Maintaining Residential Concrete
Concrete driveways and walkways are a great way to improve the look, and possibly value, of your home. Residential concrete, like any surface, must be properly prepared and maintained. Here are a few basic steps to follow and keep in mind to protect your investment and maximize its service life.
As It Sets: Use a Concrete Cure
Concrete curing ensures a moist environment which prevents newly placed concrete from drying out. Proper curing will maximize the concrete’s strength and durability. The curing process should begin as soon as the finished concrete surface is hard enough to withstand the curing technique being used.
For curing in cold weather, cover the concrete with an insulated blanket.
After One Month: Use a Concrete Sealer
The freeze-thaw cycle is a major contributor to the deterioration of concrete. Using a concrete sealer once the concrete has dried (about one month) protects it from water penetration. Your concrete should absolutely be sealed before the first winter, and resealed periodically.
9 times out of 10 a residential applicator will be applying an acrylic sealer. While penetrating sealers like silane and silane/siloxane blends are certainly better in the sense that they treat the concrete from the inside out, acrylic sealers will better protect against oil, atmospheric intrusion, ferrous metal staining, etc. Acrylic sealers create a film that will protect against both water intrusion and staining. They also help to beautify both basic concrete as well as decorative.
Whatever water-repellent or membrane forming product you end up using, be sure to check that it is compatible with the curing solution with which the concrete was originally treated.
Preventing Concrete Scaling:
Scaling is the flaking or peeling of concrete exposed to the freeze-thaw cycle. To prevent it:
- Do not use de-icing salts like calcium, sodium or magnesium chloride, at least for the first year. Use sand to provide traction. If a de-icer must be used, sodium chloride is the safest.
- Construct your concrete slab with drainage in mind, so that water will not stand on its surface.
- Cure the concrete immediately after finishing. Curing controls moisture in these first few days.
- Do not let the concrete dry out during the curing process. You can minimize water loss with sprayed-on curing compounds or covering the slab with plastic.
- Concrete should dry for 30 days before the application of a breathable sealer.
Long Term Maintenance:
- Typically, sealers will need to be reapplied every three to five years. When water no longer beads on the concrete surface, it is time to reseal.
- The prompt removal of snow and ice accumulation will increase its service life.
- Wash the surface when the weather allows to remove salts that drip off of vehicles.
- Make sure to quickly remove fertilizers if they come into contact with the concrete. They contain substances which chemically attack concrete. NEVER use fertilizer as a de-icer.
For more information on specific cures and sealers, and for more tips on how to keep your concrete in top condition, please contact your local Brock White representative.