There’s no denying that concrete has enough versatility to be used in multiple ways, one of which being the creation of both commercial & residential concrete driveways. Most homeowners choose concrete for developing their driveways because concrete as a material is very easy to maintain, thereby keeping the driveway in good condition over time.
But, it should be learned that concrete, when exposed to external weathering elements such as dirt, dust, grease, rain, snow and water, can lose its appearance. Hence, you must perform some necessary actions to ensure that your concrete driveway in Melbourne stays in top shape over an extended period.
Tips To Take Good Care Of Your Concrete Driveways
- Proceed To Seal Your Concrete Driveways
Even though concrete is a very durable material, you can make it last longer if you seal your driveways. The sealant should be applied once the concrete has cured properly.
To test whether your driveway has been sealed properly is to pour some water onto the driveway surface and inspect whether the water beads up or gets absorbed. If the water beads up (similar to pouring water on a waxed vehicle), then it means that the driveway is sealed correctly. Otherwise, you have to reseal your driveway.
When it comes to the types of concrete sealants, there are two of them – wet & dry sealants. Dry sealants will provide your driveway with a matte look while wet sealants will provide a glossy look.
Furthermore, it should be remembered that dry sealants will last much longer than wet sealants, which means that you don’t have to reseal your driveway often. Wet sealants last anywhere between three to five years, while dry sealants can last six to ten years. Besides, sealants must be applied in dual coats to avoid any inconsistency.
- Ensure That You Clean Your Driveways Regularly
One of the best ways you can maintain the overall appearance of your driveway over time is to clean it regularly. Remember to at least sweep your driveway with a broom every week so that you can get rid of the dirt, dust and debris. Then you can proceed to clean your driveway using water.
Keep in mind that for general cleaning, there’s no need to use power washing. However, if you’re planning to eliminate difficult-to-remove stains or want to reseal your concrete driveway in Ringwood, then power washing can be carried out as a cleaning process.
- Eliminate Any Stain Immediately
Grease, oil, rust, gasoline and other stains will try to diminish the overall look of your driveway. Hence, ideally, you would want to eliminate any stain as quickly as possible, so that you can prevent the stains from soaking into the concrete surface.
While the concrete sealant will help you to eliminate any stain easily, you still need to practice urgency in the process. The longer you’d let the stains sit on the concrete surface, the more the sealant will get eroded. As a result, the stain will get ingrained deeper into the concrete surface and it will be near to impossible to eliminate it later on.
The ideal way to remove stains from driveways is to use proper concrete surface cleaning agents. For instance, you’d want to use a degreaser for eliminating oil & grease stains. For rust elimination, you need to use a concrete rust remover.
For more cleaning suggestions, feel free to get in touch with us.
