Homeowners who have invested in a concrete driveway, patio, walkway are looking to increase the value of their home while reducing the costs of maintenance. While concrete is considered to be more affordable than other landscaping materials, it is also a near zero maintenance product which is a main consideration when getting concrete work done.
Maintaining concrete can extend the service life of your concrete driveway, patio or walkway. Here are some simple maintenance tips you can remember to do to:
Use a Concrete Sealer
- The freeze thaw cycles experienced in cold weather parts of Canada contributes to the deterioration of concrete
- Use acrylic sealers will protect better against oil, staining, and water intrusion.
- Concrete should be sealed before the first winter and resealed periodically
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
Use appropriate ice melters
- Using de-icing chemicals to melt snow and ice can severely damage your concrete surface (e.g. lawn fertilizers, calcium, sodium, magnesium chloride). Fertilizers contain compounds that attack the concrete directly
- Find de-icing chemicals that are safe for concrete driveways and walkways
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
Repair cracks immediately
- Repair any cracks that you see with a crack repair product from your local hardware store (ask for assistance) to prevent any further expansion in the crack from freeze-thaw or from vegetation taking root.
To find out the pros & cons of installing a concrete driveway, click here.
