Whether it is your patio, driveway, garage flooring, or sidewalks, if they are made of concrete, you might take them for granted like everyone else. It is crucial to understand that concrete is undoubtedly strong but can get weak and damaged with time if not taken care of.
If you don’t properly maintain your concrete, especially in El Paso, it will start deteriorating and losing its integrity. Considering the cost of building and constructing a new concrete surface and the damage it can create if it suddenly breaks down, it becomes crucial to strengthen the surface.
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5 Ways to Maintain Concrete in El Paso
Here are five effective ways that you can work to maintain and strengthen your concrete surface in El Paso:
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Adequate Sealing
While it may appear solid as a rock, it is pretty porous and absorbs water significantly. Liquid absorption affects the longevity and durability of any product, especially concrete. For this reason, a protective sealant should be applied on the concrete surface to resist liquid, repel moisture and avoid stains.
If a block of concrete is recently poured, experts recommend sealing it after the completion of the drying process, which takes almost 28 days. There are only two kinds of sealants for concrete, penetrating sealants and acrylic resin. How often you should seal and re-apply sealants on it depends on its usage and the weather it bears.
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Proper Cleaning
Proper cleaning of the surface to keep it clean from dirt and stains is equally important, as concrete is absorbent, which can directly lead to deterioration. Effective and timely cleaning is required to keep your concrete looking tidy and avoid any material seeping into the surface.
Look for a muriatic acid agent that could work efficiently as an intense cleaning liquid that could be easily used for outdoor and indoor concrete surfaces.
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Avoiding Deicing Chemicals
Deicing chemicals are agents that clear snow from the surfaces by lowering the freezing temperature. When used on concrete, these agents keep refreezing and thawing when the temperature and weather change, causing the surface to experience many more thaw/freeze cycles than in actuality.
Considering that the concrete is porous, these agents being absorbent, thaw and expand, causing much more damage to the surface.
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Painting and Coating
Painting or coating your concrete surface with an epoxy covering will make the surface look attractive and become durable by avoiding nasty stains and corrosive elements that are harmful to the surface. Go for high-quality paint in this matter and consider etching the surface for better bonding between the paint and the concrete.
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Joining Expansions
You might have noticed some felt-lined gaps between the concrete slabs; they allow room to the slabs for expansion and contraction during weather changes. Most such joints aren’t water-tight and allow water to get under the slabs, causing pitch and heave. To prevent this issue, remove these worn-out felts and fill the gaps with a sealant. Here are the steps that you can work on:
- Wear safety gloves and glasses to avoid any hazards. Now using a knife, remove the old felt.
- After removing the felt, collect the debris from the joint using a shop vac.
- Use filler rope to fill the gap in the concrete to minimize the requirement for sealant.
Conclusion
Maintaining concrete is essential to avoid any major inconvenience, accident, or mishap, as concrete may appear extremely strong. Still, it can wear out and get damaged without notice. Hiring a professional for maintenance in this regard is the best option. If you are looking for a professional concrete maintenance service provider in El Paso, we would be happy to help you at the RM Demolition. You can even contact us for any over-the-call assistance.
