The concrete driveway in front of your home is durable and will last many years, but it is susceptible to weather and some chemicals. Repeated spills of oil and gas on the concrete can damage the slab over time, and if you live in an area that sees a lot of rain, water can work its way into the pores of the concrete and potentially cause cracking and sprawling.
Why Seal Your Driveway
One of the best ways to protect your concrete driveway is to seal the surface of the driveway with an epoxy-based sealer that will stand up to the weather. The sealer will repel rain and not allow it to penetrate the concrete, but it also helps shed ice and snow easier because the surface is smoother.
If your car or someone else's leaks oil or gasoline while parked in your driveway, the sealer will keep the oil or gas off the concrete. Oil and oil-based products tend to leave stains on concrete that can require muriatic acid to remove. The process is tedious and uses dangerous chemicals, but if you seal the surface of the driveway before it gets stained, you can avoid having to clean it this way.
A sealed driveway can often just be washed down with a hose or pressure washed once a year to remove the dirt off the surface of the driveway.
Driveway Sealing
The best way to seal your driveway is to have a concrete driveway sealing service, such as Jaco Waterproofing, come and do the work for you. The contractor will bring a crew and wash down the driveway to remove dirt and grime that may be on the surface. Once the driveway is clean, the crew will apply the sealer to the surface in several even coats, much like you would if you were painting any surface.
The sealer needs to be smooth and not have a lot of high or low spots in the sealer when the job is done. The sealer will need to cure after it is put on the driveway, and different sealers may take different amounts of time, so talk to the contractor about what yours requires.
Once the sealer is cured, you can use the driveway just like normal, but now you have the peace of mind that it is going to be more durable and last longer than it would have before sealing it. Wash the driveway down a few times a year, and your concrete will last for many years. You may need to reseal it in a few years, but talk to the concrete driveway sealing company about what is required.
