Give your Concrete Surface a Good Cleaning

This patio was poured some time ago but has maintained it’s longevity with proper maintenance and a resent reseal.

Fall is here and it’s more important than ever to maintain the upkeep on your concrete surface to ensure longevity.

Give your concrete surface a good cleaning. Clear off all the summer grim. Get out the pressure washer and with a mild cleaner, rinse off any dirt.

The leaves are beautiful but can create issues if not tending to. Wet leaves can leave stains or marks on your concrete surface if they are left over time. As soon as the leaves start falling, keep your concrete surface clear of any debris.

If you haven’t already you need to properly seal your concrete. A sealer will improve the appearance of stamped concrete, prevent fading caused by UV rays, and protect it from stains and harmful chemicals. Continue reading Why You Should Seal Stamped Concrete

As the days and nights get colder we need to prep for the ice to follow. Be cautious with the solutions you use on your concrete surface. Concrete can be weakened when subjected to rock salt. While concrete is a tough and durable material, it can and will absorb water. When you put out rock salt to melt snow and ice, the salt dissolves the snow and makes a salt water mix that then enters the pores of your concrete.When the temperatures drop and the water freezes, the pressure of growing ice crystals within the concrete can cause spalling (the surface becomes rough and flaky, and begins to pit). On a low level, this can be purely cosmetic, but it can also result in structural damage. Consider using sand instead.

Give us a call or schedule a follow up to see how your concrete surface is hold up and discuss the proper maintenance options.

Stamped Concrete Maintenance

While properly poured and cared for stamped concrete surfaces are built to last, seasonal maintenance is a crucial step to the longevity. Now that the colder weather is behind us it’s time to clean up our patios, pool decks and driveways and welcome the summer months!

Is your concrete surface in need of a reseal? Keep it looking as good as day 1. Take a look at this stamped patio poured 3 years ago. With a fresh coat of sealant, the beauty still holds true. Periodic sealing is the best way to protect your concrete from moisture penetration, staining, freeze-thaw conditions, de-icing chemicals, and abrasion. Get on a maintenance plan with us at Blackwater to properly maintain your decorative concrete annually.

Stamped Concrete Maintenance

Check out some other useful tips for keeping your concrete surface clean and clear.

  • Keep the surface free of debris by using a broom, leaf blower, or rinsing with water.
  • Exterior surfaces can be pressure washed or scrubbed with a mild detergent. For interior surfaces, wet mopping or dry dust mopping of the floor is typically the only routine upkeep needed.
  • Don’t allow debris to sit for long periods of time on an area of the surface.
  • There are a variety of ways to remove stubborn stains such as dirt, tire marks, leaf stains, and grease spots. In these cases, water may not be enough. This is when stronger cleaning chemicals or a power washing and scrubbing may be required. Read more about power washing, using chemicals to clean stains, removing oil on concrete.
One of the first patio’s we did 11 years ago. We just re-sealed again, looks like the day we left. Sealer is key!

Salt and Concrete – Is It Harmful?

maintaining stamped concrete

Concrete is a magnificent, long-lasting material that can be used for almost anything. However, as Tim Carter points out, “its useful life can be significantly reduced if you do not recognize its weaknesses”.

Concrete can be weakened when subjected to rock salt. While concrete is a tough and durable material, it can and will absorb water. If you’ve ever been outside on a hot day and spilled water on your sidewalk or driveway, you can actually see the water penetrate the surface of the concrete.

When you put out rock salt to melt snow and ice, the salt dissolves the snow and makes a salt water mix that then enters the pores of your concrete. If the temperature then drops and the water freezes, the pressure of growing ice crystals within the concrete can cause spalling (the surface becomes rough and flaky, and begins to pit). On a low level, this can be purely cosmetic, but it can also result in structural damage.

The good news? Concrete which is installed and sealed properly can resist years of contact with rock salt. However, maintaining the sealer on a stamped concrete surface is a must. For maximum protection, it is recommended to seal after new concrete has cured and re-seal your stamped concrete every year for existing concrete.

Learn more about sealing stamped concrete here.

Looking for an alternative to rock salt? Many experts recommend using sand. While it won’t melt the snow and ice, it will provide you with traction.

Concrete Maintenance and Sealing

It’s early September now – where did the summer go?  It’s been a very busy year here at BlackWater Concrete, and based on our feedback from our customers, it’s been just as busy a year for you as well.  Hopefully, though, it’s not been too busy to  enjoy your stamped concrete spaces! However, in typical fashion, some of us have put off doing our annual concrete maintenance and haven’t preserved those spaces by sealing or re-sealing our concrete. BlackWater recommends at least once-a-year maintenance activity and it’s certainly not too late to start your maintenance for this year.

Here are some basic concrete maintenance steps to complete:

  1. Rinse dirt/debris off stamped concrete surface with a garden hose or pressure washer.
  2. Apply a small amount of liquid dish soap to surface and scrub with a push broom.
  3. Rinse well with a garden hose or pressure washer until there is no sign of soapsuds.
  4. DRY surface completely by using a leaf blower or by waiting 24 hours to air dry. DO NOT APPLY SEALER TO A DAMP/WET SURFACE.
  5. Once the surface is completely dry, apply the sealer as follows:
    • Apply sealer using a 1″ nap roller.
    • Apply sealer in approximately 2′ x 4′ sections. This will ensure full coverage without missed spots.
    • In general, sealer should be applied when air temperature is above 55 F. Best results will be obtained by applying sealer during cooler temperatures — fall and spring — or before 10 am and after 4 pm in summer months when surface temperatures should be under 90 F.
  6. A second coat can be applied after the first coat is tack free (not sticky to your touch).
  7. Your stamped concrete should be resealed every year (more or less depending on other variables such as weather, use/traffic, pets, etc.) to protect your investment. One 5-gallon pail of sealer will cover approximately 1,000 square feet.

Remember, the finish on your concrete is similar to the finish on your internal floors.  It does need maintenance and care to keep it looking fresh and new. BlackWater recommends Con-crete Werks Sealer, a made-in-America product that we trust with any job (Check them out here). You can order the sealer directly from the site, or have us deliver the sealer to you at a nominal charge. If you want your concrete sealed by professionals, BlackWater offers a sealing service – call us at 540-535-7440 for a quote.

In the meantime, enjoy September and your stamped concrete!  We’re looking forward to wonderful remainder of 2015!