Enjoy your patio for years, and consider protecting it from harsh elements. Read on for tips on winterizing your concrete patio.
Before you know it, winter will emerge, and the weather will drop. That means you might be trying to prepare your home for the cold. However, while you’re taking measures to prepare your home’s interior, you should remember your outdoor living space. Winterizing your concrete patio makes a difference.
As you’re pulling out the warm sweaters, ensuring that the heater and furnace are in the best condition, and weather-stripping your doors and windows, it’s also a good idea to ensure your concrete patio, sidewalks, and driveways are ready for winter. Winterizing your concrete patio, sidewalks, and lawn décor guarantees they stay sturdy and appealing when the snow and ice thaw during spring.
Unsightly cracks or crumbling edges because it takes away from a home’s curb appeal. If you want to enjoy your patio for years, here are some things to consider to protect it from harsh elements.
Repair Signs of Damage
If you notice minor cracks or surface spalling, it’s best to prevent the damage from spreading. Repair the damage first. A repair job is the best way to ensure that a new surface sealer adheres to the concrete properly. Having cracks and chips repaired makes it harder for water to penetrate the surface.
First, clean away all the grime, dirt, and grease from the surface. You can do so by using a power washer. Next, depending on the damage’s extent, you can use a surface spalling solution that strengthens and restores patchy concrete slabs to their original state. A long-handled squeegee is excellent for applying the resurfacing mixture.
Also, filling the cracks with a flexible sealant will stop them from spreading. Even as the concrete expands or contracts because of temperature fluctuations, the sealant protects the slab from much damage. Applying it forms a watertight bond with the surface while smoothly blending in with the texture.
Seal the Concrete
Sealing concrete is one of the best ways to protect concrete slab surfaces. It prevents moisture from seeping into the concrete surface and weakens water as it freezes. The sealer forms a protective barrier that guards your concrete against snow, ice, or other harsh conditions.
Acid-stained concrete needs a sealer. The sealer also prevents moisture from sitting in the pores or any cracks that would freeze and expand, resulting in substantial damage and erosion. You should also know that if deicers erode your concrete’s surface, the acid stain will accompany it.
Use High-Quality Sealer
There are many sealers available. However, be sure to pick a porous sealer. It’s best to select a sealer that fights against water and harsh chemicals that you use to deice your concrete patio during the winter.
By porous, we mean that the sealer will allow a particular amount of moisture to escape. Ground that’s saturated for a long time, the moisture wicks through the concrete and attempts to reach the surface to escape.
However, a non-breathable sealer won’t allow it to escape, and the water will continue to attack the sealer’s bond to the concrete until it becomes broken. As a result, you’ll see patchy white areas that will start to peel.
Finally, the best advice we can offer is to hire a professional. For over fifty years, we’ve specialized in concrete repair services. Contact us today if your concrete surfaces have seen better days.
Lanham Construction For All Your Construction Needs
Lanham Construction is an award-winning and dependable construction company dedicated to serving your home or business with whichever construction project you have in mind. Our professional team is eager to serve customers throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. When you pick Lanham, you won’t ever have to worry about the process. We’re here to help every step of the way.