How often should you waterproof and pressure wash your concrete? ARTICLE by Mode Concrete In Kelowna BC

Concrete Pool Decks, Patios, Driveways and Pathways - Pressure Washing, Waterproofing, Sealing, Yearly Maintenance, Repair & Refinishing 

ARTICLE and all IMAGES POSTED BY THE PROS AT MODE CONCRETE IN KELOWNA BC.

Now is the perfect time of year to look at your exterior concrete, especially if your concrete is exposed to the extremely hot temperatures we have in the Okanagan.  Applying concrete sealers and waterproofing agents are an essential part of finishing any indoor or outdoor concrete surface. Protect your concrete driveway and patio from weather, staining, oil/gas, salt, and water by making sure you have a surface barrier on your concrete.


How often should you seal or waterproof concrete? 

Everyone has something different to say about how often to seal your driveway. Some say maintenance should be done every 3-5 years, whereas others say every year. The determining factor here should be what sort of climate zone or wear/tear your concrete is exposed to. Factors like how much moisture, wear or heat exposure should be taken into consideration.

If your concrete is exposed to moisture, freeze/thaw zones and lots of sunshine or heat (like the weather here in the Okanagan) your concrete might require re-sealing and maintenance every year or two. If your concrete is exposed to salt or notice your sealer is deteriorating, you might have to reseal yearly. If you ever notice cracks or chips, you should fix these problems immediately. If damaged concrete is left unrepaired, water can seep into the cracks this will quickly deteriorate the concrete.

How often should you pressure wash concrete? 
You will see a noticeable difference when your driveway is pressure washed once a year. It all depends on how clean you would like your driveway to be and how fast dirt collects or how fast moss, mold and algae grow.

Can oil or rust be removed from pressure washing?
A basic power washing of concrete will not get oil spots out. If you do have oil spots which need to be cleaned individually. Due to that fact that driveways are so porous oil spills usually soak right into the concrete and so it may be near impossible to get all of it out. We can usually lighten it up quite a bit by giving those areas some detailed attention. Similarly to oil spots, rust stains the concrete and it is very, very difficult to out, a basic power washing of the driveway will likely not remove rust stains. There are ways to remove or at least diminish the stains but it would not involve pressure washing. If you notice staining, you should get your concrete pressure washed and sealed immediately to eliminate further damage.


Depending on your concrete, a good suggestion to disguise rust or oil is to acid-stain the surface to camouflage the imperfections (like the image to the right).

Concrete services we offer on pool decks, pathways, driveways, patios or concrete slabs:

• Concrete cleaning 
• High power pressure washing
• Concrete yearly maintenance
• Concrete sealing (for stained concrete, aggregate concrete, or stamped)
• Concrete waterproofing
• Concrete patching
• Concrete chip and crack repair
• Adding anti-slip surface finishes onto concrete
• Acid staining, eco-based water staining
• Mildew removal
• Moss removal
• Troubleshooting water damaged concrete

We always offer expert concrete advice, superior workmanship and never cheap out on the products we use.  We only use the highest quality materials to repair, maintain or seal your concrete.  Whether your concrete is brand new, needs maintenance, or needs some repair... we are here to help.  People all over the Okanagan put their trust in Mode Concrete to get the job done right, with long term results.  We always offer free written estimates to our inquiring clients. We always stay within the original estimated price and on schedule (weather permitting... we live in the mountains afterall!).

CONTACT us today for any of the services we discuss in this blog.