A brick patio contractor will definitely agree that brick patios are among the most gorgeous features a house could ever have. However, trying to maintain it throughout the snowy winters and harsh sun is a must if you like your patio to look great. Brick is a porous material, and this means it can absorb water. Water soaking into bricks can make it crumble and crack during thawing and freezing.

The salt you are using during winter season for melting the ice off the brick walkway can make the bricks deteriorate. This can result to absorption of water, and create problems with mold and algae in the bricks. To help ensure that the bricks will last much longer, below are simple maintenance tips you have to keep in mind.

Add Some Color

When your bricks are worn or faded, you can use a sealant containing a color tint. It doesn’t matter if you like to coordinate the color with the rest of your house or revive its color, there is a sealer product and acrylic silicone stain which can offer protection against weather and add a splash of vibrant color to the patio.

Remove the Weeds

Although you can spend a small amount applying weed killer on the patio for keeping the weeds from growing between bricks, this will not only harm the environment, for it can also be not an extremely effective solution. A more effective method is to seal the bricks using a water-based sealer.

You can start through power-washing your patio to get rid of any debris. When your bricks have rust marks as a result of your patio furniture or have been stained, you can clean these before sealing with the use of some amount of muriatic acid.  Bricks with cracks must be replaced or repaired before sealing. You can level these out through adding sand if required. Spray two coats of the water based sealant you can find in home improvement stores.

Specialty Coatings

When you have a patio or deck which tends to get slippery or ice when wet, go for a slip-resistant coating as it will help waterproof all bricks if you like to protect them from water. Whatever coating you select, don’t forget to do some prep work before coating. If you are not too confident that you can do it on your own, you can always get the help of a patio contractor. LaGrass