Concrete is robust, durable, and affordable. It can withstand freezing temperatures and constant exposure to the elements. But it’ can also break. Just like any other material, concrete will deteriorate over time if it’s not maintained correctly.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to get the most out of your substantial investment by extending its lifespan as long as possible with a few simple tips and tricks that anyone can do at home.
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What is concrete?
Concrete is a mixture of gravel, sand, and cement that hardens into sturdy blocks or slabs. The best part about concrete is its versatility; it can be used in many different applications, including sidewalks, driveways, poolside, and more, due to how strong it gets when cured over time.
Concrete has been around for thousands of years but was not used very often until the 20th century when advances in modern technology helped make this manufactured material much more popular than before. Nowadays, hundreds if not thousands of concrete services throughout North America specialize in laying down new concrete work on homes, buildings, and even parking garages! It’s essential to take good care of your concrete because you don’t want it to deteriorate after only a few years.
What is the average lifespan of concrete?
Concrete is a material that can last quite some time. That said, it’s impossible to guarantee exactly how long your concrete will last. While the average lifespan of concrete in many places hovers between 25 and 50 years, you want to make sure it has all the necessary reinforcements so that it doesn’t go bad before its prime and needed unnecessary concrete repair.
What are the common causes of concrete deterioration?
Calling a Columbus concrete contractor is the best option to fix any major deterioration, but it’s also best to know the signs or causes before doing so.
Weather
Weather is the primary cause of concrete deterioration, especially exterior structures. Exterior structures are exposed to the elements for a much more extended time than interior spaces.
Problems with design
Poorly designed concrete projects will result in unstable foundations, which means they have more stress than others, causing cracks at very early stages.
Construction defects
Concrete installation defects such as low strength materials or poor quality result in even earlier stage issues of cracking and spalling. These types of flaws happen when water gets inside the structure because there is not enough room for expansion due to improper drainage around walls or other fixtures used within a home/building/structure.
Inadequate reinforcement
Inadequate reinforcement happens when reinforcing bars aren’t placed correctly into concrete during the pouring process. This is a common problem in areas where soil conditions make compact concrete such as sand and soft soils challenging.
Reflective cracking
Reflective cracking happens when there isn’t enough room for expansion or poor drainage during construction because of bad weather, which leads to cracks forming horizontally along the surfaces of walls, floors, and ceilings (not only vertically like all other types).
Grout deterioration
Mortar/grout deterioration can occur if water gets into them through hairline fractures or leaching out over time, making them weaker than required by design specifications leading to spalling on vertical structures. The same thing applies to shrinkage, also known as “jointing,” which is the formation of cracks along joints between individual pieces of concrete.
Excessive loading
Excessive loading or impact can cause problems with spalling if it isn’t controlled by good design, construction, and maintenance practices. This means that weight needs to be distributed evenly across an entire surface rather than concentrated on one spot because this may lead to failure over time.
Poor drainage
Poor drainage leads to water pooling on the surface of your patio or walkway, which can lead to corrosion over time, resulting in cracks that allow further seepage into joints between slabs or bricks in a retaining wall area.
Frost
Frost heave is another cause of concrete deterioration caused by moisture freezing in small pockets under sidewalks and driveways, causing them to rise when temperatures warm back up again.
Inadequate curing time
A common cause of concrete deterioration is inadequate curing, which results in surface shrinkage that can leave you with cracks around door frames, windowsills, or intersections between walls and floors if not prevented by using a necessary moisture barrier to prevent exposure while it dries out.
Pool of water
High water tables can lead to excess erosion, which might result in the exposure of your foundation’s footings. However, landscaping fabric will help minimize this risk and cover exposed soil above grade before backfilling new beds after laying down weed blocking membrane for best results.
Metal corrosion
Metal corrosion can lead to rust stains bleeding into aggregate materials such as rocks used around foundations. They might break apart over time due to pressure from vehicular traffic or footfall.
