Color, texture, and crisp pattern lines are some of the main reasons why people choose decorative concrete for their outdoor spaces. In the Upper Midwest where harsher weather conditions are factored into most things, the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle and de-icing products along with UV, traffic, and water exposure can all diminish both the longevity and appeal of concrete slabs. But, with a simple seasonal maintenance plan and a few smart habits, you can keep those decorative details sharp and appealing for years to come.
Let’s take a look at:
We will also include a concrete maintenance schedule checklist to keep your decorative concrete looking good even during the harshest of winters.
If you live in a climate that experiences a variety of weather conditions, your outdoor concrete, although durable, can age faster than under more mild conditions. Moisture intrusion, temperature swings, and UV exposure can degrade the integrity of the concrete surface and color over time. Small cracks in the concrete and open joints can invite water penetration which can then expand when it becomes frozen. This can turn hairline cracks into damaging scaling and spalls deeper into the concrete structure.
Concrete though is a versatile product that is used in many different applications, including driveways, pool decks, and decorative concrete walkways. These different uses have different stress profiles that need to be paid attention to. Hot tires, for example, are an issue for driveways while not for pool decks, where chlorinated splash is something to watch out for. While fertilizer runoff is often a more common problem for walkways and driveways.
Concrete, whether stamped, broomed, or acid stained, can be protected from common damage by applying sealants. Different sealing care is required, however, for higher-end stamped concrete than with the less expensive broom finish option. When looking at a broom finish vs stamped care you will most likely have to re-seal stamped concrete more often.
Sealing decorative concrete gives it a layer of protection that helps it repel water and contaminants, which in turn slows color fade and reduces staining. By limiting moisture from seeping into the concrete capillaries, sealant also protects against the effects of freeze-thaw cycles.
A stamped concrete sealer is most effective to maintain pattern integrity and color fade prevention for stamped or stained surfaces and intricately colored slabs. Sealant is especially important in pool-adjacent areas and those that experience frequent melt-freeze cycles, such as near home entrances.
If you are sealing newly poured concrete you need to allow it to cure properly before sealing otherwise you can do more harm than good. You also want to make sure that you apply the sealant following the manufacturer’s temperature and humidity range. You also want to apply on a fully dry surface when there is low to no wind. Coats should also be applied in thin, even coats.
Different sealers can provide a different type of protection depending on where your concrete is located and why type of traffic it experiences. When looking at acrylic vs penetrating sealer, for instance, you are looking at a sealer that is better for enhancing the look of your concrete as opposed to one that provides better protection from use. You are also looking at a matte vs gloss finish.
Know to boost the color depth of the concrete and give it a gloss finish. It is easier to renew but can cause hot-tire pickup on driveways without the right resin or solids.
This type of sealer penetrates into the surface of the concrete to form an invisible protection against water and salts. It has a minimal sheen and is best for high-traffic areas and de-icing exposure.
This type of sealer provides a higher build and durability and should be used for select applications as it has stricter prep and cure windows. It also has a high gloss that can be considered a slip risk.
If your outdoor concrete is in an area with high sun exposure, like a decorative pool patio, you may also want to consider sealers that provide UV resistance, which helps prevent the concrete surface from yellowing or degrading over time.
The matte/satin/gloss finish of certain sealers have different trade-offs but using a matte finish sealer or a slip-resistant additive may be a better choice for certain areas, like steps, slopes, or pool edges. Remember that more gloss is not always better when considering the use of your outdoor space.
Keeping your concrete well-sealed also means determining when you need to reseal it. Reseal frequency can depend on certain variable factors, but through different simple tests, you can find reseal signs. Loss of repellency, or a chalky surface or discolored can all point to the need for resealing.
Water beads on well-sealed concrete. Water that is not beading but instead is soaking in can be a reseal sign.
The surface of your concrete should not darken quickly when it is wet, which is a sign that the water is penetrating the surface faster than it should when properly sealed.
If the surface of your concrete has a chalky look or feels dry to the touch, it can be another reseal sign that suggests the sealant has diminished protection.
Stamped or stained concrete spaces or patios that are lightly used often require less frequent resealing than high traffic areas or those that get a lot of sun exposure. Resealing may also be needed more frequently if the winter experiences a lot of freeze-thaw cycles.
If the damage is contained to a small, specific area than spot a reseal may be enough, especially if it has not been long since your last reseal. But a full reseal is always a smarter choice to achieve a uniform appearance.
Proper cleaning and maintenance of the surface of your decorative concrete, including resealing, can help prevent premature failure and extend its lifespan. Before you reseal you need to also prep the surface to ensure the sealant does its job.
To properly clean your concrete dry sweep it first and then apply a pH-neutral wash that will lift oils before you reseal. Also make sure to rinse any residue and allow a full dry-back.
You may have noticed a white, powdery substance clinging to porous materials such as concrete, brick, or stucco. This is efflorescence and is caused by crystalline salt deposits left behind when water containing soluble salts evaporates from these porous materials. As it is a salt deposit, efflorescence removal is necessary before sealing. Again, make sure the surface is dry after cleaning before you reseal.
The joints between concrete slabs and any cracks in the surface of the slabs need proper sealing and caulking to maintain your outdoor concrete. Clear debris from joints and cracks and re-caulk, if necessary before applying your sealant. Use flexible sealants in movable joints and make sure not to trap moisture under film-forming products.
Simple plastic-sheet or meter checks; stress that rushing a damp slab leads to blush/haze and poor adhesion.
