Late winter and early spring weather in Southeast Wisconsin is erratic at best. This year has been especially inconsistent, with temperatures reaching the mid-50s followed days later by winter storm warnings and inches of snow.

While these back-and-forth weather patterns leave us to wonder if temperatures will ever stabilize, the freeze-thaw cycles can wreak havoc on your concrete — whether it’s a Racine stamped concrete patio or a Milwaukee concrete driveway.

Freeze-thaw damage is caused when porous concrete absorbs water, which turns into ice in freezing temperatures. Because concrete isn’t flexible, it eventually chips and breaks as the water absorbed by concrete expands as it freezes. (It’s this expansion of freezing water that causes the potholes you are likely to experience on roadways in the late winter and spring.) Overtime, these chips and breaks can make your Racine stamped concrete unsightly.

While there isn’t much that can be done about the outside temperatures that affect the concrete, sealing your concrete can help protect it and slow the deterioration of your concrete from freeze-thaw cycles.

Another way to combat freeze-thaw cycles is to use deicing chemicals to reduce the freezing point of snow and rain in cold temperatures.

At Urban Concrete, we can seal your concrete and recommend the right de-icing product to reduce damage from free-thaw cycles. From Racine stamped concrete to Oak Creek stamped patio, we can helps reduce the wear and tear of winter and springtime weather on your concrete.

To learn more about the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on your concrete and how to protect it, contact us today.