Tips on Maintaining your Driveway – Concrete or Brick

Regardless of whether your driveway is made up of concrete or brick, remember, it will never be maintenance-free.

Photo by Reynolds Landscape and Pools

Do you maintain the driveway, either the DIY way or seek assistance from a professional, carrying out regular cleaning? It will only ensure to improve the longevity of the structure. You will also have to shell out less since there will not be any major damage to the driveway due to regular care.

In this article, let us find out a few tips on how to carry out the same. So, read on for more information.

Cleaning the Driveway

First and foremost, if there are any cracks and crevices, cover it up with sealing agents that are available in the market. Resealing will keep further cracks at bay. However, the frequency of sealing and resealing will depend mainly on the condition of the driveway and also on the volume of traffic that it attracts.

Sealing every two years must suffice. You can get good quality sealers from hardware stores and also from suppliers, the ones engaged in building construction and so on.

Remove Stains

One of the best ways to prevent stains from becoming permanent is to remove them the moment you see them. The stains should not get embedded or permanently absorbed. Unless you clean up the stains immediately, you will find it difficult to remove them later on as they become stubborn stains then. In this regard, pressurewashing is your best bet and also one of the better options if the concrete gets discoloured.

Adequate Care in Washing and Cleaning

Although pressure washing and cleaning on a regular basis will do away with the stains and resealing will take care of cracks, yet avoid harsh chemicals. That is because, in contrast to the commercial complexes, the concrete in a residential driveway is not always sturdy.

Most importantly, if you have to shovel or plow it at any point in time, make sure you do so carefully. It will ensure less wear and tear or friction on the surface.

Do not use De-icing Chemicals

Refreezing and thawing during the winter months can cause considerable damage to the driveway. And this is true even more during the colder months when deicers can damage the surface. If at all you have to use cleaning products, avoid the ones that contain ammonium nitrates and ammonium sulphates as ingredients.

In comparison, sodium chloride is less harmful. However, keep it away from flora as it harms vegetation and can also lead to corrosion of metal structures nearby.

One of the best alternatives is to use sand of traction. Another way you can prevent damage from deicers is by not using deicers during the first season after laying concrete on your driveway. That is because newly laid concrete is susceptible to the chemicals in the deicers. The same impact will not be there if you happen to use these chemicals in the following year, once the concrete has settled down.