Once you’ve got your concrete winterized, you might think that there’s little more you need to do to it until spring to ensure its longevity. And to an extent, you’d be right—the whole purpose of winterization is to put your concrete into “hibernation,” so to speak, readying it for inevitable cold temperatures so it comes out looking sharp.

But without the proper care, typical wintertime chores can actually undo your prepwork, leaving your beloved decorative concrete exposed to the cold and snow. You do need to be conscientious as far as winter maintenance goes. Read on for a few tips from Creative Concrete, your New Brighton local concrete company.

In fact, don’t use them at all on a concrete structure if you care about its integrity. We know you need a slip-free concrete driveway, but many deicing products can actually let water into your concrete, even if they’re labeled to be safe to use for it. It can even cause bits of your concrete to flake off in a process known as scaling.

If you need traction, opt for cat litter or sand to give your wheels or shoe treads the extra grip. Of course, you could simply shovel your driveway before things get that bad, which brings us to our next point…

There’s no need to panic about snowfall on your stamped concrete; it’s a structure meant to be outside, after all! That being said, your concrete still requires that you keep it relatively free of snow and ice if you want it to look its best come spring. This is especially true when it comes to stamped concrete, as the freeze-thaw cycle of excessive ice can put strain on the designs.

Shoveling a driveway is pretty self-explanatory, simply requiring a bit of elbow grease, but there’s one thing to keep in mind: always use a plastic shovel, as their metal counterparts can do some major damage to your concrete.

Of course, sometimes it’s unavoidable—but if you own a concrete driveway, vehicle tires can put it at risk. Not thanks to what they support, but thanks to what they track in: deicers from asphalt roads. If you own a concrete garage floor, a simple garage mat placed inside can mean the difference between major issues and an easy transition into spring.

When you embrace the design possibilities of decorative concrete, you can take your home’s exterior to the next level—and we’re here to help. Give our New Brighton office a call today at 612-414-7932.