Why you should seal your concrete driveway ?

Why You Should Seal Your Concrete Driveway

Sealing your concrete driveway has been compared to waxing your car, spraying leather protectant on your shoes, or even wearing sun cream. Sealing your driveway can help improve your driveways appearance and prevent UV rays from causing it to fade, as well as protecting it from any staining as the years go by.
In this post, we will explain more on why you should seal your concrete driveway including the pros and a few cons that you should be aware of, the different types of sealer, how often it should be done, and the aftercare process.
What Does Sealing My Driveway Mean?
When a sealer is put over a concrete driveway, it acts as a defence against the elements that can cause your driveway to deteriorate. Without a sealer, a driveway can quickly become the home to many different weeds, moss and algae that are an eyesore and are hard to remove. The sealer works by creating a protective layer on the driveway that makes it non-porous.
A driveway is typically porous due to the gaps in the concrete, meaning that because of weathering, they can deteriorate quickly. This is why you should seal your concrete driveway. The seal will create a barrier so that the driveway is less prone to damage and therefore will look better for longer.
The Pros
· Stain protection
Your driveway is subjected to all sorts of elements which causes stains that are usually there to stay. Leaves, dirt, oil, pet faeces/urine, tire tracks and more can leave stains after being exposed to your driveway.
This is a reason why you should seal your concrete driveway. The sealer will prevent any of the above from penetrating the surface and leaving a stain; it’s the protective barrier that you may have been searching for.
· Moisture protection
Similarly, to the stains, a sealer will protect your driveway from absorbing large amounts of moisture whether that be from rain, snow, from spillages or even from cleaning your car on the drive. Concrete on its own is very porous; therefore, it absorbs moisture. This can lead to the growth of weeds, moss and algae but can also create cracks in the slabs which would cost more to fix than the sealer itself.
· Means the driveway lasts longer
As mentioned above, sealing your concrete driveway will help to prevent damages to the slabs. This means that you are not only saving money on replacing your driveway slabs but also means that in general, the driveway will last longer, saving you both time and money.
· Appearance
A concrete driveway with a seal will have a rich colour and can if desired, have a glossy effect. Different sealers have different glossy levels so you can choose how the end result will look. This not only adds kerb appeal to your house because you will have a beautiful, smooth looking driveway (which is usually right at the front of your house, for all to see), but you can tailor the sheen so that your driveway looks the way you want it to.
If you are interested more in the gloss levels, here is a quick guide for you. Solvent-based sealers will create a high gloss surface, water-based sealers will produce a matt or semi-gloss surface, and penetrating sealers produce no levels of gloss.
· Protects from extreme weather
A seal on your concrete driveway will block any harmful UV rays that can damage the concrete as over time the UV radiation can break down the bonds within the concrete structure. Not only can the sun’s rays cause cracks, but it can also break down the colour pigments, causing the colour of the driveway to fade.
On the other side of the spectrum, without a seal, your driveway could be at risk of freeze-thaw damage. This is when water penetrates the surface of the concrete and goes into the cracks on the slabs then expands as it freezes, which will cause more damage to the slabs.
This is why you should seal your concrete driveway. Because you can prevent the damages caused by both UV radiation and on the opposite end, freezing temperatures.

The Cons

· Sealers can be slippery
When sealers dry, they leave a shine or a gloss and create a seamless layer. This looks beautiful, but unfortunately, it can be slippery when wet. There is, however, ways to make sure that the seal is safe to walk and drive on. You can add fine abrasives to the coating which creates a non-skid surface on the driveway.
· Resealing is required
Unfortunately, the seal will not last forever, and a resealing is required every few years to keep the lifespan of the drive healthy. Due to the constant weathering and exposure to the elements, it is only natural that the seal deteriorates over time, so making sure that the driveway is resealed will mean that it continues to be protected.
· They can be harmful
Most sealers are solvent-based meaning that they do contain harsh chemicals. This is because they need to be strong to create the barrier of protection for the driveway and stay sealed for a decent amount of time. Because of this, safety gear is required when applying the seal as they can be harmful to not only humans but also our pets and plants.
There are, however, more safe types of sealer that do cost more but are environmentally friendly and less harmful to us too. If this is important to you, then it may be worth the investment.
· Sealers can’t be used on new slabs
Because a freshly poured driveway needs time to cure and set, sealers can only be put onto slabs that are at least a month old. A fresh driveway is vulnerable to damage, so it is essential to make sure that enough time has passed before trying to place another element on top of the driveway.
Even though there are a few cons, the reasons why you should seal your concrete driveway outweigh the reasons why you should not. There are ways around the cons such as the abrasives to stop slipperiness and the more environmentally friendly option of sealer. You should review what you want out of your driveway before being put off by any of the cons that have been mentioned and objectively look at them against the pros.

Types of Sealers

When discussing why you should seal your concrete driveway, it is vital to be aware of the different types of sealer and why you may choose to use each one.
· Acrylic resin-based sealers: these lay down a film of acrylic resin, resulting in a good performance for their cost. There are different types of acrylics to be aware of; however, for example, styrene-acrylic may turn yellow under direct sunlight, making it not suitable for a driveway sealer.
· Epoxy or polyurethane sealers: these do cost more than acrylics, but the higher cost makes up for it in their performance. They lay a thick layer which can be slippery. It also prevents the concrete from taking in small amounts of moisture. Without taking or ‘breathing’ in these small amounts of moisture, the concrete may form a white haze between the concrete and the sealer layer.
· Penetrating sealers: these are made from speciality resins that form a chemical barrier to stop any water, oils, and other contaminants from entering the concrete. These are an excellent way to protect against the potential stains that can be found on driveways as the seal is firm.
How Often Do I Need to Reseal My Driveway?
Depending on the type of sealer you choose, the time that they last varies too. Reactive chemical sealers last the longest as they are strong and penetrate the concrete. This means that they could last anywhere up to 10 years! Other types such as the acrylic sealers have the shortest lifespan of around 1-3 years depending on the amount of wear and tear the driveway is exposed to.

After Care

Like most home maintenance projects, there is some aftercare to your driveway and the sealer that is required to keep it in good condition and to keep it protecting your driveway. Simple cleaning with soap and water every few months will make a difference in how long the sealer will last. Looking after it and making sure that the sealer is clean means that it is less likely to wear away from the dirt and weathering that it will be exposed to.
Hopefully, that is enough information to demonstrate why you should seal your concrete driveway. There are more reasons as to why it is a good idea than you would think, it is not all about the appearance of the outside of your house but also about saving you money in the long run.
Making sure that your driveway and slabs are taken care of, means you don’t have to worry about repaving or fixing problems which can easily be fixed with a sealer on your driveway.