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Many people do not even think about maintaining their concrete patios, but the fact is that cleaning concrete patios, especially those that have been stamped and colored, is a task that should be performed regularly just like any other home chore. How frequently you perform these tasks depends on how much foot traffic the area receives, as well as the elements to which the patio has been exposed.

Here are a few tips to help you preserve patios made of concrete in Santa Rosa, CA long into the future:

• Rinse off debris: This is the task that can be performed the most frequently. If your patio is starting to get caked with dirt and debris, simply rinse it off. This ensures there will be less of a chance of the debris eating into the sealant or into the concrete itself, which leads to stains.
• Use soap: If you notice there are spots in your patio that aren’t coming off with a simple rinse, you can actually use soap to help get those spots out. A small amount of liquid dishwashing detergent can go a long way toward removing stubborn grime from the surface of a patio. Once the soap and water has been applied, scrub over the area in question with a push broom, which has just the right amount of friction to pull up the material causing the spot.
• Use pressure washers: For even more embedded stains, you can use a pressure washer. Make sure you completely understand how to use the tool and the settings that you should put it on—the last thing you want is to completely ruin your patio. Pressure washers, when used correctly, are outstanding tools for cleaning exterior surfaces on the ground or on buildings.
• Reseal regularly: If you have a sealed concrete patio, a good general rule of thumb is to reseal the surface every two or three years. If you wait any longer, the colors of the sealant will begin to fade. However, sealant should only be applied if the air temperature is over 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Surface temperature of the patio, meanwhile, should be under 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, your best bet is to reseal the patio in slightly cooler spring and fall temperatures, or in the morning or evening in the summer months. Apply multiple coats as needed to get the best possible results when resealing.
• Use the right tools: When you reseal your patio, you should only do so using a 1” nap roller. An anti-skid material will not transfer through a sprayer. Additionally, you should focus on resealing small sections at a time. Try starting off with two foot by four foot sections. This will ensure you will not miss a spot while working.

Excellent patio maintenance can keep your patio looking great for many years to come. For more information about the steps needed to accomplish patio maintenance tasks, contact Sikes Asphalt Group Inc. with your questions about concrete in Santa Rosa, CA.

If you own a commercial business property with an attached parking lot, that parking area could be costing you more money than you realize over the course of the fiscal year. In fact, it might have such a cost impact on your business that it might actually be cheaper to have an asphalt contractor in Santa Rosa, CA come out and implement repairs than it is to sit idly by and do nothing! Take a look at what we’re talking about:

Paying for parking

Is your parking area a source of revenue for your establishment? If you charge for parking, it might be in your best interest to have a contractor come to refinish your lot. Here’s why:

If you have X number of spaces, but they’re not striped for optimal placement or parking accommodations, you could be losing out on the revenue from more potential parking customers. For example, if your lot has 50 spaces, but has the capacity for 60 when striped appropriately, you’re effectively losing the revenue of 10 customers per day.

In this same vein, it’s important to consider adding accommodations to your parking lot if you’re currently paying for employees to park elsewhere. Using the example above, if you’re paying for 10 employees to park elsewhere each day, you might recoup that cost and save money by investing in parking lot repaving and restriping to accommodate them.

Avoiding damages

Let’s say you’re parking fleet vehicles or company cars in your lot. Your business is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of these vehicles, right? Well, if they’re driving over potholes, ditches or bumps in the asphalt, you’re going to see wear and tear quicker and to a higher degree.

An asphalt contractor in Santa Rosa, CA can help you pave your lot flat and perfect, to avoid these unnecessary damages and wear, to keep your vehicle in better shape for longer, thus costing you less in maintenance and repair fees.

Fines and fees

Has your lot kept up with municipal regulations over the years? A lot can change in the ten years since your lot was paved and striped, meaning you might be in violation of city terms.

Do you have ADA-compliant striping? Is the grading of your lot up to code? Do you have any hazards in the asphalt from lack of maintenance? Fines and fees can accumulate from all of these things
and will end up costing you money over time—money that’s saved by repaving and re-striping.

Call a contractor today

You might scoff at the idea of shelling out the money to hire an asphalt contractor in Santa Rosa, CA when you think you have a perfectly good parking lot… but when you consider the condition of your lot and the costs outlined above, you might want to reconsider your hesitation. An asphalt professional could be your key to saving money or even making more money when it comes to revitalizing the condition of your parking lot.