Applying sealant in thin, even and controlled layers will help preserve and protect your concrete more thoroughly, but also make it look more appealing.
Tools that help to achieve this ideal include:
Also, remember that two thin coats will always beat one heavy one. You also want to monitor your open time, when the sealant is wet and forming a strong bond, and your flash time, which is the time when it is dry to the touch and ready for traffic. This cure time can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
With textured concrete, there can be both low and high points in the design. With your application, be sure to maintain a constant pressure and consistent motion to avoid pooling in the low points.
Allowing the sealant to cure properly is going to give you maximum protection for your concrete. Give it time to cure before exposing the surface to traffic. However, foot traffic is different from vehicle traffic as one obviously puts more pressure on the surface than the other. The cure window may be different for each of these types of traffic. Also, make sure you plan around the weather. If rain or cold is predicted, put the project off until the weather is clear throughout the cure window.
If the sealant is not properly applied, defects can occur on the surface of the concrete that can affect its appearance. Sealer blushing and hazing, white, cloudy discolorations, are both caused by moisture being trapped under the sealant, which is why making sure the surface is completely dry before application is so important. Even an application that avoids overlap lines when working in sections or bubbles caused by too fast of a roller speed is also important.
One type of defect that is common for concrete driveways is hot-tire pickup, prevention comes down to choosing high-quality sealants and allowing for a proper cure time.
Your cleaning routines can help protect your concrete finish. Weekly and monthly habits that include, sweeping off debris and grit, washing with a pH-neutral soap, and addressing spills promptly to prevent shadow stains.
When pressure washing, make sure to use a wide fan tip and moderate PSI. Also stand a safe distance and keep the wand moving to avoid etching patterns.
Pressure washing PSI for concrete set between 3,000 to 3,500 can effectively remove dirt from residential concrete surfaces without damaging it.
Stains caused by oil, grease, rust, leaf tannins, fertilizer, or tires can decrease the look and appeal of your decorative concrete, but there are ways to clean the stains to maintain a decorative look.
New concrete is the most vulnerable to damage, so taking extra care during the first winter after install is important. Deicing salts on concrete can be very damaging as can chloride, avoid rock salt the first winter and use sand or non-chloride alternatives for traction. Calcium magnesium acetate, an alternative deicer to rock salt and chlorides, is effective at temperatures between 0°F to 20°F.
Be careful in how you remove snow from concrete surfaces so as not to damage the decorative surface. Use plastic shovels with soft edges and avoid metal blades on edges and stamped texture highs. Also make sure you clear your outdoor spaces promptly to avoid having to remove harder refrozen snow and ice. The more difficult the snow is to remove the more likelihood that removal can cause damage.
Concrete that experiences scaling, a shallow flaking of the concrete surface, or spalling, a breaking off of larger fragments, usually means that your concrete is experiencing deeper deterioration and structural issues, such as rebar corrosion. Prevention is your best measure by keeping joints sealed, managing your runoff, and avoiding slush puddles to get trapped on the concrete surface.
Also, plan a spring inspection to catch small issues early. You can do a spalling and scaling fix early on and to smaller areas that can catch the problem before it spreads.
Catching those small issues and fixing them early goes for a lot of concrete maintenance.
Clean, dry, and fill with suitable hairline crack repair materials. Do it when the cracks are small to maintain color continuity.
If a localized failure occurs, strip the failed patch, prep the surface by cleaning and drying, and blend it into the surrounding area. If the patches multiply, it is time to plan for a full reseal.
Patch with compatible materials that can be texture-matched with your stamped patterns. Make sure to feather the edges to avoid visible “patch boxes” on the surface.
If you start to notice that water is not beading on the concrete surface, or the color is starting to become dull or faded, it may be time to consider a light re-stain or tinted sealer to revive the flattening tones.
When it comes to maintaining your concrete, prioritize traction on steps, slopes, and wet zones and revisit your slip grit levels during reseal cycles. You want to balance appearance with function as micro-texture and matte sheens typically feel more secure underfoot.
As with most of your home maintenance projects, sticking to a seasonal calendar of tasks can help keep you on track and give your outdoor concrete the treatment it requires under seasonal conditions.
A time for a deep clean and a crack/joint check along with an efflorescence scan. You should also plan to reseal during your fall window when the weather is still decent before winter sets in.
This is the time of year to implement your traction strategy along with gentle shoveling techniques and quick spot-cleans at your entries. You also want to avoid harsh de-icers.
Once the weather turns warmer, it is a good time for a thaw inspection and a good wash down of winter residues. It is also a time for early repair of hairlines and a reseal test. You can also schedule your reseal if the test fails.
UV checks, routine cleaning, refresh traffic markings/edge protection, reseal in stable, dry weather.
Weighing the need for professional help versus do-it-yourself does not only come down to what type of maintenance you are comfortable doing. You can take the DIY route for small, simple areas with light wear and straightforward sealing. But, more complicated surfaces that require professional know-how can save you time and money in the long run.
Bring in a pro for:
You can get a quick site assessment from a professional to confirm moisture penetration, substrate conditions, and choosing the right product family for your outdoor space requirements.
When it comes to maintaining your decorative concrete, a consistent care plan helps preserve not only the slab’s color and texture but its structure too. Keeping the decorative appeal of your concrete well into the future means inspecting, cleaning, and sealing along with scheduling your seasonal checks and keeping a short log of the dates and products you used. A simple maintenance plan pays off big.
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