How to Maintain Residential Concrete Driveways and Walkways

1. How to Maintain Residential Concrete Driveways and Walkways If you have a driveway, walkway, or even patios or retaining walls that are made from concrete, you naturally want them to last for a long time. Concrete is a great material because it can be long-lasting. However, concrete can degrade and become damaged just like many different materials if not properly cared for and maintained. The following are some tips that will help to ensure that homeowners can preserve the life of their concrete surfaces. Keep It Clean This tends to be quite simple, and everyone should be able to take care of this on their own, or with some family or hired help if needed. Simply sweeping the concrete and making sure that it is not covered in debris that could cause damage is a huge help. It also ensures that there are no tripping hazards and that the concrete looks good. Make Sure It Is Sealed It is also quite important that you consider seal coating Orange County the concrete, just as you would with asphalt. When you seal the concrete it will provide it with an added layer of protection from the weather and other damaging effects. Ideally, you will have someone come out to add a sealer to the concrete about once every two years. Remove Stains Even though you might have added sealer, this does not mean that you should let stains sit on the concrete. Always remove any types of spills from the concrete as soon as possible. If you find that you have waited too long for a stain, you can use pressure washing and various chemicals that can help to remove that stain. Treat the Concrete Carefully Many people think that concrete can stand up to just about anything. While it is strong, you should still make sure that you are treating it with care. Do not drop heavy, hard things onto the concrete and do not use anything that could scratch the surface of the concrete. Know When It Is Time to Replace the Concrete Sometimes, even though you have to spend time and effort trying to maintain your concrete contractors Orange County properly, it is not enough. The damage might have already been done before you owned the property, for example. If you know that your concrete driveway or walkway is too far gone with cracks and missing pieces, it might be time that you simply had the concrete replaced. While this will cost more than maintenance, it can be a much better option in many cases. Once you have the new concrete installed, you can then start to take care of it with the tips above. With a few simple tips, you can get more longevity from your concrete walkways. If you need help with coating, or if you are at a point where you know that the best course of action is to remove old concrete and have new concrete added, be sure to get in touch with our concrete contractors in Huntington Beach today.