DIY: Power washing and sealing the drive way

[yasir]

I got a pretty long concrete drive way and was quoted about $800 to power wash and seal it I have a friend who has an access to a commercial size power washer and also a flat surface cleaner machine
First question,is this some thing that me and him can do on our own or does it have to be done by a pro ? I would also like to seal the drive way so spray on sealer be OK ?
Any tips be greatly appreciated ?
Thanks

[bell]

back in high school (80's) i had a job for about 4 years as a mobile pressure washer.
we did everything from pools to houses/driveways to trucks etc etc etc.
concrete driveways were always the easiest, if you have heavy oil spots/stains then you'll want to "pretreat" them with something that breaks down the oil....we used to use dawn and scrub but i'm sure there is something better nowadays.
the pressure washer with a 5-10 degree tip should make it look brand new, be carefull around the edges and in the cracks...you don't want to remove the "grout" or more importantly create a cavern under the concrete (can cause cracking).
wear safety goggles and be carefull if it's a real high pressure machine.....some of those can take off fingers

[jester911]

Pressure washing is easy. But it is a little tedious. You will find that it takes some time to get it nice and clean. To seal it just buy a cheap garden sprayer and concrete sealer from your home center.

Just make sure the concrete is completely dry before sealing.

[yasir]

Bell,thanks for the tips.
Jerry,after the sealer is sprayed would i need to use a roller ? How about the flat surface cleaner,the machine that has a random brush,just like a tile buffing machine,to clean the concrete.
Thanks

[jester911]

No you don't need to use a roller. Just spray it on and let it dry. If you feel it is needed you can spray a second coat.

As far as a brushing machine, it really isn't needed. A good pressure washer should have 3500 to 4000 psi. Like bell said, you might need to spot scrub some stains but the pressure washer will blast most stuff away.

[yasir]

Any other tips/things to watch out for esp for a first timer and also i need to know where to rent some hoses,i need quite a bit of it too..
Thanks once again..

[jester911]

Be careful using too much hose. Getting too far away from the water source will cause you to lose pressure.
The pressure washer will not work properly if it doesn't get enough water.

The pump can overheat from this. If your hoses have absolutely no leaks you can get away with more length.
If you have a tool rental place handy you can probably rent hose there. Make sure the ends have the O-rings and this will
help prevent leakage.

Oh and prepare to be wet.

[yasir]

One last question,after sealing the driveway how long should i wait before driving the car over it ?
Thanks

[red-beard]

Whatever the can says...

[azasadny]

I just used Simple Green and my $100 Lowe's special electric pressure washer (Karcher) and power washed the driveway, undercarriage of 911, engine compartment, tranny, etc... and everything cleaned up great! Simple Green is concentrated, but I used it straight from the gallon jug, applied with low pressure, then finished with high pressure rinse. All grease/oil stains cleaned up 100%!!