How To Improve The Look Of Your Concrete
Do the sidewalks and driveway around your house look old and coarse? Does it look like your concrete is dirty and cracked? To a certain extent, you can make some small repairs and clean your concrete to greatly improve the way that it looks. This article explains how to clean up your concrete to make it look much nicer without having to replace or resurface it.
Cleaning Your Concrete
First of all, you want to start by cleaning your concrete as well as possible. With a heavy duty cleaner like trisodium phosphate (TSP) and a pressure washer, you can forcefully remove most of the dirt, even if it is deep within your concrete's pores. Dirt can basically dye your concrete over time, making it look old and faded. Some people simply pressure wash the concrete and are so impressed with how it looks that they don't do anything else. Concrete fades so slowly that homeowners are often surprised when it is all of a sudden clean and bright.
Repairing Cracks
Regardless, your concrete probably has a few cracks that you want to take care of. Cracks can be problematic in many ways. Weeds can grow out of them, they can be trip hazards, and water can seep into them. Water seeping into your cracks can ultimately deteriorate the soil underneath it and cause problems with the structural integrity of any concrete slab. So, patching concrete can ultimately restore the water-resistant barrier and prevent further decay.
Concrete patch is usually very easy to work with because it comes premixed in small caulk tubes. Simply squeeze it into the cracked area and use a putty knife to scrape away the extra buildup.
Glazed Concrete
Some homeowners will go even one step further and add a glazed finish on top of their existing concrete. Glazes can smooth out your concrete, cover up the rough pores and make it feel a little softer. If you like to walk around outside without shoes on, you will definitely appreciate having a glaze. Not only that, but a glaze finish protects the concrete, makes it waterproof, and makes it more stain resistant.
Concrete glazes are very easy to apply, but they definitely work best and last longer if the concrete is thoroughly cleaned beforehand. Dirt stains on your concrete can affect the way that the glaze dries.
As you can see, it's not that difficult to improve the look of old concrete. If you take the time, there are quite a few different ways to do it. For additional information, contact a company like Superior Grout.
Share