Curbside Critic: Oops! Pebble driveway coating not sticking
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It must have seemed like a good idea at the time. You can imagine these SoCal homeowners all jazzed up about a new pebble and resin coating on their driveway. They may have read marketing materials about how the new surface would add value to their home, set off the architecture and set the house apart in the neighborhood of big and nice but somewhat homogenous houses.
The pebbles do set the house apart, but not in a good way. With the resin giving way and letting the pebbles loose to find new homes on the sidewalk, gutter, or adjacent lawn, this house looks way worse than it would have with the native concrete driveway. Notice the pebbles coming off the front of the steps? So it's not just the car tires loosening the stones.
Anyone else had this kind of problem? Or know what causes it? Or how to avoid it?
Resource: SoCal paving contractors
Pebbles in Epoxy, or Pebblestone, was a very popular coating that was sold (still is to some extent) as the answer to problem concrete.
The problem with pebbles in epoxy is that they require a resealing every year, that is, new epoxy to keep the pebbles in place. UV is the worst enemy of pebbles in epoxy, the UV destroys the epoxy and the epoxy disintegrates, allowing the pebbles to come loose.
Pool decks, concrete sidewalks and driveways are not good candidates for pebbles in epoxy.
A concrete overlay/stamped finish will last far longer, cost less and looks better than the 80's look of pebbles in epoxy.
Repairs can be made to many pebble systems,but it'll cost you dearly and will cost you every year to maintain.
Posted by: Bill Leys-The Deck Expert | July 06, 2009 at 03:52 PM