Though concrete is recognized as a highly robust and durable material, it still needs a particular amount of attention and care. Because of that, a concrete driveway is a heavy traffic area that requires close attention to keep it in tip-top shape as much as possible. Listed below are some of the helpful tips to maintain your concrete driveway according to an expert concrete contractor Harrisonburg VA.
Maintain its cleanliness
Oil stains and slicks are required to be dealt with immediately, and signs of algae and moss. That’s because they can result in significant damage to the sealant of your driveway eventually. Not only that, a driveway with moss and algae can make it look unappealing and untidy. The best solution for this is to use safe and not harmful chemical solutions. And before you apply any sealer to the surfaces, make sure to do a full clean first.
Repair Cracks
Ensuring that all cracks are fixed before they become a severe problem is essential if you want to keep up a healthy driveway. Cracks enable water to screen through, affecting your concrete’s structural integrity and damaging the subgrade. Grit and dirt can also clog up such fractures, making an uneven surface and allowing weeds to grow between the crack joints.
Make sure to eliminate stains immediately.
This may seem as if it cannot adversely impact your concrete surface. However, if you don’t clean up stains or oil spillage right away, it means that you need to use non-concrete-friendly and heavy-duty chemicals down the line to remove stubborn stains. One of the best ways to resolve this is by pressure washing your driveway, which is recommended before applying or reapplying a seal to the surface.
Avoid de-icing
Though making sure that your driveway does not get slippery during the winter season is vital to prevent unwanted falls and slips, make sure to prevent utilizing de-icers on your driveway surface as much as you can.
Most de-icers aren’t intended to be used on concrete because they have chemicals that can adversely affect the driveway and the sealant applied to it. If you use de-icers throughout the icy seasons, expect to see a continuous cycle of thawing and freezing moisture, which strains the surface and poses issues like spalling and straining.
Sealing driveway regularly
Sealing is arguably the greatest means to secure your driveway and prolong its lifespan. This is especially true when you do this regularly. Concrete experts recommend everyone to do so six months after pouring the concrete and 2-3 years after based on how frequently you use and the conditions your driveway is prone to.
Sealing is a process wherein a sealant is applied to the concrete’s surface to reduce damage and prevent corrosion. Moreover, note that there are different sealer types intended to be used for other surfaces.
Moreover, the sealing can fill the pores that might otherwise absorb and gather dirt.
Recent Comments