How to Take Care of the Concrete Around Your Seattle House

Concrete is a versatile and useful part of the landscaping around the home. We park our cars on a concrete slab, put our patio furniture on concrete and walk along paths of poured concrete. It is a common part of the outside of our home that we tend to ignore. We are always walking on it and don’t spend that much time looking down and checking out the condition of the concrete until it is cracked, filled with weeds and completely unsightly. At Greenwood Hardware, you will find some tools that will help you keep your concrete in good condition and looking as nice as the day it was poured.

Cleaning with a Hose

You will want to use a high-pressure nozzle or a pressure washer to spray the slab from time to time. This helps remove debris from the concrete, including oil and gas that may be seeping into the concrete. Clean the cement immediately after there has been a spill of some kind. There are concrete cleaners you can use to remove stains if necessary.

Seal the Concrete

Concrete sealants will protect the concrete from a lot of wear and tear. You will want to apply sealer every two years or so. If the weather has been particularly brutal, you may need to seal the slab on a yearly basis.

Avoid Chemical De-icer

In the winter, you don’t want to slip and fall, but putting chemical deicer products on the concrete strips the seal and can lead to splotchy patches and peeling in the spring and summer. If you can, use rock salt, which is less corrosive. Sand is another option. On a side note, the first year of a concrete slab leaves it very prone to chemicals. Avoid de-icer the first winter after the slab has been poured.

Follow Weight Limits

Your driveway was poured with the intention of an average car parking on it. Parking a heavy duty truck or moving van on the slab on a regular basis is going to lead to cracks. It wasn’t built to withstand anything that heavy. Your back patio may not be strong enough to support a heavy hot tub.

The concrete around your house can enhance the overall look or detract from it. Your cement is a functional part of the home and deserves to be taken care of. Head into Greenwood Hardware today to pick up what you need to clean and seal the concrete slabs around your house. Come on in, or contact us today.