Top 5 Tips For Maintaining Concrete Driveway
Concrete is the building material many of our driveways are made from. It’s long lasting and is very efficient. However, it is down to you and me to ensure that the concrete driveway is sufficiently maintained. This will ensure that it lasts a long time & does its job correctly. There are a number of tips that will enable you to achieve these goals on your driveway.
For driveways, concrete is the material that requires the least amount of maintenance, but it is also the most expensive. Homeowners want to take care of your investment and keep it looking nice for years to come.
To protect your driveway from when the concrete is first laid, you should plan for gutters to drain away from it to decrease the amount of water on the surface. We also recommend having trees or bushes with roots going under the driveway removed to prevent them from pushing up and creating cracks.
1. Patch Problem Areas In The Concrete
If the concrete is already cracked or there are places where pieces have broken off, it’s important to treat them before water and winter weather can make problems worse. Prevent further damage by filling cracks and holes with a concrete patching compound.
First, sweep and clean the driveway with a power washer to remove dirt and debris. Next, apply the patching material and give it time to dry. Finally, apply a coat of concrete sealant as described below.
Cracks in the expansion joints between the sections of concrete can be just as problematic if they’re not sealed. To treat these fissures, clean out the joint thoroughly then apply silicone caulk for concrete to keep water from seeping inside.
“Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it.” – William Durant
2. Seal The Driveway To Prevent Cracking
Concrete is a very strong material; it’s ideal for driveways. But one simple element can spell disaster for concrete. If water is able to enter into the concrete, it will freeze when the temperatures drop during the winter and expand. Through this process, cracks spread quickly. They can become noticeably longer and wider in just one Ohio winter.
Now is the best time to start preparing for winter! Prevent cracking on your driveway by applying concrete sealant this fall. Even if the driveway has never been sealed before, applying it now will protect the concrete and keep water from causing damage.
First, you should power wash the driveway to get rid of any dirt, tree sap and other grime from the surface. Next, treat tough grease and oil stains concrete and asphalt cleaning product which you can find at your local hardware store. Finally, apply the sealant of your choice. High-quality commercial sealers are available at hardware stores and building supply outlets.
- Dry-look seal is more expensive, but it’s absorbed into the concrete ensuring longer-lasting protection – up to 10 years.
- Wet-look seal is less expensive and has the advantage of preventing grease and oil stains, but must be reapplied every 3 to 5 years.
3. Clean the Concrete
- Clean concrete on a regular basis (at least once a year) using simply water and soap to remove normal dirt and grime build up and to remove rust or other stains
- Remove any traces of fertilizer on the concrete after fertilizing the lawn and/or garden
- Use a consumer pressure washer to remove stains. Be careful not to use the pressure washer in cracks
- Wash the surface when the weather allows to remove the salt that drips off vehicles
4. Keep the surface intact
- Avoid dropping sharp objects or using sharp blades (like ice chippers) on the concrete surface to prevent minor chipping and cracks on the driveway
- Raise the blades of your snowblower so as to prevent scratching the surface of the concrete
- Use plastic shovels instead of metal shovels when removing snow and/or dirt
5. Never overload the driveway
Concrete driveways have no capacity to withstand heavy vehicles that are fully loaded, machinery and construction equipment. So, ensure that such does not go through the driveway. Though concrete is durable, it will surely be damaged by such heavy loads.
Conclusion
The concrete driveway is an essential part of our homes. They contribute a lot to the looks of the home, though many of us don’t know this fact. If the driveway is to be attractive and fully serve its purpose, it must be properly maintained. Therefore, if you hadn’t taken a keen interest in maintaining yours, be sure to do that from now henceforth.