Driveways can make a big statement when people pull up in front of your home. A high-quality, well-kept driveway can add a sense of luxury and style, while a poorly maintained, cracked driveway can cheapen the entire look of your home.

Therefore, it’s important to do some in-depth planning before you actually pour your concrete or asphalt. With that in mind, here are some driveway planning tips from a paving contractor in Santa Rosa, CA:

• Go for curb appeal: If you can swing it, a unique design and great curb appeal can be tremendous factors in adding value to your home. You might not even have to pull out your entire existing driveway to accomplish this. A concrete driveway already in place could have a decorative pattern cut into it, or be stained strategically for an enhanced appearance.
• Consider your size: You may need to check in with your local Building and Safety office to determine if there are any sizing codes you need to follow while planning your driveway. If you have the space, it’s recommended to have between 18-20 feet of length for each car or truck you own, and 22-24 feet for full pickups. In terms of width, plan for 10 feet wide per vehicle, and wider if possible to make it easier to walk around vehicles that are parked in the driveway.
• Turnaround area: If possible in your space, you can try to implement a turnaround area. This is especially handy for longer driveways, so people do not have to back all the way down. In a turnaround area, a car should have more than enough space to get clear of the garage before turning downward. Generally this will be approximately 10 feet wide by 12 to 14 feet deep, and slightly longer for vehicles with extended cabs.
• Walkways: Part of your driveway plan should be determining exactly where your walkways will begin and end. You should be able to seamlessly transition from the driveway into the walkway and make it as convenient as possible for getting to your house.
• Materials: Some people prefer to line a driveway with brick. Some people go with simple blacktop. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that the job is done well so that it looks like a high-quality driveway. This means clear, straight edges, an even surface and a generally aesthetically pleasing view.
• Pay attention to the bottom of the driveway: The last thing you want is for your vehicles (or your guests’ vehicles) to constantly bottom out every time they reach the end of your driveway. Make sure you have taken the time to plan out proper grading and drainage for the area to prevent this from occurring.

Like any construction project, a great plan is the first step to a great product. For more information, reach out to a paving contractor in Santa Rosa, CA. Sikes Asphalt Group Inc. is happy to answer any questions you have about our services.

Is there anything as beautiful as the freshly finished façade of new asphalt? The uniform black surface that’s seamless and even, stretching from finished to end without so much as an imperfection—it’s truly a sight to behold! But it doesn’t always last long—before you know it, cracks, divots and undulations appear and over time, that once-seamless surface becomes a minefield. It doesn’t have to be that way, though!

If you’re enjoying freshly-paved asphalt in Santa Rosa, CA, remember that there are things you can do to ensure the longevity of that surface and, in turn, a higher return on your investment. Take a look at five core things that will extend the life of your asphalt, to keep it looking great:

• The first and foremost secret to a sustainable asphalt surface is cleanliness. It might seem impossible to keep your parking lot clear of debris or your driveway free of fluid leaks, but it’s imperative that you try, for the sake of your asphalt. At least make an effort to sweep away debris on a regular basis, before moisture and the elements use it against your asphalt.
• Water is going to be one of the biggest detractors of your asphalt, which makes ensuring proper drainage one of the paramount duties in keeping it looking great. Make sure drains are unblocked and accommodating, while also keeping an eye on the grading of the surface, to calculate drainage paths and keep them free of any obstructions.
• Invest in sealcoating every few years, to protect the integrity of your asphalt in Santa Rosa, CA. Sealcoating will stave off cracks, renew the resilience of the surface and prevent cracks from forming via the UV abuse your asphalt is bound to take. Have an asphalt contractor evaluate your asphalt every few years to recommend the proper sealcoating schedule.
• Patch any cracks that form immediately! Cracking is inevitable when it comes to asphalt—especially in hot, humid California conditions. As soon as you see a crack begin to form, have a professional patch and seal it straightaway, to prevent it from getting bigger or worse, to prevent weed growth from coming up or moisture from going down.
• Control the wear and tear your asphalt is seeing by regulating it as a driving surface. Set lower speed limits if applicable (parking lots and private driveways) or weight limits (trucks vs. heavy machinery vs. oversized loads) to reduce the abuse the surface is likely to see.

With adherence to the tips above and a little luck, you’ll be able to preserve the integrity and allure of your freshly paved asphalt in Santa Rosa, CA for longer than you realize! And, not only will the above tips keep it looking great, they’ll also extend its lifespan and keep its resilience high, which will save you money in repair and maintenance costs in the long run. Give them a try today and give yourself a pat on the back for your diligence!