It’s no secret that curb appeal has a large impact on the way others view your home, but it also significantly contributes to the value of your home. In order to maintain the value, you must maintain the outward appearance. One of the things you’ll need to focus on when maintaining the external appearance of your home is the driveway. Visitors are bound to notice if it is poorly maintained. Concrete, the most common material used for driveways, can often become cracked or change color due to a lack of necessary maintenance. If you would like to improve the care of your concrete driveway, read further to find out what you should do!
Pressure cleaning is somewhat of a given when it comes to driveway maintenance. Most people are aware that you should be pressure cleaning your driveway occasionally, but how often is the question. Some experts say that this should be done every two years or so, but if you are doing this process yourself, you must be careful. Pressure cleaning is great for removing stains and keeping your driveway clean, but if done incorrectly it could cause irreversible damage to your driveway. Although concrete is among the most durable driveway materials, it still may crack when met with a lot of pressure. A pressure cleaner is said to be anywhere from 30 to 80 times more powerful than a normal hose. Because of the potential to cause damage, it might be worth the expense of hiring a trained professional every other year to do the job for you.
Once it’s cleaned and dry, the next step in maintaining your concrete driveway is to use a sealant. By doing so, you may prevent cracks before they begin. There are two main types of sealants that can be used on driveways: wet sealants and dry sealants. Wet sealants leave a glossy finish over your driveway. Although they are the most affordable option in the short term, they will need to be applied every three to five years. They do an excellent job of keeping out oils and grease, which prevents staining exceptionally well. On the other hand, dry sealants absorb into the concrete and leave a matte finish on the driveway. This type of sealant doesn’t prevent stains from oil and grease as wet sealant does though. Dry sealants are the more expensive option of the two, but they last for an estimated ten years. The sealant will not need to be reapplied after every cleaning, but pressure washing may lower its lifespan slightly. Both sealant options can do wonders to prevent cracking in your concrete driveway, but make sure to complete this step after your concrete driveway is fully dry and to give the sealant time to settle. Avoid using the driveway for at least a day or two so that the product has ample time to dry or settle.
Even with sealant, your driveway can develop stains. If a stain does occur on your concrete driveway, clean it immediately. Whether it be gas, grease, or motor oil, the surest way to remove it entirely is to begin cleaning it as soon as it develops. If you wait, the liquid may penetrate the concrete and absorb up to ¼ inch deep, making it very difficult to remove. The best way to clean the stain is to apply cat litter or sawdust to the surface. Leave that to absorb the liquid for about a day. Once the necessary time has elapsed, sweep it up, dab any remaining oil with a cloth, and the stain should be mostly gone. Although nonconventional, this is the best method to ensure a clean, stainless driveway!
Driveways have some potential to form cracks, even with sealant, just as they can stain even with sealant. A great way to mitigate those cracks is to remove anything that could be loosening the soil under your driveway. If there are trees or shrubs nearby, it is likely that their roots are growing underneath the driveway, impacting the soil, and leading to the development of cracks over time. Removing such things will stop the growth of roots, and your driveway will no longer be impacted. If you’d rather not remove these plants, it might be worth your time to consult with an arborist and see if there are other options. In the event that you do see a crack, make sure to patch it up as soon as possible. By doing this, you can prevent the spread and growth of the crack.
Sometimes there may be a crack or crevice in the driveway where weeds grow. There are techniques to remove them and even techniques to prevent them from ever growing in the first place. Tried and true, a classic weed killer should do the trick, but if you’re looking for a more convenient choice, vinegar or boiling water can be applied to kill the weeds. Perhaps the simplest method is to pluck the weeds out when you see them. Wish they wouldn’t grow in the first place? Add salt to the area. This neutralizes the soil underneath and makes it uninhabitable for weeds. It’s best to stay on top of this by removing or preventing weeds before they have the opportunity to create more driveway cracks.
Following these tips will ensure a well maintained and beautiful concrete driveway. You’ll be thankful that you did these things in the long run. Look forward to neighbors and friends being in awe of the near perfect driveway that you will soon have! 
Emily Schutz
Home & Yard Magazine
