looks great and withstands high water pressure.
Apply Sealant Coatings
A sealant coating acts as an essential protective component for your driveway. It doesn’t evaporate and is usually thick and dirt-resistant.
Sealants are crucial for driveways for two reasons. The first reason is that they give you a layer of protection that isn’t affected by the weather conditions, pressure washing, and de-icing chemicals.
The second reason is that they give new life to your driveway. If you take care of your driveway but leave it exposed, it’ll still start degrading pretty quickly.
We use Rain Guard Water Sealer because it’s constantly rated as #1 in outdoor protective coatings. It’s also one of the most affordable sealers available.
Avoid Deicing Chemicals
Chemicals like sodium chloride (rock salt), calcium chloride, ammonium sulfates, and ammonium nitrates can cause irreversible damage. Even in small amounts, they can cause spalling and scaling to your driveway.
This occurs because the chemicals are designed to refreeze the moisture. This can delaminate your driveway and quickly show signs of cracks.
Be Cautious With Pressure Washing
Even the gentlest power washer can cause damage to your driveway. Now, this doesn’t mean you should avoid pressure washing your driveway. On the contrary, power washing can help eliminate stubborn stains and built-up debris.
The idea is to try and use a nozzle with low pressure and not aim directly at the area you’re trying to wash. You should also avoid staying in the same spot for too long, or you might start noticing pittings or other imperfections.
Finally, you should always wear protective gear on any exposed skin to avoid direct contact with the high water pressure. Be careful around pets and stay a couple of feet away from the area you’re washing. It’s common to have a small rock or a piece of debris hit you when you aim the nozzle at it.
Annual Maintenance Goes a Long Way
Let’s assume that one company painted two driveways and left them for ten years. If one of the driveways doesn’t receive annual maintenance, it’ll look like a mess compared to the other.
You’ll find spots of discoloration and a lot of cracks. Further, it’ll most likely need resurfacing to start looking like a driveway again.
Annual maintenance doesn’t necessarily mean recoating your entire driveway. It can be as simple as resurfacing a small crack or adding a touch of paint over a couple of spots.
We also recommend resealing your driveway every couple of years. Don’t use sealers too often or your driveway paint might peel or crack.
Hire a Professional Service
Painting your driveway can seem like an easy DIY project to tackle, but you can easily get overwhelmed by the technicalities if you’ve never painted before.
We recommend you ask for a quote first and see how much your local professional service charges for resurfacing. If it falls within your budget, you can have some degree of certainty that you’ll get a driveway paint job that lasts for a while.
Conclusion
If you’ve followed our article closely, you should now have a general idea of how long your driveway paint should last.
The most important thing is to paint your driveway as if you’re painting the walls of your house. Even if it seems like the driveway is meant to handle whatever you throw at it, you can easily extend its lifespan if you take the above-mentioned factors into consideration.
