How to Maintain Your Concrete?

The idea of maintaining concrete may seem absurd at first. After all, this is the most durable building material that is capable of lasting for decades with no maintenance. However, as concrete experts have always pointed out, concrete is not indestructible. This is why maintenance is essential. To ensure that this durable material can last a much longer time, and the owner can actually enjoy it. Without maintenance, concrete can soon become a burden and an eyesore. But with proper care, it will always be pleasant to the eyes, and the structural integrity will never be compromised. Thus, maintaining your concrete structure means protecting your investment in concrete. And lucky for you, the cost of maintaining concrete is very low both in terms of time and resources. In this article, we discuss the various ways in which you can properly maintain and preserve your concrete for a long time.

Ensure It Is Clean:

Dirty concrete is only a few steps away from getting damaged. Keeping your concrete clean is not just about making it look pleasant and attractive. It also prevents degradation and damage. Debris like stones can lead to scratches and cracks on the floor if they are not removed on time. You can get rid of this dirt with pressure washers, and other debris such as moisture, stains, etc. should also be rid of as they can affect the concrete. 

Treat Your Concrete:

If you are going to clean your concrete. Then you need to first make sure it is properly finished and sealed. Unsealed concrete is a problem for everybody. No amount of cleaning can rectify that. Concrete is naturally porous, and the only way to deal with the porosity is by sealing it. Without this, the pores become vessels for dust, moisture, grease, stains, etc. It becomes challenging to clean your concrete in such a condition, and before you know it, algae are growing from the surface. There are different types of sealers available. Some of them are even decorative in nature and will not only protect your concrete but give it a kind of sheen that makes it look polished.

Repair The Cracks:

You also need to fix any crack problem that you find your concrete. This is quite easy these days as all you have to do to find the right adhesive, and before you know it, any crack in your concrete is properly fixed up.  Technology has dramatically improved repair and adhesive materials, and you only need to find the one that works best for your concrete surface.

Don’t Use Deicing Chemicals:

You may want to get rid of the snow on your concrete as fast as possible in the winter but trust us. Using deicers is not the best choice. It will usually cause your concrete to spall and scale. You should avoid products that contain ammonium sulfates and ammonium nitrates as they will affect the concrete. If you really have to get rid of the snow chemically, you should settle calcium chloride or rock salt. However, these ones too will damage concrete, albeit a little, and can corrode metal as well. Thus, it is better to avoid de-icers altogether. If you can’t, ensure that you don’t use it in the first year of construction. 

Conclusion

Always watch out to ensure that your concrete is in good shape all the time and fix any problem once you notice it. Visit www.honolulu-concrete.com for all your maintenance questions.