Concrete is one of the most durable materials you can find, lasting up to 100 years when used for structures. As a result, many homeowners choose concrete for their driveways over asphalt options.
But did you realize that concrete lasts longer and looks nicer with the proper maintenance?
Unfortunately, many homeowners never care for their concrete, causing it to wear out prematurely. However, with the proper steps, you can care for the concrete around your home, making it last longer and look better.
So what are these steps? Check out this guide to learn the best ways to maintain all the concrete you have at your house.
Clean the Concrete Around Your Home
Concrete looks bright and clean when you first get it, but this shiny clean finish doesn’t last. Within a few weeks, it might start looking dirty. Then, after a few years, it might look really bad.
However, concrete cleaning can help your concrete’s appearance. This is true for concrete driveways, sidewalks, and porches. It’s also true for concrete garage floors and other concrete surfaces.
Cleaning concrete is a time-consuming job, but it’s also essential. The way you clean it depends on its location and type.
To clean plain concrete in outdoor locations, your best option is power washing it. A power washer sprays highly pressurized water, which is powerful enough to clean debris and stains from the concrete.
However, power washing isn’t an ideal technique for indoor concrete.
For example, if you’re cleaning your garage floor with a power washer, you’ll have to remove everything from your garage. If you don’t, you might get everything wet.
Therefore, you could scrub your garage floor with a mop or brush to clean it. You might still have to remove everything from the garage to avoid saturating it all with water.
Cleaning the concrete around your home is an important job to do at least two to three times a year.
When you have coated concrete, you might have to clean it less often. Of course, it depends on the type of coating you have.
Seal the Concrete
Next, if your concrete doesn’t have a coating, you should seal it. Sealing concrete is the best way to protect it, as sealant stops materials and staining from getting into the concrete.
Concrete is porous. Thus, it can soak up things that land on it. For example, if oil leaks from your car, the concrete will develop an oil stain.
Unfortunately, removing stains from concrete is difficult. Staining is just one problem you can experience with unsealed concrete.
Unsealed concrete might also experience damage from thaw and freeze cycles. The concrete develops pits and holes when this occurs, causing it to wear away.
Therefore, you should seal all uncoated concrete, whether inside or outside. You can choose from several types of concrete sealants.
First, you could use a topical sealant. This type of sealant sits on the concrete, creating a protective layer. This layer is a barrier that stops water and other fluids from penetrating into the concrete.
You can use topical sealants with regular concrete, decorative concrete, or coated concrete.
Another option is penetrating sealant. This sealant gets inside the porous concrete, stopping it from absorbing fluids. You can also use this on most concrete surfaces, and there are also other types of sealants you can use.
You might need to seal your concrete annually, but most people seal theirs every two to four years.
Finish the Concrete With Coating
The best way to care for your concrete is by coating it. You can choose from multiple kinds of coatings, but some are more durable than others.
People also choose coatings for their concrete to improve the appearance. For example, an old concrete floor might look ugly and worn. However, you can change its look by putting a coating on it.
The most basic type of coating is paint. You can paint a concrete surface to coat it. Paint offers the same effects as sealing but it looks nicer. However, paint easily scratches and wears off, so this isn’t the best long-term solution.
The second option is epoxy. Epoxy flooring is a popular option due to its familiarity as a floor coaitng. However, epoxy doesn’t hold up like other options.
The best types of coatings for concrete are polyurea coatings. These coatings are superior to all other types and look great. In fact, in comparison to epoxy, polyurea coatings are up to 20 times stronger.
Polyurea coatings usually include at least two layers, which stop moisture from entering the concrete. Additionally, they’re resistant to ultraviolet light. As a result, they won’t fade or encounter damage from sunlight.
These coatings also resist most household chemicals, reducing the potential for corrosion. You can read about other benefits of polyurea here to learn more.
You can coat interior or exterior concrete, but you should hire a professional to do it for you. They’ll ensure you get the right type and explain the upkeep and maintenance it needs.
Avoid Putting Chemicals on It
The final thing to note about caring for concrete is to avoid putting chemicals on it. Many chemicals harm concrete, so applying chemicals is a sure way to damage your concrete surfaces.
For example, you might place a de-icer on your sidewalks in the winter to melt the ice. Unfortunately, many de-icer products contain harsh chemicals that destroy concrete.
The best option is to avoid using chemicals on concrete regularly. However, you can use some chemicals on your concrete if you place a polyurea coating on it, as this coating is extremely strong.
Learn More About Finishing Your Concrete Floors
Finishing the concrete around your home is the best way to protect and improve its looks. While you can choose from many finish options, you should always choose premium products. They’ll last longer and look nicer.
Are you ready to learn about your options?
Contact us at Garage Force. We can help you choose the best coating for all your concrete surfaces.