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Sealing your concrete is important. Water/ice damage alone can do plenty of damage to it.
Did you realize that when water freezes, it expands 9 – 10%? Ask anyone that has had their water pipes freeze in the winter how damaging frozen water can be. Or stick a can of pop in your freezer and tell me what happens . . . the same thing is happening to your outdoor concrete surfaces.
Your concrete is like a huge, hard sponge soaking-up water and as that saturated slab of concrete reaches the 32 degrees Fahrenheit level, the water in it will start to expand. In the process of this expansion, the capillaries in the concrete will start to break apart and get weak.
During the average Winter day, the temperature may fluctuate below freezing and above freezing several times (depending on sun, clouds, wind and other factors). This constant freeze/thaw is kicking your concrete’s butt! It’s no wonder that each year in the Spring you look at your concrete driveway and worry about how ugly it’s getting.
“But They Sealed My Concrete When They Poured It”
If it’s been more than a couple of years, I bet that “Cure and Seal” product that they put on your concrete is about gone and there’s no protection happening. Pour some water on it and if the concrete turns dark (water soaking in), you better seriously think about getting sealer on it before any more damage can happen. Even if it’s been years since you’ve had it sealed and the surface looks pretty decent on the surface, most likely your concrete is in a much weaker condition than it was just a few years ago from all the freeze/thaw damage that’s been happening to it. If you don’t see it now, it won’t be long before the internal damage will start to show it’s ugly face.
What will cost more – the few cents per square foot it costs to protect it with a good quality sealer or paying a concrete contractor to tear it out and re-pour it?
The best Concrete Sealer . . .
