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.
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.
Our recommendation ranges from as low as 3,000 PSI to as high as 4,000 PSI.
Use Larger Pressure Washers for Concrete
There's no doubt that electric pressure washers from 1,300 to 2,300 psi can wash a concrete driveway, but it'll take longer. If you have a large driveway with lots of stains, you'll want more power to do the job faster.
To clean concrete effectively, use a power washer with a pressure rating of at least 3000 psi and a flow rate of at least 4 gallons per minute (gpm).
A 4000 PSI pressure washer is ideal for heavy equipment, concrete surfaces, brick walls, construction sites, stripping paint and lifting oil stains. Again, a 4000 PSI pressure washer should not be used on house siding; 4000 PSI is strong enough to cause some serious damage!
5,000 PSI. Used in special construction applications, including some large-scale commercial and industrial properties, 5,000 PSI can withstand heavy impact and extreme wear and tear.
A medium-duty pressure washer is strong enough to blast greasy, grimy stains from residential areas. Homeowners can safely clean sidewalks, concrete driveways, decking, and siding with a 2,000 to 3,000 PSI washer.
The quick answer is yes, power washing can degrade a concrete surface.
Most people believe that concrete is solid and almost invincible. However, using a pressure washer with the incorrect tip or using too much pressure or a combination of the two can etch concrete.
The concrete curing time takes about 28 days to be fully cured. Differences in weather, mix, and other items can slightly change the timeframe of the curing period. The general rule of thumb for concrete drying is 28 days to dry for every 1 inch of slab thickness.
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.
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.
Your pressure washer should have a minimum pressure rating of 3000 psi to effectively clean your sidewalk. There are a few situations where a higher pressure rating might be needed, but exterior cleaning experts all agree and recommend that 3000 psi is appropriate for residential use.
Powerful pressure washers with too much PSI will damage concrete when power washing. Most residential driveways require no more than 3000 to 3500 PSI for proper and thorough concrete washing. Heavy-duty commercial pressure washers and other power washing equipment are too strong for the average residential driveway!
You can power wash concrete all year as long as the temperature is about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Most homeowners and businesses prefer to do it in the spring or summer to reduce the spread and growth of algae and mold. It also reduces pollen, which can affect allergies.
An effective pressure wash cleans the pores of your concrete. Make sure to apply concrete sealer after pressure washing.
Any machine capable of producing at least 1,500 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure can clean concrete, but the work will go much faster if you choose a model producing 2,500 to 3,000 psi, like the gas-powered option below.
The RYOBI 1800 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer is the perfect powerful yet portable option to get the job done. This pressure washer is ideal for light duty applications like cleaning small driveways, sidewalks, decks, windows, patio furniture, campers, bikes, boats, and many other recreational applications.
Domestic vs Industrial or Professional Pressure Cleaner
If your pressure cleaner only goes up to 1500 psi at maximum, you can still clean your driveway. However, take note that it may take a little longer and more effort, and there may be some dirt and stains it will not get out.
PSI 6000 can be used for any application requiring concrete in a minimum thickness of 50 mm (2”), such as slabs, footings, steps, columns, walls and patios. Each - 25 kg (55 lb) bag of QUIKRETE® PSI 6000 will yield approximately 12.2 L (0.43 cu ft) of mixed concrete.
It is estimated that a 50-story structure with 4-foot diameter columns using 4000 psi concrete can reduce column diameters by approximately 33% by using 8000 psi concrete (Peterman). High –strength concrete is occasionally used in the construction of highway bridges.
High strength concrete is being used in many high-rise apartment and office buildings. In this case, high strength means 9000 psi (62.0 MPa).