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Smart Tips For Small Business Owners

Hello, my name is Derick Henning and if you are interested in running your own small business, you'll discover a lot of information in my blog. My neighbor owns a small business and we often talk about some of the challenges he faces as a business owner. I enjoy talking to my neighbor about his business and I've actually learned a lot of information about being a business owner. I understand that opening a small business is a big step and in this blog you'll learn many tips that can help you get through almost any situation. I'm very proud of my neighbor for taking that first step and opening a business. By writing this blog, I want to help other small business owners succeed.

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Smart Tips For Small Business Owners

How Do You Seal A Stamped Concrete Driveway?

by Vernon Ortiz

If you have a stamped concrete driveway, it's important to keep it sealed. Concrete sealing makes the surface waterproof, preventing rain from seeping into the concrete and damaging it. Sealing your driveway can also improve its appearance in addition to protecting it since driveway sealers can give it a glossy appearance. Sealing stamped concrete is similar to sealing regular concrete. The biggest difference is that you'll need to prevent water or sealer from pooling in the recessed areas that were stamped into the concrete surface after it was poured. To find out how to seal your stamped concrete driveway, read on.

Wash Your Driveway and Let It Dry Fully

Concrete sealing requires a perfectly clean surface in order to ensure the sealer bonds properly to the concrete. Oil and dirt in the concrete will prevent the sealer from adhering to the concrete, causing it to bubble up once it has dried.

Before sealing a stamped concrete surface, make sure that you pressure wash it thoroughly to remove all of the debris and stains. If there are oil stains on the concrete, clean them up using soap and water. 

Once you've cleaned your stamped concrete driveway, give it a few days to dry. Concrete sealer won't adhere to moist concrete. Stamped concrete needs more time to dry compared to regular concrete since the water used to wash the concrete will collect in the stamped areas. If they're in the shade, the water can take a long time to evaporate. Make sure all of the stamped areas are completely dry to the touch before you apply a sealer to your driveway.

Find Out How Much Sealer to Use Based on Your Driveway's Size

After your driveway is dry, you're ready to seal it. Look at the label on the concrete sealer you're using to determine how much to use. It will list the number of square feet that a gallon of sealer covers. Take measurements of your driveway to determine its square footage, then fill a sprayer with the appropriate amount of concrete sealer. It's important to use the right amount of sealer on your driveway, as using too much sealer will result in it pooling and collecting on the surface. This will give your driveway an unattractive, mottled appearance.

Apply Sealer to Your Driveway, Making Sure It's Spread Evenly

Spray the concrete sealer onto your driveway in an even layer. When you're sealing stamped concrete, the concrete sealer will pool in the stamped areas as you're spraying it. While spraying sealer on your driveway, you'll need to periodically sweep the stamped areas with a concrete broom to push it out of the valleys and stop it from pooling. Use the broom to make sure the sealer is spread evenly across the surface of your driveway.

Once the concrete sealer has dried, your driveway will now be protected from water seeping into the surface. If you want your driveway to look glossier, you can apply an additional layer of sealer to the surface. This is normally recommended for a stamped concrete driveway since the glossy look helps the stamped design become more visible.

Overall, the most important part of sealing stamped concrete is to make sure that the sealer doesn't pool in the stamped areas. Excess sealer looks chalky when it dries, which can hurt the appearance of your driveway. If you don't feel comfortable making sure that the sealer is spread evenly across your driveway, call a concrete sealing service in your area and have them seal your driveway for you.

For more information on concrete sealing, contact a professional near you.

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