How often should you seal your driveway? Concrete Driveway Sealing, Yearly Maintenance, Repair - blog by the experts at MODE CONCRETE in Kelowna BC

Applying concrete sealers 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 your driveway?

• Everyone has something different to say about how often to seal your driveway. Some say every 3-5 years, whereas others say every year. The determining factor here should be what sort of weather or climate zone your concrete is exposed to. Environmental factors, rain, snow, freeze/thaw zones, or high sunshine areas should be taken into consideration. If your driveway is exposed to freeze/thaw zones and lots of sunshine or heat (like the weather here in the Okanagan) your driveway might require re-sealing and maintenance every other year. If you salt your driveway 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.  
• Properly maintaining your concrete saves money in the long run. Make sure you have a protective barrier on your concrete to get the maximum longevity of your investment.

Concrete services we offer for driveways, patios or concrete slabs:

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

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.  We walk you through the entire process and continuously get client referrals. 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.

How often should you seal your driveway? Concrete Driveway Sealing, Yearly Maintenance and Repair - article by MODE CONCRETE in Kelowna BC

Applying concrete sealers are an essential part of finishing any concrete outdoors. 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.

Here is a picture of a concrete driveway we recently repaired and sealed in Kelowna BC.  

How often should you seal your driveway?

• Everyone has something different to say about how often to seal your driveway. Some say every 3-5 years, whereas others say every year. The determining factor here should be what sort of weather or climate zone your concrete is exposed to. Environmental factors, rain, snow, freeze/thaw zones, or high sunshine areas should be taken into consideration. If your driveway is exposed to freeze/thaw zones and lots of sunshine or heat (like the weather here in the Okanagan) your driveway might require re-sealing and maintenance every other year. If you salt your driveway 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.  
• Properly maintaining your concrete saves money in the long run. Make sure you have a protective barrier on your concrete to get the maximum longevity of your investment.

Here is a picture of a concrete driveway we recently repaired and sealed in Kelowna BC.  

 

Concrete services we offer for driveways, patios or concrete slabs:

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

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.  We walk you through the entire process and continuously get client referrals. 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 only use the best skill and best products available on the market.

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

Concrete Driveway Pros and Cons - by Mode Concrete in Kelowna BC

Concrete has been a popular choice for driveways and architecture throughout history, for excellent reason. Concrete is durable, requires little maintenance, gives great longevity and is easily repaired. Not only do concrete driveways provide great curb appeal, a properly installed concrete driveway can last 20 years longer than other materials, with minimal maintenance or repair costs.

Concrete Driveway Basics

• Cost: Concrete is more expensive than gravel and asphalt driveways, but is less expensive than pavers or natural stone (like brick or cobblestone).  On average, $5 to $10 per square foot, depending on site conditions and preparation.  Extras that can be added on; various finishes, colored concrete, staining, sealing, pattern cutting, seams. 
• Durability: 25-50 years or longer with proper care and installation.
• Maintenance: Sweeping and pressure washing when needed. Chemicals may be needed to remove stains, oil or tire marks. Sealing is usually required every few years. 
• Additional options: Driveways may be stained different colors, personalized or poured into any pattern you desire.  Do you want a fancy exposed concrete surface, a stamped concrete surface, or budget-friendly broom finished?  Circles, squares, cut lines, seaming and tiles, planters, retaining walls, or any customization can be designed to compliment the design and functionality of your driveway.  

Concrete Driveway Pros

• Durable.
• Requires little maintenance.
• Gives great longevity and has a longer life than other driveway options.
• Concrete is easily repaired.
• Looks amazing.
• Unlimited color options.
• Snow removal is easy on concrete.
• Anti slip additives can be added onto surfaces.

Concrete Driveway Cons

• Initial cost is more than other options, but your get more longevity out of your investment.
• Requires yearly maintenance, in most climates.  
• As you consider concrete driveways costs, factor in the cost of sealing it every 1-3 years.

Concrete Driveway Repair and Maintenance 

• To extend the life of concrete, you’ll want to keep it well-maintained. The first thing to do is to have it sealed after your concrete driveway is poured, usually within the first month or two after it is fully cured. Concrete sealer cost is not cheap but this final stage will vastly improve the durability of the driveway. Expect to pay $0.50 to $0.85 per square foot for one application or coating of sealer (which usually includes the cost of pressure washing the surface).  Anti slip additives or repairing chips and cracks can increase this cost a little. 
• Sealers will keep your concrete protected from moisture and protect any tiny cracks. Without a protective sealer, moisture will penetrate the cracks and freeze in very cold weather which may increase the size of any cracks or chips.
• You may want to seal your driveway annually if your driveway is exposed to lots of moisture or freeze and thaw conditions to maintain the protective barrier of sealer between the elements and your concrete surface.  
• Not all driveway sealers are alike (even those in the same product category), and no driveway sealer will last forever. Depending on the type of products used and exposure conditions, a sealer should last anywhere from 1 to 3 years. 
• If you have a sealer buildup on the surface from multiple sealer applications over the years, stripping the sealers may be required periodically.  We would recommend stripping your concrete if your sealer is flaking in spots, holes are developing, you have a cloudy appearance throughout the sealer, there are dull spots, blistering or bubbles.  The best way to assess any of these symptoms, is to call a concrete sealing professional in your area to come check out the situation in person.  Stripping sealers is a messy process and can either be done chemically or mechanically.  
• Be careful with concrete driveway salt, this may create a chemical reaction and eat away at your sealers and stains.  Read the labels of any products you use, or reapply sealers every year if you are using driveway salt regularly.  
• Concrete naturally shifts, moves and cracks with environmental changes and with age. Easily repaired, patched, or filled, these cracks are usually only cosmetic and not structural or unsafe (but every project is different). An experienced concrete contractor should easily be able to assess your project, give you options, show you samples and work with you to achieve the results you desire.  A concrete professional can help talk you through all the options available to you depending on the state of the concrete and your budget.

When you hire Mode Concrete, you hire a professional contractor that always stays on budget and on schedule!  From the moment you hire Mode Concrete, you'll notice why our clients give us amazing referrals and recommendations, every time.  Contact us today for more information about our services. 

References:

• Concrete Driveways: Poring Over the Pros and Cons - Houzz http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2459366/list/Concrete-Driveways--Poring-Over-the-Pros-and-Cons
• 2012 Concrete Driveway Cost Guide for Repair or Replacement - Driveway Guide http://www.drivewayguide.com/guides/cost-of-concrete-driveway-repairs-and-replacement/
• Pros and Cons of a Concrete Driveway - About.com http://garages.about.com/od/buildingagarage/a/Pros-And-Cons-Of-A-Concrete-Driveway.htm