Saturday, February 6, 2021

3 Ways To Cure Dingy, Discolored Stamped Concrete

 Designers and manufacturers are busily coming up with things that look like other things. Lines of flooring resemble natural stone or real wood. Siding can be made to look like brick or stone. Even concrete can be stamped to look like wood, natural stone, or pavers. 

What's a homeowner to do, though, when their stamped concrete Denver is dark, dingy, and looks terminal? It's concrete; it's not like it can be pulled up and replaced. There is hope, though, for dulled or simply dirty stamped walkways, patios, and driveways.

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1. Keep Your Stamped Concrete Clean And Well Maintained

We've all seen wood decks that are stained from food, pet “mistakes,” and weathering. Leaves especially leave their imprint on wood decks as well as stamped concrete walkways or patios. Keeping them swept, power washed, or even hosed down periodically prevents these stains from happening.

When it was installed, your stamped concrete was sealed with two to three coats of sealant. This should be done every two to three years to prevent stains from happening.

Winter maintenance consists of not using ice melt or salt on your stamped concrete. The salts themselves don't damage the concrete. It's the freeze and thaw intervals caused by the salts that does the damage.

2. Stamped Concrete Needs To Be Resurfaced Occasionally

Cast your eye over your stamped concrete. You might find cracks, you might see the concrete holding water, it could have imperfections, it could be outdated, or simply ugly. Your stamped concrete might need resurfacing.

Resurfacing concrete means stenciling, engraving, or staining the original concrete if it's in decent condition. Resurfacing it with an overlay is another option. Here, you can choose any kind of color or pattern from natural stone to brick to the grains of hard wood. You'll have a choice between textures and sizes of materials in the pattern. 

3. Sometimes Staining Is All You Need

The sun leeches color out of everything. Have you ever moved a painting in your home only to find the area of the wall behind it was lighter than the rest of the wall? It's the same thing with moving patio furniture; the space beneath is lighter than the rest of the patio. Your concrete needs to be re-stained.

A professional will take the sealant off your concrete, clean the concrete with a neutral cleaner, let it dry, and then apply two coats of stain. The professional will then use a mixture of baking soda and water to neutralize the acid in the stain. He will do this until no foaming of the baking soda remains. He will rinse the concrete and let it dry. The last step is to seal the concrete with at least two layers of sealant. Voila! Brand new stamped concrete.








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