6 Tips for Maintaining Your Concrete Driveway

Every part of our house is important. Many just invest money and time in maintaining and decorating interior, facade, roof and yard. And for example, they forget about important things like the basement, attic or driveway. The driveway is perhaps the most overlooked of all parts of the house and on the other hand perhaps the most used. This leads to the fact that it is often damaged and that spoils the appearance of the whole house, and also reduces its functionality.

Don’t make such a mistake, just because you think it doesn’t need maintenance, because it’s made of concrete, which is synonymous for durability. Although the concrete is so durable and can last for very long, the driveway is constantly exposed to the weather and the heavy weights of the vehicles you park there. If you do not maintain it for a long period of time, you will have to invest a much larger amount of money in a major repair comparing to the small costs of regular maintenance. And if you maintain it regularly, it can last for decades. So read the tips for maintaining your concrete driveway and start applying those tips right away.

1. React immediately

What is crucial for your driveway to last a long time is to react immediately if you notice any damage. As soon as you notice the slightest crack or hole, don’t wait for it to spread. Many think that it is not necessary to react immediately, but will fix it later, when the crack is bigger. That is exactly the mistake. The more you allow the crack to widen, you won’t be able to fix it properly, as you could when your first noticed crack. It is because the concrete is damaged even more. So immediately seal it and then the damage will not spread further.

2. Clean it regularly

You need to clean it regularly, because a lot of dirt and debris accumulates there. It also spoils the look of your house, but more importantly, it can damage the concrete in the long run. It is best to use a strong jet of water, as this will clean you best without the possibility of damaging the top layer of concrete. If you also need chemicals to clean completely, you must choose those chemicals that are intended for concrete. Otherwise you will do more harm than good. Strong chemicals will damage the concrete and accelerate its deterioration, so it is best to stick to water and, if necessary, special chemicals that are not abrasive.

3. Make it dry whenever you can

The first thing that matters when building a driveway is that it is built so that water cannot be retained on it. Also, gutters should be directed somewhere else, so that the water from the gutters does not end up there, but in the ground. However, when the rains are heavy or the snow is melting, it can happen to be covered with a few inches of water. You should remove that water as soon as you can. If water is constantly accumulating, the concrete will crack, and it can also sink in, because the ground below will be too moist.

4. Carefully clean the snow and ice

When winter comes, constant snow and ice are very annoying to us and it takes a lot of effort to keep everything clean. That’s why we happen to resort to salt or de-icing chemicals to save ourselves time while having a clean driveway. However, this is very bad, because salt is very damaging to concrete and in addition to being the short-lived solution, it will destroy it in the long run. This is especially the case when you are just laying concrete because then it is even more sensitive. That is why it is absolutely forbidden to use salt and chemicals for the first year, and later also strongly suggest that you avoid it, if you really don’t have to. If you are in so much hurry and use salt once per winter, nothing bad will happen. Just avoid doing it all the time. Also, use a plastic shovel to clean the snow, as metal shovels can damage the top layer. Do not use other sharp objects, such as ice pick, to break the ice, as this will break the concrete under the ice also.

5. Remove stains

It often happens that there are stains on your driveway caused by oil, gasoline or something else. In addition to being aesthetically very ugly, it can also damage concrete. So as soon as you notice stains, and especially stains caused by oil and gasoline, immediately start removing stains. It can happen that you spilled something else, while, for example, you were doing a DIY project, so the same goes for that. Do not allow the stains to stay on the concrete for a long time, otherwise, you will not be able to remove them.

6. Be careful not to put it on too much weight for a long period of time

The driveway is of course designed to park your car and nothing will happen if you leave the car there. At www.concretepavingoahu.com you can read more about the durability of concrete, but still, that does not mean it is indestructible.  While you can certainly park your truck (in case you have one) there, it’s much better if you keep it on the company grounds or their parking lot. Over time, concrete can be damaged, so we suggest you use the driveway for your four-wheeled companion only!

Conclusion

Why would you throw money away and change the concrete on the driveway every couple of years when regular maintenance is all it takes to be in great shape for a long time? So pay attention to these few things and you won’t have any problems.