How to protect your concrete pavement for this winter
16 September 2021
The weather is still nice and warm, winter seems far away, but there is no escaping it, the cold, snow and ice will return. Once the cold season has set in, a few precautions should be taken to ensure that your concrete pavement remains safe and in good condition as long as possible. The following blog post will answer your questions about protecting your concrete paver from the harsh winter weather.
Prune shrubs and bushes
One of the first things you should do is trim back shrubs and bushes. In order to reduce moss growth caused by a lack of light, it is important to cut back the branches of shrubs or bushes that are close to your concrete paver. This action will reduce the amount of shade and therefore prevent moss from proliferating.
Remove bulky objects
The freezing and thawing of the soil are responsible for the expansion phenomenon. This causes your concrete paver to move up and then down. It is therefore recommended to remove heavy objects such as exterior supplies to preserve the good condition of your paving and to avoid accentuating the deformation of your paving. This is a simple action that will save you a lot of trouble.
Reduce ice build-up near eavestroughs
It is very important to direct the water flowing through the downspouts as far away as possible from your concrete paving to avoid creating stagnant water accumulation on it. To do this, you can use a downspout extension, which will reduce the creation of ice patches and make your paving less slippery and safer.
Add polymer sand
Adding stabilizing sand to areas where spring erosion has emptied the joints between tiles (if any) will reduce the amount of ice that will form between tiles over the winter. Ice can damage concrete pavement, especially if it forms at the intersection of tiles, as it can expand and cause the tiles to shift.
Remove snow
It is also important to remove the snow that accumulates on your concrete paving. Use a plastic shovel to avoid damaging the pavement. Call a snow removal company if necessary and make sure they have the right equipment. Once again, the snow that accumulates can weigh heavily on the concrete pavement. Removing it will prevent breakage and premature wear.
At any time, and it’s even better if it’s before winter, if you have questions about the maintenance of your concrete pavement or about what to do to protect it from winter, don’t hesitate to contact professionals who will be able to guide you and advise you so that you can find your concrete pavement in the best possible condition when the weather returns.
