If you are installing a new concrete patio, there are steps you can take from the very beginning to ensure that your concrete patio has a nice and long life.
Apply a Sealer
To start with, after your concrete has settled and cured you should put a sealer on your concrete. A sealer will help prevent your concrete from breaking down. A sealer will make your concrete easier to clean and will help protect the natural color and tone of your concrete. You should re-apply a sealer every few years to protect your concrete.
Regularly Clean Your Concrete
Second, it is important to keep your concrete clean. When you don't keep your concrete clean, water, dirt, and debris can cause your cement pad to slowly erode away. Items such as oils, grease, and food spills can stain your concrete and change its appearance.
It is a good idea to sweep off your concrete at least once a week, if not more often. It is a smart idea as well to rinse off your concrete with a garden hose. When you are regularly using your patio during the warmer seasons, rinse it off at least once a week. When you are using your patio less frequently, you can decrease how often you rinse off your patio with your garden hose or pressure washer.
Be Careful with Chemicals
Be careful with chemicals around your patio. Keep grease and oils away from your patio, and keep away all lawn equipment that uses these elements.
In the winter, be careful with the deicing method you choose. When your concrete is brand new that first year, try to stay away from salt-based deicers, and stick with sand-based deicers instead. Salt-based deicers can really break down your new concrete pad. The less chemicals you apply to your concrete pad, the better.
Use Outdoor Rugs
Invest in some rugs to put under your chairs and tables on your patio. All that scraping and moving of your chairs and table on your concrete patio can wear away and scratch the sealant on your concrete. To keep the sealant intact, and to protect your new patio from slips, consider investing in some outdoor rugs.
Protect your new patio by putting a layer of sealant on your patio. Sweep and rinse off your concrete on a regular basis, be careful with chemicals, and use outdoor rugs under patio furniture on your patio. For more information, contact companies like Curb Design.
