Concrete Driveway Maintenance Tips to keep it Looking Great

The driveway of your home is one of the most used areas and often overlooked until stains or issues occur. By giving the concrete driveway the attention it deserves, you can ensure your driveway will look its best and extend the life by many years. You will also be saving money by providing maintenance for this much-used area of your home. Read on to find out the best tips for maintaining your concrete driveway.

Preventing Cracks

It is important to learn how to prevent cracks in your driveway. The concrete will need to be sealed on a yearly basis to prevent water from penetrating the surface and freezing up, causing cracking issues. Roots from trees and shrubs can also cause cracks by pushing from underneath the surface of the concrete driveway. Be sure to remove any bushes or trees from near the concrete area or have the roots trimmed regularly to avoid this issue.

Fill in Existing Cracks or Holes

If you do find holes or cracks in your concrete, be sure to fix them immediately. The sooner you fix the cracks the better off you will be. You can do this yourself with a masonry chisel and crack filler or hire an expert to help. Once the cracks are fixed, the driveway will need to be sealed to ensure no problems arise in the future. The driveway needs to be smooth and level to avoid any issues that can arise after cracks are repaired such as tripping.

Minimize Water

Driveways need to have a runoff so that water cannot accumulate on the concrete. By adding a two to three-inch strip around the edges of the driveway will allow for the water and snow to runoff which will reduce the chance of water penetrating the driveway surface. If it does penetrate it can cause cracks which can lead to costly repairs if not handled soon.

Don’t Use Salt

If you live in an area where snow is prevalent, do not use salt on your concrete. Salt and de-icers can cause cracks due to penetrating the concrete surface. Instead of using salt, take time to shovel the snow from your driveway or use other options like sand or kitty litter to keep the surface from being slippery. This will ensure that salt does not affect your concrete and cause issues like cracking of the surface.

Protect the Edges of Concrete

Driveways are not designed to accommodate heavy trucks. The edges of your driveway will be particularly sensitive to chipping if they are subject to excessive weight. Park your vehicle away from the edges and ensure that any vehicles that are visiting your home and are large, do not park on the edges of your driveway to avoid cracking or chipping.

By taking these points into consideration, you can protect the integrity of your concrete driveway. A little time and maintenance know-how will ensure that your driveway lasts for years to come, looking it’s very best and maintaining its integrity.