Concrete Patio Contractors in Santa Ana, CA

Great question!

There are five key things to do if you want your concrete patio to hold up for years to come.

1. Clean your concrete - It can be counterintuitive to sweep outdoors, we know. But once a week, you should sweep any dirt and debris from the surface of your concrete patio. You may also use a garden hose--not a power washer--to hose off any dirt or debris.

2. Avoid using harsh chemicals - You'll definitely want to avoid using certain chemicals on your concrete patio. The sealer will be important for its ability to endure outdoors, and certain chemicals can eat through the sealer and damage the concrete.

3. Remove stains immediately - The best thing to do is to clean up stains and spills from your concrete as soon as they happen. This will rpevent discoloration and staining from occuring, which will maintain the aesthetics of your concrete. 

4.  Limit the weight - It's a common misconception that because concrete is such a heavy and durable material, it can hold up to just about anything. But just like concrete driveways aren't equipped to handle the weight of heavy machinery, you'll also have to keep your eye on the amount of weight you put on your patio.

5. Fix cracks ASAP - Even with the best maintenance, concrete can develop small fractures and cracks over time. If you notice this, please contact TruForm Concrete Specialists right away. If they increase in size, they will weaken the concrete, increasing the likelihood of total failure.

If you opted for a stamped or exposed concrete patio, you'll want to wait until the surface has been pressure washed and sealed before walking on it. So after the new concrete has been poured, we recommend to wait another two days just to be on the safe side before introducing foot traffic to the patio.

You'll want to protect your new slab of concrete for as long as possible, so although you can walk on the patio after a couple days, you'll want to wait at least 10 days before adding furniture to your patio.

As a rule of thumb, a concrete patio slab will take 5-7 days to completely cure. What's ironic, though, is that while you're waiting for the patio to dry, you'll have to keep it wet. While the curing process is underway, you'll want to keep the slab wet at all times with garden sprinklers or a hose, making sure it never dries out all the way during the curing period.