Maintaining your Asphalt and Concrete

As a home owner your driveway, sidewalk and patio represent major investments to your home.  What is the proper way to maintain them to keep them looking nice for years to come?

 Concrete Care & Maintenance

 Remove snow from concrete as soon as possible to prevent it from forming ice.

Protect concrete from chemical abuse caused by fertilizers, radiator overflow, pet urine, or de-icing agents such as calcium chloride or road salt that can drip from vehicles.  Any of these items can damage the surface.

Cracks will appear in concrete due to movement in the subsoil during freeze/thaw cycles in Minnesota.  As cracks appear, seal them with a waterproof concrete caulk to prevent moisture from penetrating to the soil beneath.

 Seal your concrete every two years with a good concrete sealer, available at home & hardware stores to prevent water from absorbing into the concrete.

 Asphalt Care

Since the liquid asphalt in blacktop needs time to harden your new asphalt driveway will remain soft and pliable for many months, even years, and will soften and harden as temperatures rise and fall. The hotter it is the more tender the blacktop is. However, by following a few tips you can improve the life of your asphalt.

Keep large and heavy trucks off a new driveway.

When storing campers boats or heavy trailers place a piece of plywood under the tongue jack and under the tires.

Avoid using jack stands or car ramps unless a piece of plywood is placed under them.

 Be cautious with lawn chairs and bicycle or motorcycle kickstands. They exert weight in concentrated areas and can create holes.

The edges are the weakest part of your driveway due to lack of side support. Avoid driving on the edges.

Avoid anti-freeze, gasoline, oil and transmission fluid leaks. If a spill does occur, immediate action is necessary to prevent damage. Use absorbent material to remove excess spill, flush with hot water, use a household detergent like Dreft or Dawn, thoroughly scrub the area and re-rinse.

 Asphalt Maintenance

 Your new driveway can usually go from three to five years before needing to be sealed.  Waiting until the surface is light gray in color to seal for the first time will give you the most economical surface in the long run. Always remember that over sealing is just as harmful as under-sealing.

Keeping cracks filled will help keep your driveway in good condition.

Dan Gibbs

Driveway Design