Common Driveway and Patio Defects, Their Causes and What They Mean
Most defects on outdoor concrete and paving are surface problems caused by sun, water, tyres and age, and those can be cleaned, repaired and recoloured. A smaller group, mainly sinking, rocking slabs and cracks that keep widening, come from the ground underneath and need a different kind of solution first.
Send us a photo and the m²Why does it matter what caused the defect?
Because the cause decides the cure. Two cracks can look similar in a photo and need completely different responses: one is the normal result of concrete drying and moving with temperature, the other is the slab telling you that the ground below has shifted.
Skipping this step can lead to one of two mistakes. Either they replace a driveway that only needed restoring, or they paint over a problem that will reappear through the new colour. Both are avoidable with a few minutes of careful looking.
Why do driveways and patios fade and turn chalky?
Because the colour sits at the very top of the surface, where sunlight, rain and foot and vehicle traffic wear it away. On stamped concrete, the original tint and any sealer were never meant to last forever, and on the coast they take a lot of sun.
The signs are a pale, patchy or powdery finish, colour that rubs off on a wet finger and a pattern that looks flat because the contrast has gone. The slab underneath is often perfectly sound.
This is the defect that a recolour answers most directly: after cleaning and two coats of colour, the surface returns to one even tone. That is the core of our patio refresh service.
What causes black streaks, green patches and moss?
Algae and moss, which grow where water lingers and the sun does not reach. North-facing terraces, the area under a pergola, the joints between pavers and the shady side of a pool surround are the usual places.
They are a surface problem, but they matter for two reasons: they make the area look neglected and they can make it slippery when wet. Pressure washing removes most growth, and it has to come off completely before any coating goes on.
Which cracks are harmless and which are a warning?
Fine hairline cracks are a normal feature of concrete. They come from the slab shrinking as it cures and from expansion and contraction with temperature, and on their own they do not mean the driveway is failing.
- Hairline, flat cracks: usually cosmetic; they can be opened, cleaned and filled before recolouring.
- Cracks along joints or edges: often from movement at the weakest line; repairable if the sides are level.
- Stepped cracks (one side higher than the other): a sign of settlement below.
- Cracks that keep widening: an active problem that needs investigating before any restoration.
For more on crack types, our sister site on crack repair goes into detail.
What is spalling, and why do edges break?
Spalling is when flakes or chips come off the top of the concrete, leaving rough, shallow craters. It is caused by water getting into the surface, impacts and wear, and it is common at edges, corners and around drains.
Broken edges along driveways, steps and kerbs have similar causes: tyres riding over them, impacts from tools or bins and water working into the weakest points. Small potholes develop in the same way where the surface has already been damaged.
Local damage of this kind is part of the repair stage in a restoration. Once the loose material is removed and the area is made good, the colour can go over it evenly.
Why do pavers sink, rock or sprout weeds?
Weeds in the joints are a surface issue: the jointing material has washed out or broken down, and seeds have taken root. Cleaning and restoring the joints deals with them.
Sinking or rocking pavers are a different matter. They mean the bedding underneath has moved, often from water flow, poor compaction or roots. A coating does not re-bed loose blocks, so that has to be resolved first.
What about oil stains, tyre marks and peeling old paint?
Oil drips under parked cars soak into concrete, and some will lift in the wash while deeper ones leave a shadow. Tyre marks build up at turning points and gates, and they are mostly a cleaning issue.
Peeling or lifting paint usually traces back to the surface underneath: poor cleaning, dampness or a coating unsuited to the job. Loose paint has to be removed before a new system goes on, which is why preparation is never skipped in our process.
What does a sinking area or puddle tell you?
It tells you the ground has moved. If water now pools where it used to run off, or a section of the drive has dropped below its neighbours, something under the slab has changed: settlement, washout, roots or a leak.
That is outside what a restoration can fix, and structural assessment is not part of our service. Our page on whether to clean, restore or replace and the guide on what restoration fixes and what it does not explain how to proceed.
How should you photograph defects for an assessment?
Take one wide photo of the whole area, then close-ups of each type of damage, with a coin or key for scale. Add a low-angle shot along the surface to show any dips, and a picture of where water collects after rain or a hose-down.
If you are abroad, ask your property manager to take them in daylight. With those pictures and the square metres, we can usually say which group each defect falls into. For villas, see our villa terrace refresh page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my stamped concrete driveway fading?
The colour sits at the top of the surface, where sun, rain and traffic wear it away. Over time it turns pale, patchy and chalky, while the slab beneath can remain sound. Cleaning followed by two coats of colour brings back an even tone in that situation.
Are hairline cracks in my patio a problem?
Usually not. Fine, flat hairline cracks come from concrete shrinking as it cures and moving with temperature. They are cosmetic and can be opened, cleaned and filled before recolouring. Cracks that are stepped or keep widening are a different case and need investigating first.
What does a stepped crack mean?
A crack where one side sits higher than the other usually indicates that part of the slab has settled. The ground underneath has moved. That is a structural sign, and the cause should be assessed before any restoration, because a coating will not stop further movement.
What causes the black marks under my pergola?
Usually algae, which grows where shade and moisture linger, such as under pergolas, along north-facing walls and in paving joints. Pressure washing removes it, and it has to be fully cleaned off before any colour goes on, or the coating will not bond properly.
What is spalling on concrete?
Spalling is when flakes or chips break away from the surface, leaving rough, shallow patches. It is linked to water in the surface, impacts and wear, and often appears at edges and around drains. It is repaired locally before recolouring.
Why have weeds appeared between my pavers?
The jointing material between the pavers has washed out or broken down, giving seeds a place to root. This is a surface issue. Cleaning removes the growth, and the joints are dealt with as part of the repair stage before any coating.
Why are some of my pavers rocking?
Rocking pavers mean the bedding layer underneath has moved, often because of water flow, poor compaction or roots. A coating cannot fix loose pavers. They need to be re-bedded first, which is base work outside our service. Once the pavers are firm again, the surface can be cleaned and restored.
Will oil stains come out before painting?
Some will. Surface oil often lifts in a pressure wash, while oil that has soaked deep into the concrete can leave a shadow. The surface must be clean and sound before coating. We will tell you from photos which stains are likely to remain visible beneath the colour.
Why is the paint on my driveway peeling?
Peeling usually goes back to what was under the paint: insufficient cleaning, damp, contamination or a coating unsuited to exterior traffic. Before recoating, loose paint has to be removed, and the cause understood, otherwise the new coat inherits the same problem.
Does water pooling on my terrace mean it is failing?
If water collects where it used to drain, part of the surface has probably settled. That is a sign of movement below, not a surface defect. It needs assessing before restoration, because a coating does not change levels or falls.
Can I send defect photos without being in Spain?
Yes. Your property manager, gardener or a neighbour can take them: a wide shot, close-ups with something for scale, a low-angle photo along the surface and any area where water collects. Send them with the approximate square metres by form or WhatsApp.