Homeowners Guide To Maintaining Concrete
Some of the finer features of your new Home include the concrete driveway, garage floor and walkway system. Properly maintaining concrete can greatly extend its life and beauty. Plain concrete can look clean and bright, rather than oil stained and grimy. Decorative concrete can look the same after years of enjoyment as it did when it was new, instead of faded, oil stained, and dirty.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT!
1. Concrete should be cleaned at least once per year to remove normal dirt and grime build up, and to remove rust or other stains.
2. Cracks in concrete should be repaired to maintain a structurally sound surface and to minimize water intrusion through cracks that can cause problems with the sub grade.
3. Joints should be sealed to minimize or eliminate water intrusion through the joints and to help prevent dirt from collecting in the joints where weeds may grow.
4. Sealing and periodic resealing of the concrete surface not only reduces moisture infiltration into the concrete but also helps reduce staining.
For standard plain concrete driveways and walkways, Concrete Alberta recommends PROPER SEALING of the surface with a penetrating sealer, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Consult your concrete accessories specialist for recommendations on proper maintenance of both plain and coloured/decorative concrete.
Sealing of the concrete surface should take place no sooner than 28 days after concrete placement and in some instances longer to allow the concrete to air dry before applying a sealer. Depending on the time of year of placement of the concrete and the amount and type of curing, appropriate timing of sealing and surface preparation before initial sealing may be required. Check with your local concrete accessories supplier for further instructions and follow manufacturers’ recommendations for best results.
Concrete should be resealed with a high quality sealer at a minimum of every three years or sooner if suggested by the product manufacturer. Again, check with your concrete accessories professional for guidelines on any surface prep or stain removal that may be required before applying any sealer. Click here to download a pdf of this bulletin.
CAUTION: The use of de-icing chemicals and all fertilizers may be detrimental to your concrete surface. See Concrete Alberta Bulletins and Tech Tips for more Information.
Member Concrete Accessories Specialists:
Brock White Construction Materials
Calgary: Edmonton: Lloydminster:
403-287-5899 780-447-1774 780-875-6860
Hard Rock Developments Inc.
Calgary:
Ph: 877-240-2508
NCA Northland:
Calgary: Edmonton: Lethbridge:
Ph: 403-279-7089 Ph: 780-451-1212 Ph: 403-327-8820
Ft. McMurray: Red Deer:
Ph: 780-790-1804 Ph: 403 342-1555
Sticks and Stones Building Solutions:
Edmonton:
Ph: 780-504-7325
Unicon Concrete Specialties
Edmonton:
Ph: 780-455-3737
W.R. Meadows
Sherwood Park:
780-458-8773