Free checklist · printable

Keep your concrete looking new.

Concrete is tough, but it isn't maintenance-free. A little care on a schedule is the difference between a surface that looks great in ten years and one that's stained, spalled and cracking. This is the exact routine we hand our clients.

✓Cleaning routines for interior and exterior concrete.
✓Resealing intervals by surface, driveways, patios, polished floors, decorative finishes.
✓Freeze-thaw protection for North Georgia winters.
✓Crack & joint prevention and a fast spill-response guide.

1-page checklistPrint it, pin it, and never miss a reseal again.

ACArtistic ConstructionWoodstock · Est. 2003

Care & Maintenance
2026 Edition
artisticconstruction.biz

Owner's checklist

Concrete care & sealing schedule.

Work through these on the cadence shown for each item. Surfaces in heavy sun, traffic or salt exposure sit at the shorter end of every interval. When in doubt, the water test tells you: if water no longer beads on the surface, it's time to reseal.

Routine cleaning

Sweep or blow off grit, leaves and debris before they grind into the surface.Weekly

Rinse exterior flatwork; mop interior floors with a pH-neutral cleaner.Monthly

Deep clean, pressure-wash exterior, scrub-and-recoat interior polish guard.2× / year

Avoid de-icing salts and harsh acids. They pit and discolor concrete.Always

Resealing schedule, by surface

Driveways & exterior flatwork, penetrating or film-forming sealer.Every 2–3 yrs

Stamped & decorative exterior, film-forming sealer to keep color rich.Every 1–2 yrs

Exposed aggregate, reseal to lock pebbles and reduce dusting.Every 2–3 yrs

Polished interior floors, re-apply guard/burnish; densifier as needed.1–3 yrs

Stained concrete, topcoat sealer maintains depth and sheen.Every 1–2 yrs

Garage & shop floors, reseal high-wear lanes and oil-prone zones first.Every 1–2 yrs

Freeze-thaw & winter protection

Confirm sealer is intact before first freeze. Water in the surface is what cracks it.Fall

Keep joints & cracks sealed so meltwater can't get under the slab.Fall

Use sand, not salt for traction; plastic shovels over metal blades.Winter

Clear standing water and improve drainage away from slabs.Ongoing

Crack & joint prevention

Walk the surface, note new hairline cracks, lifting or settling.Annually

Re-caulk control & expansion joints with a flexible sealant.Every 2–3 yrs

Address active cracks early. Small repairs beat full re-pours.As needed

Spill & stain response

Blot spills fast. Oil, wine, rust and leaf tannins set quickly on unsealed concrete.Immediately

Use a poultice for set-in oil/grease; avoid wire brushes on decorative finishes.As needed

Touch up sealer anywhere you've scrubbed hard.After cleaning

The 30-second test.

Splash a little water on the surface. If it beads, your sealer is doing its job. If it soaks in and darkens the concrete, schedule a reseal. That's your early-warning system against stains, freeze damage and wear.

Want us to handle it?We clean, reseal and repair the concrete we (and others) pour across North Metro Atlanta. One call keeps it looking like the day it cured.

Schedule a reseal →