Construction & Contractors Blog
How much grinding and weight does your driveway have to deal with all year long? It's definitely unimaginable. This is why you must take your time to carry out some maintenance every year to ensure that the driveway stays in good shape at all times. The sad part is that most people barely pay attention to this, thinking that the work is difficult and unmanageable. Some of these procedures, however, are simple things that you can capably handle by yourself. Here are some of the tips you need for annual maintenance of your driveway:
Working on the Expansion Joints
Expansion joints are an elemental part of driveway construction, enabling it to handle the changes in temperature as the seasons go by. Essentially, expansion joints refer to small gaps or spaces left between various sections of the sidewalk to provide room for expansion and contraction whenever there are temperature fluctuations.
When laying the driveway, these gaps are filled using a felt-like material. This material wears down gradually as you use the driveway. You must replace it to prevent bigger lines of weakness from developing along the gaps.
Clean out the area using stiff wire brushes, wash them with a high pressure hose and let them dry for a few minutes before restoring the material. Fill the degraded area with liquid tar until it is level with surface of the driveway and leave it to solidify. This should keep the joints going until the next maintenance session.
Working on the Cracks
Cracks will certainly attack your driveway as time goes on. It is normal considering that heavy vehicles likely park and drive on it regularly. Big cracks, more than inch deep, are a cause for concern as they can interfere with the structural integrity of the road. On the other hand, superficial fissures and minor fractures are not a big deal. However, you must repair them so that they don't grow into something worse.
Sweep between the cracks using a stiff wire brush and hose them down with lots of water from a pressured garden hose. After that, squeeze concrete filler into the cracks and smooth the surface with a putty knife. Let your work dry for a day.
Dealing with Growths
Over time, plants and grasses can grow between the expansion joints and cracks. Make sure that you remove all these intruders for the sake of your driveway. If you leave them there, they will damage the driveway even further as their roots and stems get bigger.
Share13 July 2017
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