Making Your Concrete Look New Again Through Pressure Washing

It’s easy to overlook how dirty concrete surfaces can get over time. Then one day, you’re working on a gardening project, or looking at old photos of the back yard, or cleaning up after a water balloon fight, and you notice it all at once.

Clean, well-maintained concrete just simply looks better. Whether you want to increase the value of your property or you’re just tired of seeing moss and dirt everywhere, a thorough pressure washing will do wonders for your home’s curb appeal.

With the Pacific Northwest’s notoriously damp weather, it’s no wonder moss and algae build up on concrete surfaces like crazy. Unfortunately, this also tends to make driveways, patios, and steps slippery and hazardous to walk on — especially for the very young and the very old. A clean surface is much safer to walk on in wet or freezing weather.

When dirty, moss-covered concrete is left unchecked, its condition will continue to deteriorate over time, eventually leading to bigger problems (like cracks and breakage) that require much more than a quick pressure wash to fix. Regular pressure washing and resealing helps you avoid larger, more expensive repairs down the road.

Many people choose to buy a pressure washer and clean their concrete themselves, but there are a few major advantages to calling in a professional concrete specialist:

• A more thorough/complete cleaning. Professionals have the equipment and experience to get the job done efficiently and safely the first time.
• An expert opinion. A concrete expert can identify potential future problems and tell you if your concrete needs repairs.
• More free time on the weekend. If you hire a professional to come during the week, you get to keep your weekend free.
• Resealing. In addition to cleaning, concrete should be professionally resealed periodically, so that it stays clean and new looking.

Let’s look a little closer at why you may want to reseal your concrete and how the process works.

Concrete surfaces take a lot of abuse. Most outdoor surfaces get quite a bit of rain, dirt, and algae buildup. Driveways also sustain heavy cars a lot of the time. All this can eventually wear down the concrete’s seal and expose the aggregate beneath. At that point, structural integrity gets compromised, and you’ll eventually be looking at repairs. Regularly resealing your concrete helps you avoid this problem because a strong concrete seal will:

• Protect against damage from the environment
• Keep colors and patterns looking vibrant
• Increase the longevity of your concrete
• Make regular cleaning easier

We generally recommend resealing in early autumn after summer has passed, then again after the rainy season is over, but you may be better off resealing less often depending on the environment your concrete is exposed to.

GWC Decorative Concrete has been pressure washing and resealing concrete in the Portland area since 1997. We have the knowledge and equipment to get the job done thoroughly and safely to make your concrete look new again. Call us today at (503) 849-0901 or send us a message online to request a free estimate.