Concrete walkways or driveways are a great choice for any home since they are both functional and attractive. You already know how nice a concrete driveway may appear if you have one. A concrete driveway is also less expensive to maintain than other driveway materials. Here’s how to keep it in good shape and ensure that they endure a long time.
Make Sure It’s Constantly Clean
The driveway may acquire debris and dirt over time as a result of regular use. This has a negative impact on the area’s appearance and appeal. You must keep it looking appealing and presentable at all times. A power washer or a few specific chemicals can be used to clean the driveway. When cleaning, make sure to get rid of all the moss and debris that builds over time. Grease, oil, or gas leaks could leave stains. As a result, you must make sure that any leaks are cleaned away as quickly as possible to avoid discoloration.
When in Doubt, Apply a Sealer
Although you are not required to seal your concrete driveway, there are two compelling reasons to do so. Sealants keep outside concrete from becoming permanently discolored by oil spilled by vehicles, and they help the concrete stay longer in sub-freezing regions. Applying sealer every two years is a decent rule of thumb. On the market, there are numerous good sealers.
Apply polish or wax
Although the sealer will keep your glossy for the most part, polishing or waxing the concrete in the summer will give it an even brighter shine. This will help to battle the high volume of foot traffic that your patio may get on a regular basis, as well as lessen the likelihood of wear patterns.
It’s not necessary to extend the life of your patio, but it can help protect it from wear, scratches, scuffs, and dust.
Remove any stains as soon as possible
Even if you’re commonly using a sealer to keep your driveway from accumulating stains, you should also clean up grease, oil, gasoline, and other spills as they happen. The sooner you can get rid of the stains-causing liquid, the better. A sealer will not protect you from stains caused by a liquid that has been sitting for a week. Remove the liquid as soon as you notice it.
As much as possible, keep it away from deicing chemicals
While deicing chemicals might be useful for melting ice on your driveway, did you realize that they can also harm your concrete? Because deicing chemicals force moisture to thaw and refreeze on your driveway, they can create scaling and peeling.
Furthermore, if you have no choice but to use deicing chemicals, choose one that does not contain ammonium nitrates or ammonium sulfates, as these chemicals can chemically destroy concrete. Instead, you can utilize volcanic rock products, which do the job without harming the pavement or the plants around it. Deicers should not be used on a new driveway during the first winter since new concrete is more prone to damage.
Plant Growth Control
If you don’t handle tree and bush roots effectively, they can affect the stability of your concrete. Roots will grow beneath the surface of the concrete, pushing it up and cracking it. Unfortunately, broken concrete cannot be repaired; it must be replaced.
You may save a lot of money by taking preventative actions. Trim your yard’s roots on a regular basis to avoid putting your concrete in jeopardy. To avoid future difficulties, you may need to remove trees with large root systems.
Repair any problem areas as quickly as possible
If the concrete has already developed fractures or pieces of it have fallen away, replace it as soon as possible. This should be done before the weather wreaks more havoc on your driveway. You won’t have to seek far to locate a variety of patching solutions on the market. Make sure you replace half of the water in the patching compound with a liquid bonding agent, and brush more bonding agents into the repair area before troweling on the patch material. Allow 3 months for the patch to settle before adding a sealer.
The driveway should never be overloaded
Heavy vehicles, machinery, and construction equipment cannot be driven on concrete driveways because they are too heavy. As a result, make certain that nothing like this happens in the driveway. Despite the fact that concrete is a long-lasting material, such enormous loads will inevitably harm it.
In the Summary
Our homes would not be complete without a concrete walkway. They make a significant contribution to the appearance of the home, despite the fact that many of us are unaware of this. If the driveway is to be appealing and fully functional, it must be well-maintained. As a result, if you haven’t taken a genuine interest in preserving yours, make a point of doing so from now on.
