Three Care and Maintenance Guidelines for Concrete Driveways
Posted on: 13 January 2017
Concrete is one of the most advantageous building materials for residential driveways. In general, the material is strong and durable, so it can withstand heavy usage without sustaining damage. The cost of purchase and installation is also relatively low for the standard home owner. In addition, the concrete surface can be highly appealing, depending on the textures and colours used for the finish. On the other hand, you should note that your concrete driveway will require some maintenance for optimal performance and longevity. Therefore, consider using these simple care and maintenance guidelines for your concrete driveway.
Cleaning and Stain Removal
The concrete driveway is constantly exposed to debris, dust and general dirt. Therefore, if you want to keep the surface attractive, you should clean it regularly to remove the accumulated mess. For standard light cleaning, you can use your garden hose to wash the surface. You should also perform thorough cleaning occasionally to remove unappealing stains. For this process, you should consider scrubbing the surfaces with commercial concrete cleaners or bleach and water. If the surface has noticeable oil stains, you should look for a cleaner specially designed for grease removal for the best results. Rinse the surface with a pressure cleaner to eliminate detergent and chemical residue.
Sealer Application
One of the notable shortcomings of concrete is its porosity. In simple terms, a concrete surface is not impermeable to water or other fluids. If this property is not handled, your driveway could experience premature deterioration. Therefore, you should ensure that the driveway is sealed occasionally to limit the porosity. In general, the contractor will seal the driveway after completing the construction process. Your responsibility is to reseal the surface according to the provided recommendation. If you want the best results, you should apply a concrete sealer on the driveway after thorough cleaning and proper drying. The task is relatively easy; use a roller to spread thin layers of the sealer until the entire driveway is covered.
Limit Exposure to Stress
Extreme chemical or physical stress can cause the concrete driveway to sustain damage and fail prematurely. Therefore, you should protect the feature from exposure to adversity. One of the serious concerns is de-icing chemicals; these products force the moisture in concrete to thaw and refreeze repeatedly. The expansion and contraction caused by the cycle will damage the surface in a process known as scaling or spalling. Additionally, you should limit the exposure of the concrete feature to heavy vehicles because residential driveways are not designed to support high mechanical pressure.
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