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Winter Weather precautions for plain concrete

Periodic Cleaning | Re-Sealing | FAQ | Winter Weather precautions for plain concrete

 

As you know, concrete is the most durable hardscape material available and is generally a very low to no maintenance surface, but a few preventative measures can go a long way to enjoying a long service life from your concrete driveway.

 

Your durable concrete driveway is comprised of a tightly controlled blend of natural raw materials including, rock, sand, water and Portland Cement. Salzano Concrete only uses the highest quality concrete along with industry standard concrete installation practices. However, even with the best quality control measures and highest quality installation practices, variations in color, finish and long term performance can occur due to naturally occurring variations in these raw materials that are out of our control.

 

With some minor maintenance and preventative measures, you can prolong the beauty and service life of your concrete. Concrete is susceptible to the forces of water in cold weather climates. Excess water left to freeze on concrete can result in spalling (surface deterioration of the top layer of the concrete). This condition is made worse by de-icing salts. The salts may have been applied directly to the driveway, or very often salts from streets can drip off of vehicles on the driveway surface.

 

There is no warranty coverage for winter weather damage to concrete, however, in order to help prevent this condition, we recommend removing snow and ice from the driveway, and that you never use de-icing salts on your concrete. Use sand as needed for added traction. If at all possible, hose off your car of any street salts before parking on the concrete.

Another preventative measure is to apply a penetrating sealer to your concrete driveway this fall to help protect from winter weather. There are many products available at local depot type hardware stores that can be sprayed, rolled or brushed on … such as:

 

Sika brand Natural Look Concrete sealer

Eagle Brand Natural Seal Penetrating Clear Water-Based Concrete and

Masonry Water Repellent Sealer and Salt Protectant

Rust-Oleum Brand Penetrating Concrete Sealer

Eco Advance Concrete Siloxane Waterproofer Liquid Concentrate 16-oz

Valspar Natural Look Waterproofer

Note: Please follow manufacturer instructions for concrete prep and product application. Any warranty for use of these products would be addressed with these manufacturers. Do not apply these products on stamped concrete or any concrete that already has acrylic film-forming sealer. These products listed above are designed mainly for broom finish concrete (with or without color) and not for stamped concrete.

Most of these products cover about 300 or more square feet per gallon and cost about $25 per gallon. Use of these products will help to minimize the risk of winter weather problems as they help to prevent water penetration into the pores of the concrete. Without such sealer, water can penetrate, freeze, expand, and cause the surface spalling conditions. These sealer products help but cannot be 100% guaranteed, and we do not have warranty coverage for spalling or scaling conditions. This is largely something Mother Nature controls, but use of these sealers is a reasonable preventative measure.

 

Sealer products are relatively easy to apply and can be done by most do-it-yourself homeowners. This can also be done as a service by some painting, power washing, or concrete companies typically at about $.50 - $1 per square foot.

 

Feel free to call or email with any questions.

 

Periodic Cleaning | Re-Sealing | FAQ