Unlike your home’s interior, your exterior floors, including your driveway, deck, patio, and walkways, are mostly uncovered and exposed to harsh weather conditions all year round. Unfortunately, few homeowners put enough care into their home’s outdoor floors. However, this area deserves as much attention as it usually deals with wear and tear over time. Aside from regular sweeping and scrubbing, you need proper maintenance to ensure they last long. The following tips can help you take good care of your exterior floors.
1. Introduce some shade
One of the best ways to maintain your outdoor floors is to provide some covering, especially during the summer months. For example, constant heat or extended exposure to sunlight can cause concrete floors to weaken and deteriorate. UV radiation can cause the polymers and bond chains that form the concrete structure to break down and weaken over time. That usually results in visible cracks and fine dust particles. Constant exposure can also damage wooden floors of decks and patios and cause fading or bleaching.
You can create a shade to prevent direct sun exposure and offer protection from other natural elements. Of course, it’s almost impossible to shade every area of your outdoor space, but you can focus on where you spend most of your outdoor time.
2. Consider weatherproof coating and sealants
You can find weatherproof coating for outdoor floors to protect them from moisture, stain, and UV damage. The coating or sealant type to choose depends on the flooring type. For example, you can opt for epoxy floor coating, which is good for outdoor concreting floors. Its durable and water-resistant nature will protect your floors from impacts and abrasions, prevent water penetration and reduce cracking. You can find water-and-stain-resistant sealants for wooden decks to protect against colour fading, rotting, and decay. Other outdoor areas may require different types of coating or protective paint. For example, if you own an outdoor pool, you can use swimming pool paint on most pool substrates, including concrete, fibreglass, marble sheen, and render.
3. Constantly check for and repair damages
Regular inspection plays a crucial role in any outdoor floor maintenance. Constantly monitor or inspect your external floors, looking for cracks, chips, and other damages. Whenever you notice any sign of damage, address it as quickly as possible to prevent it from worsening. For cracks and holes on concrete floors, a concrete patching compound can be very effective in filling them up. For rots and damages on wooden decks, your best option is to replace the wood in the damaged area. Also, watch for mould and mildew damage, especially in damp and shaded areas of your outdoor space.
4. Don’t use harsh cleaning products
Regular cleaning is still super important but don’t use harsh chemicals, regardless of the flooring type. While many commercial cleaners are on the market, most can leave stains and damage your floor’s integrity. Instead, invest in eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning solutions. They are as effective as commercial cleaners but less harsh. Not only will they clean your floors, but they’ll leave no chemical stains. Plus, they’re safe for the environment. If you need to use bleach to eliminate mould and fungus, dilute it first. Undiluted bleach can damage your floors. Even worse, it can create a toxic gas that might irritate your respiratory tract.