MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Protecting your decorative concrete surface

Ongoing maintenance

Concrete surfaces need to be cleaned and resealed periodically as they tend to take a beating. Regular maintenance is required to keep these surfaces looking as good as they do today for many years to come.

Daily care of the concrete

• Keep clean – remove mud, dirt and gravel

• Avoid excessive ingress dirt

• Immediately clean and remove oil, grease, petrol and paint stains

• Excessive leaf and organic litter may stain surface

• Dragging heavy items may damage the surface

• Avoid driving on surface with rocks in tyres

• Avoid static turning or turning the wheels whilst the car is idle

• Soft compound tyres commonly leave rubber or skid marks on the pavement

• Avoid using a turbo head pressure washer as this can damage the surface

Whilst doing lawn maintenance

To avoid damaging your sealed surface:

• Be careful when using a whipper snipper not to damage the edges of the sealed area

• Ensure blades of the lawn mower are high enough to clear the surface

• Wash off any overthrown garden/lawn fertilizers from the surface

• Place soft pads under outdoor table and chair legs to avoid dragging and scratching on the surface

Avoid

• Acid, solvent and chlorine based cleaners

• Petrol and methylated spirits will mark the surface

• Excessive loads of 3 tonnes or over may cause pavement cracking

Resealing of pavement

(Resealing coats will increase slip hazards on smooth/steep/wet areas. Slip resistant additives or crushed glass will need to be used)

Dulux Avista Sealers shine for a short period then dull down into a matt appearance, which is natural looking and assists with the ingress of dirt by making the pavement easier to clean.

Prior to sealing, pressure wash and clean the concrete with a neutral cleaner or a mild truck wash. When the pavement is thoroughly dry apply a thin even coat of Dulux Avista Sealer using a paint roller. Allow sealer to dry for 3 days prior to parking on pavement.

Warning

Sealers turn white if exposed to water, moisture or cold temperatures whilst the sealer is curing.

This is a chemical reaction and not a surface residue. The whitening must be chemically treated to correct and can’t be washed off the surface. If this occurs when you reseal, contact Dulux Avista Customer Service Team on 1800 801 108 for further instructions and assistance.

If unsure about the resealing process, employ a professional.

Concrete cracking

Unfortunately, when all requirements of the Australian Standards have been met and control joints are in place, the concrete could still crack.

These cracks are unrelated to the decorative surface and are due to the nature of the concrete.

A lot of cracking is major with repairs often being quite difficult. There is also no guarantee that the cracks won’t reappear in future.

Major cracking is wider than 1.5mm, so a good measure is if you can fit a 5 cent piece in the void, your concrete surface may need further inspection.