Concrete Cleaning & Sealing
Learn how cleaning your concrete can help restore its original appearance, and sealing it can help protect it from damage for years to come.
Concrete is one of the biggest investments you can make in your home, so keeping it looking nice and maintaining it is important. But how exactly do you go about preserving your concrete’s looks and preventing surface damage?
Concrete maintenance comes in many different forms, but cleaning and sealing your concrete is a surefire way to upkeep its beauty, strength, and durability.
At A-1 Concrete Leveling, the core of what we do is provide the most cost-effective and long-term solution for preserving your concrete.
We’ve made this our goal for over 30 years, and we know that providing cleaning and sealing services is a great way to achieve it.
This guide will walk you through the basics of concrete cleaning and sealing, then discuss how long it takes, who it is good for, and how pricing is calculated.
What is concrete cleaning and sealing?
Concrete cleaning is done by using pressure washers or power washers to remove dirt, oil stains, mold growth, and other grime from the surface. Cleaning concrete can improve its curb appeal, enhance its longevity, and prepare the surface for sealer.
Concrete sealing is the act of applying a sealing product to your concrete that creates a hydrophobic water barrier which causes water and other liquids to turn into droplets on the surface. The water then quickly dries or runs off the concrete slab instead of soaking into its pores.
Why is concrete cleaning and sealing important?
Cleaning and sealing your concrete has many benefits, but the most important is its ability to protect the concrete from damage by creating a barrier that prevents water and other materials from being absorbed into the concrete’s pores.
This can help cleaning and sealing protect your concrete from the following:
- Salt damage
- Freeze-thaw damage
- Surface spalling or pitting
- Internal cracking
- Oil stains and deterioration
- Mold growth
Read more about what cleaning and sealing can protect your concrete from.
How much does concrete cleaning and sealing cost?
Because the cost of living, materials, and labor varies across the country, each franchise may have slightly different prices for concrete cleaning and sealing. To see a pricing example for concrete cleaning and sealing in Louisville, Kentucky, click the link below.
A Guide to Cleaning and Sealing: Louisville, Kentucky
A general rule of thumb is that cleaning and sealing cost increases by the square footage of the area being serviced. The higher square footage of the area needing to be cleaned and sealed means more time and material will be needed to complete the job, making it more expensive.
Who is a good fit for concrete cleaning and sealing?
Anyone who wants to protect their concrete and has not had their concrete sealed in the last several years is a great candidate for concrete cleaning and sealing.
Cleaning and sealing is also ideal for someone who is serious about taking care of what they have and want it to look as good as possible for as long as possible.
Check out: “Reasons Why Concrete Cleaning & Sealing Is Right For You (And Why Maybe It’s Not)”
How long does it take to clean and seal concrete?
The time it takes to properly power wash and seal concrete varies greatly, but a typical cleaning and sealing job at A-1 Concrete Leveling takes between 1 and 3 days. Factors that influence the time it takes include the surface area of the concrete, geography, physical obstacles, weather, stains, and traffic, to name a few.
The majority of the time dedicated to cleaning and sealing will be spent prepping the area and power washing. Once this is finished, the concrete must be dry before the sealer can be applied. Once the sealer has been applied, you will be unable to walk or drive on the concrete for 24 hours.
The A-1 Concrete Leveling Cleaning & Sealing Process
Here at A-1 Concrete Leveling, we use 4,000+ PSI power washers with rotating attachments to clean concrete. The rotating attachments evenly distribute water across the surface, making it easier to remove buildup and helping reduce the likelihood of streaking.
If your concrete has cracks, we can caulk them after the concrete has been power washed. Caulking cracks and breaks helps prevent further damage to your concrete from water, freeze-thaw cycles, and other factors.
After the concrete is clean, completely dry, and any cracks are caulked, we apply a penetrating sealer to the surface of the concrete with pressurized sprayers, ensuring an even coating.
Next Steps
After learning all about concrete cleaning and sealing, you’re ready to decide if it’s something you’re interested in for preserving your concrete.
At A-1 Concrete Leveling, our goal is to make sure you’re satisfied with your concrete, and we know that concrete cleaning and sealing is a cost-effective and long-term solution for achieving that goal.
If you’re interested in learning more about cleaning and sealing or getting a free estimate for any of our other services, click the link below to get connected to an A-1 Concrete Leveling team member!
A-1
FT WAYNE / MUNCIE
Featured Team Member
Very Good Mudjacking Experience: we needed mudjacking of garage and porch, and got 4 quotes. Alan (owner) was the only one of the quotes who actually spent time sounding the concrete with a ball, and truly trying to figure out the voids and their cause. He came up with a more detailed plan-- thinner mud, etc, and his quote was more transparent-- he charges by the truck of mud pumped in, flat rate. Others estimated that our job would need only 1 truck, but Alan at A-1 was more accurate in the estimate and thought it would be up to 3 trucks. The result was that A1's quote was both more accurate and a better deal. His team is awesome, they even put a tarp under their entire truck so absolutlely nothing falls on your drive, and they drilled extra holes to be sure they got all the voids, and were friendly. Afterwards it appeared that they had mopped the site-- even the dust from the drill was gone. It was nice to have a contractor who did the job they way they would do it for a family member or friend-- clean, thorough, professional. I really appreciated them taking the time to drill extra holes to ensure complete fill-- that will save me from having surprises in the future.