Laying new concrete is a great investment for your home and will last for years. But with getting new concrete and living in a climate with such fluctuating temperatures like Minnesota, you want to make sure your concrete will last through its first winter.
Be Aware of Harmful Chemicals
During the winter, your driveway or garage can get very slippery and slick from the ice and snow, so your first instinct would be to use salt or other deicing agents. Though you don’t need to worry too much about the chemicals used on an older form of concrete, be sure to be cautious for a concrete’s first winter. Try to avoid using these chemicals:
- Magnesium chloride
- Ammonium sulfate
- Ammonium nitrate
These specific deicing agents will eat away at your new concrete and cause it to crack and crumble away much quicker.
Avoid Heavy Traffic
Concrete takes a long time to completely cure and harden. To allow your new concrete to completely dry, which may even take several months, avoid using your concrete for parking purposes. During the winter, a freeze-thaw cycle occurs underneath your concrete that causes more absorption of water and chemicals. If you park your car on concrete that fully hasn’t hardened, it may absorb those deicing chemicals that leak from your car and cause that concrete to weaken and crack underneath the surface.
Be Cautious When Shoveling
Newly laid concrete is still vulnerable, even to shoveling. To prevent any chipping, use a rubber or vinyl-edged shovel rather than a metal one.
It’s also important to stay on top of shoveling. You don’t want the snow and ice to sit on your concrete for too long otherwise, it can cause significant damage from the amount of water absorption.
Seal Your Concrete From Moisture
With your new concrete, you want to keep it looking brand new for as long as possible. The best solution to keep it from deteriorating, cracking, or corrosion is sealing it once fully dry. Laying a quality concrete sealer will prevent any excess water from being absorbed into your concrete. Concrete Coatings of Minnesota has a Clean & Seal method designed specifically for your type of concrete. It allows for your investment to last as long as possible while still looking brand new.
Contact us today to receive a free estimate on your next concrete project. Whether it’s coating or sealing your concrete, we want to be there to protect one of your home’s biggest investments.
