Sealing the Concrete and Flushing My Eyes

The builder of our home did not seal the concrete driveway after pouring it, so we have begun the process of laying a strong sealer.

The trick to getting a sealer to work is having a clean surface to start.  As usual, I toyed with the idea of borrowing one.  This quickly gave way to, "That's too much bother.  I'll buy my own."  We are glad that we did.  This little electric pressure washer is just perfect for the residential owner looking to clean a few things a year.  We already have the Greenworks lawn care implements such as lawnmower, trimmer, edger, etc.  Now we've added the pressure washer.  I'm not a greenie, but I sure enjoy not having to store fuel and worry about gummed-up carburetors. 

After cleaning the surface twice (pressure wash it, then do it again after scrubbing with concrete cleaner), I applied the sealer with a pump-up sprayer.  Two things with the sprayer:  don't use a $14 one from Lowes.  The spray valve got stuck half way through the project.  In a knee-jerk response, I told Sandra, "You need to get me another sprayer.  This one isn't going to make it!"  I'm not sure what I wanted from her, because a few moments later when she appeared to get into the car and go to town, I asked her, "Where are you going?"  She was like, "Uhhhh ... don't you need a sprayer?  I can't just have Amazon drone me in a sprayer!!!"  I'm a moron sometimes.  I think I was hoping that her fancy Walmart delivery would bring one.  Life doesn't work that way.  Second:  get an acetone resistant sprayer (around 60$).  I didn't realize that a standard sprayer will not tolerate acetone (solvent) based chemicals.  I quickly discovered this when my sprayer hose ruptured and I had solvent all over me and in my eyes and face.  I got a quick and practical lesson in the first aid practice of eye-flushing.  It works by the way.  Won't be using junky sprayers again.

Despite my moronic interaction with my practical wife and near blindness from the ruptured sprayer, it turned out well.  The water beads up nicely instead of soaking into the depths of the concrete substrate.  I have an acetone-tolerant sprayer on the way for the other side of the driveway 😀.

 

Hopefully, this will keep the concrete top layer from flaking off as do so many of our neighbors' driveways.  This investment is too expensive and important to let go.

All in all, it's going well, and I love the new pressure-washer 😉.