A THRIFTY homeowner has stunned TikTok viewers after transforming her dull, cracked driveway into a posh-looking paver-style design.
The DIY upgrade went viral after a TikToker posted the video, which she said cost her under $200 using only Walmart supplies.
In the video, which has garnered over 200,000 views and more than 4,000 likes at the time of writing, @Karlinsummer broke down her budget makeover step by step.
“My new driveway for under $200,” she wrote.
“I took my driveway from this to this [for] under $200 and mimicked these paver driveways that fancy people have,” she said in a voiceover.
The video starts with her clearing out weeds and pressure washing the old surface.
She then tackles the cracks using Quikrete Quick-Setting Cement, which currently sells for $16.47 at Walmart.
“It took like five bottles and there were still little holes,” she said.
To patch the remaining gaps, she grabbed a tube of ceramic tile caulk which she used to fill in the “rest of the holes.”
Walmart sells the Polyblend Sanded Ceramic Tile Caulk for $18.71.
Next, she added a painted grid design to mimic high-end paver slabs.
“Then I painted on that grid pattern to mimic those grid slabs and it looked pretty great when it was done,” she said.
Her total came in well below the estimated $10,000 price tag of real paver installations.
Viewers flooded the comments with praise for her creativity and cost-saving approach.
“Really good for $200, good job!” one person wrote.
“You can buy tubing to put in the cracks first if you do it next time,” someone else advised.
Products used in the $200 DIY driveway
Quikrete Quick-Setting Cement – $16.47
- Can be molded or sculpted into place for various applications
- Ideal for quick repairs and projects requiring fast setting times
- Versatile use for both indoor and outdoor applications
- Easy to mix and apply, making it suitable for DIY projects
Polyblend Sanded Ceramic Tile Caulk – $18.71
- Use where horizontal and vertical surfaces meet
- Mold and mildew resistant
- Do not use to install grab bars
- Maximum joint width and depth should not exceed 1/4 In.
- Material Siliconized Acrylic Latex Resins
- Color Bone
- Type Sanded
KILZ Over Armor Concrete Resurfacer – $44.97
- 100% Acrylic, waterproofing, solid-color coating
- Revives wood and composite decks; Fills/conceals splinters and cracks up to 1/4″ in size
- Over Armor Smooth creates a durable, smooth, slip-resistant and mildew-resistant finish
- Formulated for use on wood and composite decks, as well as cracked and weathered concrete
- For residential use only, do not use on driveable surfaces such as driveways or garage floors
- A second coat must be applied for optimum results, film uniformity, leveling, and to cover cracks
One item she used was KILZ Over Armor Wood & Concrete Solid Coating Resurfacer, priced at $44.97.
The label notes it’s meant for decks and weathered concrete, but not driveways.
Still, the finish helped pull the look together and gave it a slip-resistant surface.
Quikrete Quick-Setting Cement has a 4.7-star rating from over 70 Walmart customers.
The ceramic tile caulk also has strong reviews, with one user giving it five stars.
Normally, to have a paver driveway installed professionally would typically cost between $15,000 and $25,000, according to American Paving Design.
Content shared from www.the-sun.com.