Flagstone Driveway Maintenance
Flagstone driveways come in different designs and their beauty is incomparable. Flagstone is made of sedimentary rocks split and bound together with cement. The binding agent is allows for it to be customized into different colors. Owners of these driveways are usually the envy of their neighbors. Flagstone is quarried in specific areas and thus might be expensive for people who live far away from the quarries due to shipping costs.
Flagstone paving is expensive and labor intensive. Thus it is important to exercise proper maintenance to ensure that it lasts for as long as is necessary.
MAINTAINING FLAGSTONE DRIVEWAYS
Maintaining flagstone driveways is not hard. Scrub them with hot water, soap and a brush at least once a month. Rinse with a high power nozzle. This will keep the stone looking as good as new. This is one of the advantages of flagstone. It tends to retain its beauty over a long period of time unlike concrete and asphalt. The color of flagstone does not wash off or fade with time.
For stains, purchase the cleaning products that are specifically designed to do that for flagstone driveways. Most of these products contain chemicals such as muriatic acid, so wear gloves and masks when using them. Also, use the recommended amount when cleaning since too much can make the product look worse.
FLAGSTONE DRIVEWAYS
Flagstone driveways should be sealed after installation so as to prevent water stains especially in areas where the water contains minerals or is alkaline. The sealer will cover the pores and repel spills. When choosing sealers, ensure that you don’t go for those with a glossy finish. This is because they compromise on the natural beauty of stone. The best choice is an acrylic sealer with matte finish. You can do the sealing annually to ensure that the driveway’s beauty does not fade.
Repairing damaged bits of flagstone driveways is easy because it is installed in pieces. Thus if there is a crack or stain, you just have to remove the stone that is damaged and replace it. This saves you the hustle of having to redo the entire patio.
STONE SHIFTING
When the stones shift, you can lift them and add more sand to the space underneath. This applies for stones that have been installed without mortar shift. For the those installed with mortar shift, re-grouting is necessary when there has been damage by freezing. You have to remove the failing mortar and replace it with a fresh mortar.
If you live in cold regions, you may spend hours shoveling your driveways during winter. In modern day, homeowners are investing in driveway heating systems to keep their pavements warm and melt the snow instead of letting it pile up on the surface. Snow melting systems can be a good investment to help maintain your driveways in good condition during winter. In addition to the systems, you can also use portable heated driveway mats. With heated floors or floor heating, you reduce the need to use snow removal chemicals that damage driveways and the environment.
