Our Work: A Marbella Villa Driveway, Restored Instead of Replaced

This is a real job at a villa in Marbella: a grey, stone-pattern stamped concrete driveway, a carport under a reed-roofed pergola and the apron in front of the garage. It was faded and cracked, and the question was a simple one: does this need replacing, or can it be saved?

Why was this driveway restored rather than replaced?

Because the problems were on the surface, not underneath it. The colour had faded to a dull, uneven grey and there were cracks, but the slab itself was there to be worked on. That is the situation in which a restoration makes sense, and it meant the owner avoided demolition, rubble and a new pour.

Faded, dull stamped concrete driveway before the renovation (Marbella) — Before: the faded, dull stamped concrete driveway.

Garage apron with faded, worn stamped concrete before the renovation (Marbella) — Before: the worn garage apron.

What was done, stage by stage?

The carport and driveway were pressure washed.
The cracks were filled before any colour went down.
The edges along the posts and walls were cut in by brush.
The first strips of colour were laid over the faded concrete.
The surface was finished in a dark, uniform, glossy tone.

Pressure washing the carport before repairing and recolouring (Marbella) — Pressure washing the carport under the pergola.

Crack repair and edge masking on the stamped concrete driveway (Marbella) — Crack repair and edge masking on the driveway.

Brush cut-in along the post and wall before coating the rest of the floor (Marbella) — Cutting in by brush along the post and wall.

First colour strips over the faded stamped concrete of the carport (Marbella) — First strips of colour on the carport.

What did the owner end up with?

A driveway that reads as one surface again, from the gate right up to the carport, with the stone pattern still clearly visible under a deep, glossy colour. The garage apron, which had been the most worn part, now matches the rest.

Long stamped concrete driveway finished in a deep, glossy tone up to the carport (Marbella) — After: the long driveway finished in a deep, glossy tone.

Garage apron with the stamped concrete recoloured in an even dark tone (Marbella) — After: the garage apron in an even dark tone.

If your own driveway looks like the before photos, the clean, restore or replace page will help you judge which side of the line it falls on, or simply send us your photos through the contact page.