Preserve your concrete structure with these easy tips.
If you are looking to preserve a concrete structure, such as a driveway, there are several steps that you can take. While concrete is low maintenance compared to other materials, it still requires to be taken care of. If you want to know what to do to extend the life of your driveway, read on.
Clean and Seal
Cleaning your concrete occasionally will help it look its best and extend its life. You may also need to reseal it occasionally. How often you will need to clean and reseal your concrete depends on weather and temperature conditions as well as how often your concrete is used. Heavy vehicle and foot traffic wear down concrete over time. Generally, you should reseal your concrete every two years, unless it begins to show signs of wear before that time. Always apply sealer according the manufacturer’s directions.
Remove Stains Quickly
While sealer can help to protect your concrete from stains, it won’t if you leave corrosive or staining substances for long periods of time without cleaning them up. Remove oil, gas, grease, and other spills as soon as you can. If stains occur, there are quite a few stain removers available.
Avoid Deicing Chemicals
Using deicing chemicals on your concrete driveway in the winter can cause all types of surface damage. After a long winter of using these substances on concrete, you may notice some scaling and spalling. While rock salt or calcium chloride does less damage to concrete, they can harm nearby vegetation and even corrode metal. The first winter after concrete has been put down, avoid using any of these deicers. Opt for sand, which will provide traction, instead.
Treat It With Care
Concrete is highly durable and low-maintenance. This leads many people to believe it is invincible, and leads to unpleasant surprises when the concrete they’ve neglected or mistreated starts to deteriorate. Remember, almost no material is invincible.
Construction Safety and GPR Scanning from Concrete Visions
Concrete Visions has over 12 years of experience and expertise in concrete scanning and we know how to detect any problems lurking beneath the surface. We use ground penetrating radar accurately and expertly and are familiar in many other methods that can be used when appropriate like concrete x-ray and electromagnetic conductivity. We are also very familiar with the latest construction safety techniques and train all of our workers to do their work quickly, accurately, and safely. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you, give is a call at (410) 766-2210 or visit us online. For more articles and tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.