Care & Maintenance

PROPER MAINTENANCE IS KEY TO PROLONGING THE LIFE OF YOUR CONCRETE SURFACES

• Acids, salts, and most de-icers are extremely corrosive to concrete surfaces. You should not place these substances on any concrete surface.

• Soil and sod should remain banked around the edges of concrete surfaces in oder to (1) hold the subsurface sand in place, (2) reduce concrete edge break offs, and (3) maintain a tidy and finished appearance.

• Surface drainage waters must not be allowed to enter the ground directly underneath, or near, concrete slabs. This is important because (1) water-saturated subsurfaces cause concrete structures to crack and heave as they experience weather-induced freeze and thaw cycles, and (2) if subsurface sand is washed away from underneath the concrete slab, it will cause concrete breakage and settlement.

• Avoid driving over the edges of any concrete slab. This will minimize cracking and breaking off of the edges.

• Though not absolutely essential, we recommend sealing saw-cut and tool-cut joints with a rubber-based crack sealer to inhibit surface water from seeping through the cracks and entering the subsurface below the slab that could lead to eventual cracking in the years to come.

• Some surface “pop outs” are always possible with newly placed concrete slabs and concrete surfaces made from aggregates (sand and rock) native to the Midwest. To reduce the risk of preventable pitting, we offer salt guards.

• Concrete is never guaranteed not to crack. To reduce the risk of cracking, we offer saw cutting, reinforcement, expansion joint material, air entrainment.

• Concrete sealers are usually not necessary on most concrete surfaces, but they may be used if desired.

• Concrete has a curing process that never ceases, but you may safely walk on newly placed concrete after 24 hours of its finishing. Driveways, however, should not be driven on for at least 5 days after their placement and finishing.