Winter Maintenance in Colorado…
…is an absolute necessity!
Remove ALL snow and ice immediately after a snow storm is finished. Sunshine during the day and freezing temperatures at night create a “freeze-thaw” cycle which will eventually break the concrete surface. This is particularly critical on any north faced concrete pads – i.e. driveways, sidewalks, etc. The Colorado winter sun in many cases never even sees north faced pads. They get walked on or driven on, then melts on warmer days and freezes again at night.
Should icing ever occur, do not use thawing agents, especially those containing Chlorides. If it is absolutely necessary to use the aforementioned thawing agent, as the ice starts to melt, – shovel it off immediately so the chemicals are not allowed to remain on the concrete. Even though it may say it’s safe for concrete (and would probably be the best one for concrete) the fact of the matter is that none are absolutely safe. As a traction agent, however, dry sand purchased at a lumber yard can be used with absolutely no damage to your concrete.
In late fall, do not allow excessive moisture on surrounding areas as moisture in the soil may cause the ground to swell as frost sets in and could cause your concrete to heave. This includes piling shoveled snow on the high end of your concrete as the same effect will happen when it starts to thaw.
Decorative Concrete Maintance Tips
Due to the sensitive makeup of the decorative surfaces, winter maintenance in Colorado is an absolute necessity. With that in mind, on all decorative surfaces we suggest that you:
Remove ALL snow and ice immediately after a snow storm is finished. Do this with a broom. If the snow is too deep for a broom, use a plastic shovel trying not to scratch the surface, then use a broom for the rest. DO NOT use a metal shovel as this will scratch the surface. Sunshine during the day and freezing temperatures at night create a “freeze-thaw” cycle which will eventually break the surface.
Should icing ever occur, do not use thawing agents, especially those containing Chlorides.
In late fall, do not allow excessive moisture on surrounding areas as moisture in the soil may cause the ground to swell as frost sets in and could cause your concrete to heave. This includes piling shoveled snow on the high end of your concrete as the same effect will happen when it starts to thaw.
Please do not leave dirt or sand products on high traffic areas over a long period of time as it will scratch the surface, thus dulling the sheen.
Important!
This artistic “faux-type finish” is to be done to the best of the abilities of the qualified applicators. Due to the chemical nature of the product, however, the application is not subject to artistic differences or disputes.
Also, due to normal wear and tear and extreme weather fluctuation in Colorado and variations in owner care of the concrete, it is possible that minor touch ups of the sealer will be necessary after one year. This touch up will be the responsibility of the owner, however Highland Concrete Designs, LLC will make themselves available for consultation for touch ups at that time. If owner decides to not seal, then, of course this is not applicable.