LESLIE: Gary in Maryland needs some help working on a driveway project. What do you want to do with it?
GARY: I have a carport that I was thinking about wanting to put some coloring in it on the – painting it.
TOM: OK.
GARY: Then I was wondering what would be the preparation that I would have to do for that that would help the paint stay on; and also, that it wouldn’t be slippery if it got wet.
LESLIE: Now this is a concrete surface under your carport that you’re talking about?
GARY: Yes.
TOM: Mm-hmm. Well, the type of concrete that you’re going to want to use is an epoxy paint. It’s an air-cure epoxy and the formulations are such now that they have very good adhesion to the concrete. Even if you’ve had – the concrete has been dirty before, it’s been damp; as long as you clean it well. And they have an etching material that usually is sold with the paint; that preps the surface.
LESLIE: That’s like the first step.
GARY: Yes.
TOM: Right. So that’s what you want to do: clean it first; use the epoxy. Make sure you wait for two or three really good, dry days because you want to make sure it cures very well before you put the car back on. And you can also add some traction supplements to it where you have like sand mixes and things.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm, and that’s usually sold separately but it’s right next to it.
TOM: Right, exactly.
GARY: A sand mix. OK.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. It’s like an anti-skid additive. It’ll have like a fancy wording but it’s really so you don’t slip and fall.
TOM: Exactly.
GARY: Right, yes. Oh, it’s great. Thank you very much. Appreciate that.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
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