Stamped Concrete Maintenance
Stamped Concrete Maintenance
Concrete in general needs to be maintained, something many property owners do not know. Most of the time, when our concrete experts bring up the topic of concrete maintenance, it is something that surprises customers. We have heard many times, "I did not know you needed to maintain concrete". Unlike regular or traditional concrete, stamped concrete maintenance is critical to maintain the look and feel of the surface.
Concrete maintenance solves several issues. In the case of stamped of decorative concrete, most maintenance is focused on the look and feel of the surface. Because stamped concrete is colored, care needs to be taken to protect the decorative stamp and color. Here in Denver it is mission critical to maintain your stamped concrete otherwise the high UV, severe temperature swings and harsh winter conditions will fade the color of the patio.
Preventative Cheap Stamped Concrete Maintenance
Here are the easy ones! Most of the tips and tricks below do not cost anything except for some mindfulness. Most of the tips below are easy to follow and just common sense for the most part.
- Routine Cleaning: With stamped, colored or decorative concrete it is important to sweep and clean the surface of the concrete often. This can be done with a garden hose or a "light" pressure wash. A mild detergent should be used to remove acids and grease from the surface of the concrete. This routine maintenance will keep the surface looking great and will help maintain the surface until it is time to reseal the concrete. Allowing debris or landscape refuge to sit for long periods of time on your stamped concrete can leave stains and spots.
- Avoid Over Spray and Sitting Water: The sealants for colored concrete will repel water, and "over spray" from sprinklers or hoses will not damage the underlying concrete during the effective period of the sealant used. Constant sitting water will stain the sealant. Squeeging the surface of your patio and removing sitting water when possible is highly recommended to avoid these types of surface stains.
- Pots, Planters, Fire Pits, etc: It is important to regularly clean under pots, planters and fire pits. Allowing outdoor furniture to rest on the patio without routine cleaning and movement will create stains in the stamped concrete. Regularly cleaning and moving items that are stationed on the concrete will help mitigate stains.
- Oversealing Stamped Concrete: Follow the manufacturers guidelines when sealing or re-sealing your stamped concrete. In the manufacturers specifications, they have recommended coverage as well as tools to install the new sealant. Over sealing your stamped concrete can build up a layer of sealant on your concrete patio will create "cloudy" spots in the finish overtime. This is just the buildup of sealant.
Re-Seal Stamped Concrete Every 12 - 18 Months
When your stamped concrete driveway, patio or walkway was installed, a hardener was applied to the surface as well as a sealer. At least this should have been the case. Every 12 months to 18 months it is important to come back and re-treat the surface of your stamped concrete. Most sealants will start to erode and even disappear after 24 months.
Allowing a stamped concrete surface to be exposed to the elements will erode the surface like any other concrete. As textured concrete erodes it does start to lose it's distinguishing character. Although stamped concrete can be rejuvenated and brought back, it is better to maintain the surface. Concrete rejuvenation on colored concrete is effective, the problem is bringing back the exact original color and look is probably not likely.
So, maintaining the concrete from day one is highly recommended. Resealing stamped and colored concrete is about $1.00 per foot when working with a contractor. Resealing the concrete yourself is around $.50 per sq foot in materials, this of course depends on the product that is used.
As for sealers, it is best to talk with your contractor about the best sealant to use for stamped concrete. It is definitely not advisable to use a product from Lowes or Home Depot as those sealants tend to separate from the surface and do not offer the protection of specialty sealers.
In Denver, we recommend the sealers and products from Bobcat of the Rockies as well as ProCoat. ProCoat offers a full line of sealers for almost any kind of condition, whether it is a permeable sealer or surface sealant.
Contact the concrete experts at Denver Concrete Inc today for your free consultation on after care and maintenance of your concrete. The concrete experts at Denver Concrete Inc are continually educated in the field as well as by our partners and vendors. It is important to deliver the right solution and we are committed through continous education.
