Concrete driveways are a popular choice because they have a long lifespan. With the proper upkeep, driveways made of concrete can last up to 30 years or even longer. Moreover, concrete driveways are actually quite low-maintenance, saving you both time and money in the long run.

To keep your driveway looking attractive for years to come, all you have to do is follow these quick and easy steps to maintain your concrete driveway.

Keep it clean

This is a straightforward but often overlooked way to keep your driveway in good condition – simply clean it! Cleaning your driveway will get rid of dirty marks and any mould that may be building up. Fortunately, it’s actually very easy to keep your concrete driveway clean and you can do it regularly in almost no time at all.

Just sweep your driveway with a broom to keep it free of dirt, leaves, and stray twigs or branches. You can use a leaf blower or pressure washer if you have these tools at hand. Although it isn’t necessary to use soap all the time, you can also add in some normal detergent for a more thorough clean.

Avoid letting stains and puddles remain

Oil, grease, and other types of leaks won’t go well with your concrete driveway. If you notice a spill on your driveway, try to clean it up as soon as possible to avoid stains from occurring. The sooner you mop up those spills, the lesser the chances of staining – and the easier it will be to maintain your driveway overall.

You also shouldn’t let large pools of water accumulate on concrete driveways. Try to ensure that any downspouts around your home empty out away from your driveway. If your driveway is on lower ground and tends to collect water, just be on hand to mop any puddles away after heavy downpours.

Beware of trees and their roots

Did you know that if you have trees near your driveway, there is a possibility that their roots will spread beneath the concrete and push it up? This means you may end up with a cracked and bumpy driveway! Furthermore, having trees around your driveway could lead to more sweeping and cleaning for you due to fallen leaves or branches.

You can avoid this by making sure most of your trees are planted far away from your driveway. If you do need to have trees around your driveway for landscaping or practical reasons, then you can look into getting a root barrier installed.

Seal your driveway

Sealing your driveway is a critical part of concrete driveway maintenance. It helps protect your driveway – not only from stains and general wear, but also harsh weather conditions such as direct sunlight or water damage.

Fortunately, resealing your driveway is quite a simple process. You can easily purchase concrete driveway sealant at your local hardware store and apply a fresh coat on your own. Moreover, you only need to reseal your driveway only once every two years or so, although you should do it more often if your driveway sees plenty of heavy traffic.

Refill any cracks

If you find a crack in your concrete driveway, don’t panic. All you need to do is close it up with concrete patcher. Clean out the crack beforehand to free it of any debris, flatten out the surface of the patch, and then let it dry overnight undisturbed.

When you have a crack in your driveway, do try to fix it as soon as possible to avoid it from spreading and damaging more of your driveway. For this same reason, you should give your driveway a check every once in a while for cracks that may have slipped your notice. That way, you won’t have to deal with extended problems with cracking down the road.

Need some professional advice on concrete driveways from the experts? The experienced team at Simply Driveways will be more than happy to help you with any enquiries. Contact us to find out more about concrete driveways today.