A properly formed driveway is more than just an effective and practical pathway between the road and your home. It can also make a statement about your image and sense of pride. Consequently, you will need to keep this drive in as good a condition as possible and will, every few years, need to think about more widespread maintenance. In this case, you may have to reseal the surface, but how do you know when it's time to do this and what is involved?
Resistance to Wear
A concrete driveway can put up with the typically harsh Australian weather conditions quite well and can be expected to last for between five and 10 years before any significant maintenance. Much will depend, however, on the volume of traffic that it needs to deal with and how attentive the owner is to small repair jobs.
Routine Maintenance
If you fix those small cracks as soon as they materialise, then you may be able to protect the integrity of the driveway and may not need to worry about resealing until it's absolutely necessary. However, if you notice any larger cracks or find that those you have repaired before are beginning to reappear, then you should definitely talk with a concrete contractor to get their advice.
Acrylic Resin
There are a number of different types of sealer on the market. For example, there is a solution that is based on an acrylic resin, which can be blended with silicone to make it even stronger. Make sure that this is a pure product, however, and especially if the driveway is in direct sun during the midday. Otherwise, it may have a tendency to discolour.
Penetrating Resin
If you tend to park cars on the driveway overnight and some of them may be prone to leakage, then you might want to consider a penetrating sealer for the driveway instead. These have silicones and other resins that will penetrate the surface and create a physical barrier to the oil and other elements. Bear in mind that this type of sealer will tend to darken the surface of the concrete, so it's not ideal if you have coloured, textured or stamped concrete in place.
Getting Ready
When you bring in a contractor to perform this work for you, make sure that the driveway is as clean as possible before they arrive. Get rid of any leaves or other dirt and sweep the surface. This will make it easier and will result in less billable time, so you can keep the overall cost down as much as possible.
Contact a resealing service near you to learn more today.
Welcome! I started this blog because I want to help homeowners to identify problems with concrete structures on their property. By quickly recognising potential issues, you will be able to take steps to repair the concrete before things go badly wrong. I'm certainly no expert when it comes to this subject, but I have learnt lots of useful things from the contractor who came out to my home to complete repairs on a concrete wall. I've also done my own research into this subject at my local library and online. I hope you find the articles published here informative. Thanks!