Many modern homes contain concrete. However, if you haven't been carrying out regular assessments and inspections of the material, you have no idea if it has been compromised by corrosion or other types of damage. This blog is here to provide you with lots of useful info which will help you to check on the condition of the concrete around your home and to develop a good understanding of the different ways it can be repaired. I'm not a professional contractor but I have been learning all I can about concrete and I would like to share my new-found knowledge with the rest of the world.
Concrete driveways are durable but they are not immune to physical damage. The emergence of cracks on a concrete driveway is the most obvious sign that it's time for the driveway to be resealed.
Here are a few things you should know as you plan to reseal your concrete driveway.
The Best Sealing Material
Acrylic is often the number one choice for the sealing of concrete driveways. It is highly likely that your driveway was sealed using a solvent or water-based acrylic resin.
Acrylic resins can be pure or they can be combined with other types of sealing materials such as epoxy resin sealers and polyurethane resin sealers. Pure acrylic sealers (also referred to as virgin acrylics) are known to offer better performance when used on concrete driveways as compared to the acrylic sealers that are combined with other sealing materials.
In the same breath, solvent-based acrylic sealers are known to have a higher concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which makes them not so friendly to the environment.
However, solvent-based acrylic sealers have a greater resistance to grease and oil stains which are common on residential driveways.
The Mode of Sealer Application
You can apply an acrylic sealer onto a concrete driveway using a roller or a spray. If you consider yourself to be the more hands-on kind of homeowner, you could easily handle the driveway resealing exercise without enlisting professional help.
A point to note is that concrete sealers that are water-based should be applied using a roller while those that are solvent-based should be sprayed onto the concrete surface of the driveway.
If you do not trust that you're capable to handle the important task of resealing a concrete driveway, you will be pleased to know that the resealing exercise will not cost you an arm and a leg. Professional concrete driveway resealing is very affordable.
Slip Resistance
In order to make concrete driveways more slip-resistant, a number of additives can be incorporated into the structure of the driveway during the re-sealing exercise.
Slip resistance on a residential driveway is of great importance because it determines how safe the driveway will be when wet. Examples of additives used to improve slip resistance on concrete driveways include white silica and clear polymers.
You can get the mentioned additives from the same supplies store from which you purchase the primary sealing material for your concrete driveway.
To learn more about concrete driveway re-sealing, contact paving contractors in your area.