Four Easy Ways To Maintain Your Patio
If your patio looks a little worse for wear, you might be thinking of hiring a professional to do the heavy concrete lifting & leveling, but professionals cost money and take time to organize, so why not carry out the task on your own – it’s far cheaper and surprisingly easy.
Clean the Patio
Unless you clean your patio regularly and seal it properly, water and grime can become embedded in the stone and cause it to become slippery and dangerous. Improper maintenance can also cause your paving to crack or shift, meaning the patio has a shorter lifespan.
The good news is it’s easy to clean your patio regularly and maintain it for the long term; all you have to do is sweep it weekly and weed out the moss that grows in the cracks. Now and then, it’s a good idea to scrub the patio with a brush instead of simply washing it with a water bucket.
Repair the Patio
Over time patio slabs crack and subside, which might be due to the way they were installed, the material type, or the weather conditions in your area. Either way, you might think it’s difficult to carry out a repair and therefore leave it to worsen in the winter, but this is unnecessary.
Simply repair the patio with a few helpful DIY tricks and ensure it’s stable for years to come. Use a pickaxe for concrete lifting & leveling and remove any loose or broken slabs. The cause of subsidence is usually down to irregular foundations that you can refill with sharp sand.
Level the Patio
Most issues with patios are a result of poor or faulty foundations, but these can be repaired with effective concrete lifting & leveling techniques. First, lift the slabs and put them to one side, or else prepare the ground for a new patio; if you’re ready to install one, use a pickaxe to lift.
Next, you have to create an even surface for the slabs to lay on; this is done by pounding wooden stakes into the ground a few inches inside the perimeter of the sand. String twine between the stakes to make sure they’re level, then fill the area with sand and use a spirit level.
Seal the Patio
It’s important to seal your patio, especially if it’s made from natural stone or porcelain. These materials are more porous than concrete and wood, so precipitation can cause it to crack; it can also make it more slippy to walk on, posing a danger to family and friends – but sealing is easy.
To seal your patio, you need to get the right sealant for the stone and the weather conditions. Choose from the wet-look sealant or the dry-look sealant. When you have the product, wash the paving and ensure it’s free from debris; use sealant on a small area first before extending it.
To sum up
Looking after a garden patio is easier than you might think; even lifting the stones and repairing the foundations can be done by an amateur in an afternoon. There’s no reason for you to have a cracked or broken patio or one that’s dangerous to walk on; help it to last for many years.