The fact is, that without the proper care and attention, concrete is at serious risk for a number of major structural and visual complications. Whether it be concrete driveways, garages, patios, or pool-decks, annual concrete maintenance is often overlooked by homeowners.
The all too common neglect of maintaining your concrete surfaces often leads to the following scenarios for homeowners:
- Structural and surface cracking due to annual freeze thaw cycles
- Surface layer deterioration caused by salts, chemicals, oils, and general usage
- Ultra-Violet (UV) damage causing discolouration and surface layer breakdown
- Concrete scaling and chipping from chemical and salt damage
At Prime Concrete, we are dedicated to educating all of our clients on the importance of concrete maintenance. One of the most effective ways to mitigate many of the issues noted above is to seal your concrete with a professional grade premium solvent based acrylic sealer every two years. Detailed below are 5 Key Reasons why it is critical to seal your concrete driveway with a professional grade sealer.
1) Prevents Ultra-Violet (UV) Damage
Without the protection of a professional grade concrete sealer, Ultra-Violet (UV) rays from the sun will begin to breakdown your concrete driveway, resulting in a brittle and crack prone surface layer . A Professional Grade Solvent based Acrylic sealer is a UV stable product, meaning that it is resistant to breakdown from UV exposure. The consistent application of a high quality solvent based sealer will reduce the risk of your concrete driveway’s structural integrity and colour being compromised by harsh sun exposure. Based on our experience, it is strongly recommended to have your concrete driveway sealed every two years to ensure maximum UV protection.
2) Reduces the Risk of Chemical and Salt Damage
Due to the harsh nature of Canadian winters, a common way to reduce snow and ice on residential driveways is through the use of harsh chemicals and salts. The use of these chemicals and salts on your concrete driveway will deteriorate the surface layer of the concrete resulting in chipping and scaling. The consistent application of a Professional Grade Solvent based Acrylic sealer will protect your driveway from the use of these chemicals and salts on your driveway.
3) Enhances the Visual Appeal of your Driveway
Over time, both Ultra-Violet (UV) and normal wear and tear will begin to fade the colour of your concrete driveway. Additionally, it is all too common to have vehicles drip and drop oil on the driveway creating annoying and ugly stains. One easy way to make sure the aesthetic appeal of your driveway is maintained, is to consistently apply a Professional Grade Solvent based Acrylic sealer to your driveway. Our Premium sealers are specifically designed to enhance and deepen the natural colours of the concrete and prevent oil and other stains from damaging your concrete.
4) Reduces the Risk of Structural Damage and Cracking
Due to the distinct summer and winter seasons experienced in the Okanagan Valley, your concrete driveway is exposed to a large variance in natural temperatures. The natural freeze and thaw cycles throughout the year pose a structural risk for your concrete. Due to the porous nature of concrete, water will seep into the concrete during the spring and summer. During the winter, the water will freeze and expand, resulting in both structural and surface cracking. A simple but effective way for mitigating this process is by applying a Professional Grade Solvent based Acrylic sealer to your driveway. The sealer will ensure a water resistant barrier is created in order to reduce the build-up of water in the pores of the concrete. This barrier reduces the risks for both structural and surface cracking.
5) Enhances the Longevity of your Concrete
Based on the items noted above, it is evident that there a number of natural, chemical, and normal use processes that are constantly wearing down your concrete driveway. Based on our experience, the typical useful life a concrete driveway is approximately 20 years. As you can imagine, to fully replace a standard driveway can cost in excess of $20,000. By consistently applying a Professional Grade Solvent based Acrylic sealer to your driveway, the useful life of a typical driveway can be extended by 10-15 years.
Overall, sealing your concrete every two years is crucial step to enhancing the visual appeal as well as increasing the longevity and structural integrity of the concrete. At Prime Concrete, our team of dedicated service professionals are here to help you protect and visually improve one of the key features of your property!
