6 Care And Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Driveway Looking New

Driveways erode over time regardless of their materials and built. Generally, they crack, flake, or break down into segments, affecting their functionality and curb appeal. As a result, homeowners may find it hard to maneuver their cars to and from the garage and view their driveway as an eyesore every time they come home.

Suppose you’re trying to avoid these issues and keep your driveway looking new. In that case, you may want to know some tips and tricks to take care of and maintain your driveway properly. While these don’t guarantee that your driveways won’t have future troubles, these tips will certainly reduce their likelihood. Here are six care and maintenance tips to keep your driveway looking new.

1. Apply Sealant

Applying sealant in your driveway can repel moisture. Your concrete or asphalt driveway will remain durable and likely have an extended lifespan. In addition, sealants can prevent cracks, avoid stains, and slows down color fading. Correctly sealing your driveway could preserve its brand-new look and bring out its most pleasing color.

For this purpose, you may hire professional sealers. If you’re in Palm Beach County, Florida, you may visit Glass Act Paver Protection in Palm Beach County FL and other pros for more ideas. If you’re choosing the less expensive way, try the DIY way. You may select a high-quality concrete or asphalt sealer in this option and just apply it directly.

Before the application, you must ensure that all cracks and holes are filled with a pothole filler. After this, you could start applying two layers of sealer. Use the driveway two days after sealing to ensure that the product has hardened enough.

2. Clean The Driveway Thoroughly

Cleaning your driveway may include the removal of weed, debris, dirt, and oils. Generally, these objects soften the concrete or asphalt, leading to more structural damage. You may use a soft-bristle or deck brush to scrub the driveway in sections to ensure that every part is cleaned for more thorough cleaning.

In addition, you may soak the areas in a cleaning solution for about 15 minutes so that the other dirt particles would soften and detach. You may repeat scrubbing the driveway until it’s thoroughly cleaned. Wash and rinse the area repeatedly using a power washer or water hose.

3. Repair Cracks

Neglecting the cracks in your driveway could lead to more significant structural issues, such as sinking and separation. To avoid these, you may first remove the debris and dirt on the driveway. After that, you could identify the cracks according to size. As soon as you notice the gaps, consider fixing them to save time, money, and effort necessary in driveway reinstallation.

If most of the cracks are enormous, you may consider re-blocking or completing driveway installation and before that checking a landscape design in West Jordan is advisable.  You can fill smaller gaps with a patching material. In deciding whether to re-install or resurface, consider your budget, type of material, and size of the cracks.

4. Keep The Edges Well-Maintained

Outdoor floor cleaning with a pressure water jet on street

In some cases, the driveway’s edges may chip and spall. When these happen, cracks may repeatedly appear until they affect the whole structure. This may lead to total driveway collapse, sinking, or fragmenting.

To avoid these, you should avoid driving on the sides of the path. In addition, you may also refrain from plowing or shoveling the sides of the concrete. Furthermore, avoid using hard blades in these areas. Lastly, fix the edges as signs of wearing and cracking appear.

5. Remove Water On The Driveway

Water can seep through concrete and asphalt over time. This could lead to mold growth and water damage, affecting the driveway. To prevent this, you may provide a run-off area for the water.

Make sure your driveway is at least four inches higher than the rest of your lawn. A more elevated driveway may be necessary for constantly flooded properties. Furthermore, you must place your downspouts in areas that won’t pass through your driveway.

6. Avoid Using Deicing Chemicals

Deicing chemicals can bring more harm than good in a driveway. In most cases, deicing chemicals can spall and scale driveways. If the products contain ammonium nitrate, they could consume the concrete over time, or if they have rock salt, the metals could get damaged. Because of this, you may choose concrete-safe deicing options, such as calcium magnesium acetate and snow blowing.

Wrapping Up

Caring for and maintaining your driveway provides many benefits, including low-maintenance expenses, extended lifespan, and maximized durability. This will also maintain or improve your curb appeal and lawn condition and enhance the aesthetic qualities of your front. To achieve these, you may consider applying the tips and tricks mentioned in this article to make the most of your driveway.