Sulfate attack
Prevalent in coastal regions with high water tables, sulfate attack is a chemical reaction caused by leeching of sulfates from surrounding soils pooling on the surface. It reacts when they contact calcium hydroxide found in most Portland cement, creating spalling that leaves behind craters and rough rides if not repaired immediately.
Lack of maintenance
If the surfaces are not properly sealed, it will allow for chemical infiltration into your home or structure that can cause problems down the road. This is a severe issue that should be addressed immediately!
Using fly ash
This one may be somewhat controversial because Fly Ash has become very popular among contractors these days since it can help them meet environmental standards while also saving quite a bit on construction costs at the same time! But if you want maximum strength – stick to standard portland cement mixes only.
High traffic
High traffic areas that see heavy footfall or vehicular usage will need regular upkeep for best results, such as sealing them at least once every year or two, depending on exposure to UV rays. Otherwise, you might end up seeing some severe cracking!
Tips to make your concrete installation last longer
Concrete can last for decades, but only if it receives proper maintenance. If you want your concrete project to look as good as the day it was poured and stay looking that way, there are a few things you need to know about how to care for your concrete surface properly.
Try to avoid using sharp tools or objects on your concrete. These can cause blemishes or scratches, which will mar the surface of your beautiful new walkway, patio, steps, or driveway.
Avoid using acidic materials to clean it. Acids are great at getting rid of stains and dirt, but they’ll eat away the surface layer of your concrete in no time. If you do use any chemicals to clean your concrete, be sure that they are pH neutral.
If there is a nasty stain on your concrete surface, try cleaning it with oxalic acid first and applying a sealant afterward. This will help prevent the removal of too much top layer from the affected area.
Always let your concrete dry entirely before applying sealant or coating. Never try to use a coat of sealant when the surface is wet, as this will result in poor adhesion and peeling later on down the line. It can take up to 24 hours for your surface to fully dry out after pressure washing, but only about 30 minutes with a fan blowing over the area.
When it comes time to apply a coat of sealant, make sure that you’re using a brush or roller specifically designed for this purpose. Using an old paintbrush will leave streaks and uneven coverage – not precisely what you want from your new concrete surface!
Make sure you know how often to reapply sealant. If you apply it too frequently, the top layer of your concrete may become damaged from all those coats and won’t last as long as it should have been able to.
Be sure that if you put a coat of clear sealant on your driveway or patio, that you give yourself enough time for foot traffic before applying a second coat. You don’t want to walk on the surface until it has had plenty of time to dry and cure.
Know the expected load of your concrete. It would help if you made sure that the load you are putting on your surface is not too heavy for it. If it starts buckling, this could mean there’s an issue with how much weight your concrete can support.
When to call Columbus concrete contractors?
If it’s time to repair or replace concrete you’ve worked hard on, the right timing will depend upon several factors.
- Is the damage severe? Are there cracks, settling, or any other type of visible wear and tear that will need to be fixed?
- Is it time for a new look? Is the color no longer aesthetically pleasing and needs to be changed, or is there an opportunity to add a new color or pattern?
- Does the existing concrete have any issues that could be potentially hazardous and pose a risk for people?
- Is the concrete in need of repairs that will be too invasive and require significant time or access to make? If so, it’s best to call a professional concrete contractor.
- Is it a time-sensitive project? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you should call professional concrete services as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The best way to get the most out of your Columbus concrete investment is by following these tips. Keep in mind that while this article was written with homeowners and contractors in mind, it’s also essential for commercial owners and building managers to invest time into making their property more sustainable through the intelligent use of materials.
If you want help finding concrete contractors Columbus Ohio who can take care of all your paving needs (including installation, repairs, and upkeep).
Columbus Concrete Co. offers free estimates for our services!
To learn more about how our professional service can help you create lasting creations, check out our website @ http://columbusconcreteco.com/.
