Give your concrete some time to cure and settle before you hit it with a pressure washer, or start with soft washing and progress as the concrete ages. The concrete should not be cleaned with high pressure until about 3 years. That gives the concrete time to completely age.
If your concrete has been newly poured, make sure to wait until it has fully cured. The curing process, if done correctly, typically takes around thirty days to properly dry and set to its full strength.
The quick answer is yes, power washing can degrade a concrete surface. You can notice visible damage from water pressure at the level at which even light-duty power washers can operate. Therefore, if you aren't careful, you can cause irreversible damage to your driveway or patio.
Yes, because a pressure washer is 30-80 times stronger than your hose, it can cause damage if used improperly. If your concrete becomes etched during the pressure wash, you should stop before causing further damage and reduce the pressure.
The curing of the concrete and the drying of the acid stain are critical. For newly installed concrete, a minimum of 14 days of cure time is required, preferably 21 before an acid stain is applied. Once cured, you can use an acid stain. After the stain is applied, allow it to dry for at least 24 hours.
Medium Duty 2000-2800 PSI
This classification ranges from as low as 2,000 PSI to as high as 2,800 PSI. You can use a medium-duty pressure washer for almost any surface. They're great for cleaning concrete, brick, and wood.
While pressurized water can be enough to clean your driveway, cleaning agents such as soap or detergent help loosen up all the dirt, grime, and grease. They're also great for targeting stubborn stains. Choose a cleaning agent that is specifically made for your driveway pressure washer.
Simply fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar (or water and baking soda), and add a little bit of liquid dish detergent. Spray the mixture on your concrete surface and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then scrub and rinse your concrete.
Properly curing your concrete improves strength, durability, water tightness, and resistance for many years. The first 7 days after installation you should spray the slab with water 5-10 times per day, or as often as possible. Once the concrete is poured the curing process begins immediately.
Moist curing is a common method of concrete curing. It involves wetting the concrete slab often with water (5-7 times per day) for the first 7 days. This method ensures your concrete slab will be extremely strong and durable, because it allows the moisture to evaporate slowly, preventing cracks and shrinks.
Keeping concrete moist is essential to the concrete curing process, but too much water and the concrete may not form in the way it needs to.
How long does four to six inches of concrete take to cure? As stated previously, concrete takes approximately 26-30 days to reach its full strength. If the concrete is professionally poured and floated, the curing process should be sound and ensure proper hardening of the concrete base.
The hardening, or curing, continues as long as moisture remains in the concrete. If too much water is lost from the concrete through evaporation, the hardening process slows down or ceases.
Concrete cleaning calls for powerful pressure washers featuring high pressure levels of 3000 PSI. However, if you will be using the power cleaner to maintain a range of surfaces in addition to concrete, choose one with adjustable pressure levels and set it to about 3000 PSI when you need to clean concrete.
A recipient of the Safer Choice label, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can be used in pressure washers and on all washable surfaces, and easily removes tough dirt and grime without the use of caustic chemicals.
If you want to clean your driveway quickly and efficiently, use a pressure washer of at least 3100 PSI. Using pressure washers with pressures ranging from 1000 to 2300 PSI will also help you clean your driveway, but it will take a long time.
Our recommendation ranges from as low as 3,000 PSI to as high as 4,000 PSI.
Generally, you'll want your concrete driveway pressure washed at least once a year. This lets you treat sunbaked dirt, grime buildup, and stubborn oil stains, making regular cleaning in between professional washes much more manageable. Of course, you can always schedule extra pressure washing services as needed.
Concrete and asphalt require more cleaning power. You'll want to use the turbo nozzle on the 1600 PSI for hard-to-clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios as well as brick paving. For wood decks and painted surfaces, switch to the gentler 40-degree nozzle.
Initial Setting Times for Concrete
At seven days, you should have concrete that is cured to 70% full strength or greater. But to answer the question of, “How long does concrete take to set?” concrete setting time is generally 24 to 48 hours.
After pouring and finishing the slab, you should wait 24-48 hours before removing concrete forms. You can remove the formwork once the concrete has enough strength to keep it from cracking. Concrete naturally contracts as it cures, so it should pull away from the forms and make them easier to remove.
Hot water is not always needed to clean concrete. In some cases, it may not make much of a difference at all. But there are times when the difference is night and day. Shop floors, parking garages, fuel filling stations and drive thru's will almost always be cleaner when power washed with high temperature water.