With winter right around the corner we wanted to provide some information on how to properly care for your concrete through the winter months.
1. Avoid Using Deicers the First Year. Concrete
takes a while to reach its maximum strength. While some deicers,
such as salt, do not chemically react with the concrete, they
do increase the number of freeze/thaw cycles the concrete must
go through. This has the potential of damaging the concrete
until it has reached its maximum strength.
2. Use Sand Anytime. The only safe material
to use to make the concrete surface skid resistant is plain
sand. This can be purchased at several locations, frequently
at the ready mixed concrete supplier in your area.
3. Don't Use Deicers With Ammonium Nitrate or Ammonium
Sulfate. Never use deicers containing ammonium sulfate
or ammonium nitrate. These chemicals are often packaged and
sold as deicers, but they will rapidly disintegrate concrete.
Common garden fertilizers containing these two chemicals, or
urea, may cause disintegration as well.
4. Use a Sealer. Under usual conditions, deicers
which contain sodium chloride (common salt) or calcium chloride
may be used after the first winter. Even so, caution is needed.
It is important that a surface sealer be applied after finishing.
Check with your ready mix supplier or contractor for sealers.