How to Resurface a Pitted Concrete Driveway

Clean the driveway with concrete stain remover and a wire scrubbing brush to remove stains and debris embedded on the concrete. Roughing up the surface with a scrub brush allows new concrete to adhere to the old surface better. Rinse chemical solutions from the surface with a hose and let it dry.

Identify large pits in the surface and widen the bottom of the holes with a hammer and cold chisel. Remove fallen debris and measure the depth of the holes. If they’re less than 1/2 inch deep, use a putty knife to patch them with vinyl concrete patch mix. If they’re deeper, fill them with sand until the remaining hole is 1/2-inch deep, and patch the rest with the vinyl patch mix.

Roll bonding adhesive over the driveway with a low-nap roller brush. Wait for the coating to dry until it feels tacky.

Stir a cementitious concrete overlay mix in a wheelbarrow. Scoop the mix on top of the driveway in small piles beginning at the bottom end, and spread a 1/4-inch thick layer with a squeegee. Smooth the surface with a flat trowel and wait for it to begin to harden.

Trace the expansion joints through the overlay with the side of a trowel.

Push a stiff-bristle brush over the overlay to create a slip-resistant surface.

Keep moist, breathable fabric over the top to provide additional moisture for the overlay to absorb so it doesn’t dry out the concrete underneath. Wait about a week for the overlay to set and seal the surface with deep penetrating concrete sealer and a roll brush.