Winter is on the way, which is fantastic if you enjoy snowfall and snuggly sweaters. However, it's not the greatest news for your outdoor structures. While concrete is a very durable building material, it can still suffer weather damage and exposure to frozen temperatures, and torrential rain. However, you can help keep your outdoor surfaces looking great throughout winter and beyond with a little preparation.
Whether you have a patio, walkway, or other concrete surface, proper care and maintenance is essential to winterize and protect your surfaces from cracks and damage from inclement weather. Find out how you can use Liquid Rubber products and a little elbow grease to prevent replacing your concrete surfaces before their time.
Though extremely durable, concrete is also very porous, which means that it absorbs moisture easily. In warm weather, dew and rainwater sink into the concrete but evaporates easily in the sun. On the other hand, once temperatures dip below 32 degrees, this water freezes and turns to ice. This ice trapped in your concrete patios and other hardscapes expands, causing cracks and spalling, which can even break off pieces of concrete, leading to expensive repairs.
Once cracks appear in concrete surfaces, even more water can infiltrate the porous surface, creating intense pressure that can weaken the structural stability of your concrete — not to mention widening existing cracks!
If you have slab concrete in your backyard, water can saturate the soil underneath. That causes the ground to expand, creating uneven surfaces that can quickly become a safety issue. Fortunately, you still have plenty of time to provide a coat of protection for your concrete before winter sets in. Adding a few steps to your property winterization can keep your patio and other concrete surfaces looking fantastic when warm weather returns!
First, it’s critical to inspect your concrete surface for cracks and damage. For slabs that have upheaval, extensive damage and cracks larger than 1/16 inch, you may need to make additional repairs prior to sealing the surface.
Additionally, if you have major concerns about the stability of an entire concrete slab, we suggest calling a local concrete contractor to inspect your patio, walkways and other large concrete surfaces and give an expert opinion.
After inspection, sweep up leaves, dirt and other debris that have collected on your concrete surfaces. It's important to get the surface as clean as possible to facilitate the bonding of the coating with your concrete surface. We recommend using a powerful cleaner such asLiquid Rubber Deck & Patio Cleaner which uses oxygen power to effectively remove stains, mold and mildew that build up on outdoor surfaces. You can use it on your sidewalks, pathways and other concrete structures as well.
With Liquid Rubber Deck & Patio cleaner, you can ensure that the concrete surfaces — not just flooring — on your property are squeaky clean. It's also a great way to prepare for sealing your concrete patio, driveway or sidewalk.
Prepare your concrete surface by following these steps:
When you seal your concrete slab surface, you protect it from water incursion, dirt, grime, mold and other damage that could shorten the lifespan of your surface. It's important to seal your concrete surfaces before freezing weather arrives. This will prevent ice and snow from saturating your concrete and causing it to destabilize.
Start by coating the surface with water repellent sealant that will prevent damage throughout the harsh winter months. This will result in a strong concrete surface when you're ready to use it again in warmer weather.Liquid Rubber Polyurethane Deck Coating is a heavy-duty sealant that is five times stronger than traditional sealants and the best in class when it comes to protecting your concrete this winter. It also provides a decorative finish that looks great and protects your concrete against harsh chemicals used to de-ice walkways, steps and other concrete surfaces.
You are now ready to seal and protect your concrete slab surfaces from freezing winter weather.
Follow these steps to properly winterize your concrete:
We cannot stress the importance of properly winterizing and maintaining your concrete prior to the harsh winter weather. Liquid Rubber provides nontoxic, easy-to-use products that can save you money without risking quality. Contact our Technical Support team if you have any questions using the products mentioned here or any Liquid Rubber products you find to protect your home surfaces.