What is concrete restoration?

 Concrete lasts forever, right? After all, there are still concrete buildings and aqueducts from ancient Rome that are with us today. 

But concrete doesn’t really last forever. Concrete is durable and long-lasting, but it does require maintenance and care if you’re going to keep it structurally sound and looking good. 

What if that maintenance has been ignored? Or what if that maintenance has been done, but the concrete is so old that it’s still showing wear and tear?

That’s where concrete restoration comes in.

Restoration is not just repair

If you’re getting concrete restored, that doesn’t just mean it’s getting repaired structurally. It’s getting a complete facelift as well. Concrete that’s been restored has not only been made safe and sound, but beautiful as well. Restoration is less expensive than new construction and makes your concrete look like it’s new again.

Why restore concrete?

Restoration is important for keeping your concrete structure sound. Older concrete can crack and let moisture in, and this causes problems with the rebar used for reinforcement. Rusting rebar inside the concrete can exert significant force as it expands, which breaks apart the concrete from the inside. This is obviously a huge problem. It’s not always apparent from the outside to the untrained eye either. Small cracks and spalling can be indicative of much bigger problems.

The basics of concrete restoration

Restoration includes many different techniques. Some of the things you might see happen in a restoration job include coating or cleaning of the structural rebar inside the concrete, waterproofing and corrosion-inhibitor coatings on the concrete surface, and sealing of concrete cracks. You might also see full replacement of sections of concrete and expansion joints.

When the job is finished, your concrete will look like new again. It will function like new too, with none of the weaknesses that come with age and poor maintenance. Concrete restoration is essential to the health of any structure. Don’t neglect it—make your concrete new again.