Are you looking for the best way to maintain your concrete driveway? Do you wish to know how to make your concrete driveways last longer? If yes, then this is the blog that you were looking for. The average life of a concrete driveway is 20 years, but if cared for properly, it can go up to 25-30 years. And who wouldn’t want that for their space? Knowing this, we have brought you a few expert tips to care for your concrete driveway in Melbourne.
Follow these tips every day, and you will secure a driveway that will stand the test of time for your home.
1. Seal Your Concrete Surfaces
The first step to caring for your concrete driveway in Melbourne is to seal it properly. The moment you finish the construction of your concrete driveway, make sure to seal it with a high-quality concrete sealant. It will add a protective coating to your driveway and protect against normal wear and tear.
Benefits of Concrete Sealing
- Extend the life of your concrete driveway.
- Protect your driver against harsh weather conditions.
- Form a protective layer against skills and scratches.
- Help prevent discoloration.
- Bring down your driveway maintenance cost.
- Prevent mold formation.
These are some benefits of concrete sealing. So, make sure to ask your concrete contractors in Melbourne to undertake the sealing process.
2. Clean Your Driveway Regularly
When it comes to preserving your concrete driveway, it is important to clean it regularly. That way, you can prevent discoloration and ensure that your driveway looks neat and doesn’t bring down the look of your space.
- Clean all the oil spills immediately; otherwise, it would make way for stains.
- Pressure wash your driveway surface once in a while. But make sure to be extra careful with cracked areas.
- If you have a lawn adjacent to your driveway, clean your driveway after you spray fertilizers.
You don’t have to clean your driveway every day but do it frequently.
3. Undertake Regular Maintenance Checks
As mentioned before, you can easily extend the life of your driveway through regular and proper maintenance. Ideally, you should renovate your concrete driveway every 2-3 years, but always keep an eye open for cracks and fill them immediately. Even a small crack could expand over time with freezing and thawing and impact the foundation of your driveway. So, undertake regular maintenance checks and call a concrete contractor in Melbourne if your driveway needs repair.
4. Ensure Proper Water Runoff
Standing water is your driveways’ worst enemy. When water accumulates on your driveway, water penetrates the surface and weakens its foundation. It could make way for cracks and bring down your driveway’s overall strength and durability. So, it is important to make sure that your driveway has a proper drainage system. That is exactly why driveways are built with a slant.
Regular repairs are also important to avoid water accumulation because unattended holes/cracks and water together lead to potholes, which will again weaken both the surface and foundation of your concrete driveway in Melbourne. One more reason why regular driveway repairs are important.
5. Keep Salt Away From Your Pavements
This one tip is especially for those regions where it snows a lot. In such areas, de-icing salts or chemicals are quite frequently used which are harmful to your concrete driveways. It can lead to both deterioration and discoloration of your concrete surface. While you cannot restrict the use of such chemicals, what you can do is find the ones which are concrete-friendly.
6. Protect the Edges of Your Driveway
Edges are the most sensitive areas of your driveway, and cracks often develop from here. So, it is really important that you protect the edges of your driveway. You can engage in landscaping, i.e., use materials like stone or rock and align them next to the edges of your driveway. It will protect your driveway and give it an aesthetic edge.
Also, make sure not to park your vehicles too close to the edges. That way, you can reduce the load and protect the edges from splitting or cracking.
These were the few steps to care for your concrete driveway in Melbourne or any area. This was about preserving your driveway, but in case you have any driveway installation, maintenance, or repair needs at hand, you can get in touch with our experts at Roadseal Civil and have them undertake it all efficiently.
