Sidewalk tiles in winter – maintenance rules

Paving tile care rules for winter and summer

Quality paving tiles can last for decades. However, with increased loads, frequent exposure to moisture or corrosive substances, it can quickly fail. To extend the life of paving tiles, you need to clean their surface regularly.

Why is it important to take care of paving tiles?

Annual weather events, track cleaning chemicals, dirt, chemicals, and weeds can all cause paving stones to deteriorate quickly. It loses its appearance. Cracks and rips appear on the tiles. The material takes risks and crumbles. Add to that the daily heavy load, and the service life of paving stone decreases by an order of magnitude.

Interesting! On the physical properties of the tiles, among other things, depends on the correctness of its laying. If the material violates the technology, it will fail faster.

Timely maintenance of tiles avoids three problems:

1. Economically. The average price for laying 1 m/sqm (6 cm) is in the range of 800 to 1000 rubles. For an area of 100 sq/m we get 80 000 rubles. With proper care, the material lasts 2-2,5 times longer. More tangibly.
2. Traumatic. Tiles with ice or ice can be a potential threat to human health. You can slip on it, crumple or break a leg. Someone will be responsible for all of these injuries.
3. Aesthetic. Clean sidewalk tiles look beautiful. It’s nice to walk on.

It doesn’t matter if the tiles are in a private place or in the city. It needs to be cleaned regularly.

How often should paving stones be cleaned?

If you do city beautification, there are several things to look out for:

1. Full of snow. When there is snow in your area. In late spring, do a comprehensive surface cleaning. From mid-April to early May. This way you can remove all the joints from the dirt that has accumulated over the winter.
2. End of warm season. The second comprehensive cleaning, which takes place before the first snow in late fall. The tiles are prepared for the cold season. It is cleaned of dirt, leaves, small twigs and other debris.
3. Heavy flooding or precipitation. In the spring and summer in different regions of Russia there are floods and heavy downpours. They often flood sidewalks. After the water collects on the paving stones, a lot of dirt and debris is left behind. Cleaning the surface is required.
4. Construction work being done on or near the sidewalk. Local cleanup that needs to be done, such as after excavation on a public road. Typically, construction workers fill floors and sidewalks with clay. They should be removed as soon as all the work is finished.

Usually 2 difficult areas are enough for late winter or fall. They prepare the surface for the change of season. At the same time, paving stones are not only fixed, but also clean the joints, and in some cases they are washed.

Information! Of course, paving stones should be cleaned regularly in winter. Especially after heavy snowfalls.

Care after laying paving tiles. Basic rules

Paving stones are not only contaminated by soil, dirt, or small debris. They absorb materials such as gasoline, oil, soot, or other caustic substances. In doing so, it changes its color. Sometimes tiles can lose their performance. Therefore, it is important to clean in a timely manner and not to delay it.

Important: One method of cleaning tiles is to wash them with water from a hose. However, this procedure can damage the surface. Water under pressure can crumble the material or flush the joints between the paving stones. Do not use special nozzles that increase water pressure in the hose.

Standard cleaning is done with regular brushes with plastic or polypropylene brushes. The surface is cleaned manually, also special mechanized devices are used. Machines wet the surface with water and remove dirt with a rotating brush.

Water repellents are used to increase the life of the tiles. These are special products that are applied to the paving stone surface immediately after installation. Hydrophobization helps the tiles retain their physical properties. In summer it diverts water and prevents moisture from penetrating into the upper layers. The procedure is also suitable for the winter period, if meltwater is constantly present on the surface of the material.

Interesting! Surely many people have already seen tile fragments on the sidewalk. The material is plastic. As if the top layer has been removed from the paving stone. This situation can often be seen after the winter detour. The problem of spalling lies in moisture. Melt water penetrates the upper layers of the tiles during the day and freezes at night. A hydraulic breakdown takes place. The top layer breaks down. That’s why it is so important to cover paving stones with water repellents.

Various stains and deposits can form on the surface. They can be removed with special agents:

1. Wysoly. White stains, which can be seen both in winter and summer. They are mainly caused by aggressive chemicals used in winter to clean sidewalks. White stains are washed away with chemicals based on hydrochloric acid or carbonate compounds.
2. Mildew Another frequent “wound” that affects the porous structure of tiles. In this case, the surface is treated with a bleach or bleaching solution. The place with mold is poured with the substance for 5-10 minutes, and then washed off with clean water. Brushes are not recommended! If the mold has not dissolved from the first time, repeat the process.
3. Cement. Here we are talking about dried up “spits” of mortar. They are often found after construction work on the construction site. You can only remove a piece of concrete mechanically. Take a hammer and chisel and gently tap on the spit. You can straighten the blow from above and knock off small chunks. Concrete stain is removed with a solution of baking soda or ammonia. It is applied to the damaged area with a brush and then washed off with plenty of water.
4. Traces of engine oil or gasoline. Very often drivers drive onto the sidewalk. In this case, the hood is over the tiles. When the car is parked, oil, gasoline or other caustic substances can leak out. If the trail is fresh, it can be removed in two steps. First, sand it down, then pick it up by hand. Second, sprinkle with baking powder and wash the stain with soapy water (a regular dishwasher will suffice).

Soot and fumes can be removed with soap lather and a simple soft cloth.

Important: Chewing gum and paint can be removed from the surface with a spatula-Irly® knife. The residue can be wiped off with an ordinary brush with stiff metal bristles.

Cleaning and protecting tiles in the winter

Tiles require special attention in the winter. And here it is important to adhere to several rules, so as not to damage the surface:

1. Use plastic or wooden shovels to remove snow. Metal Soviet shovels or rough brushes are not suitable! Choose modern cleaning tools.
2. Use mild chemicals without salt to remove ice. You need to choose a different chemistry for each type of pavement. Be sure to share this point with the salesperson at the store. Ask to choose a reagent for the type of cobblestones.
3. Perform a hydrophobation procedure. This substance is applied immediately after tile installation, but it can lose its properties over time. Perform the re-treatment after the tiles have been cleaned extensively in the fall.

When cleaning in the winter, take the snow out of town to special landfills or throw it away from the sidewalk. For example, on flowerbeds or lawns. Try to avoid getting melted water on the surface of paving stones.

Peculiarities of care in summer

During the warm season, there is another problem that is often forgotten. This is weeds. Vegetation breaks through joints and seams. It can damage the structure of the sidewalk. In order to prevent such situations, it is necessary to put an underlayment of:

• geotextile;
• Wet newspaper.

The carpet pad is laid at the stage of laying. It does not allow the root system of weeds to sprout. The plant will die without time.

prevention

Preventive measures include:

1. Regular cleaning of tiles by hand (mechanical) or water during the summer.
2. Cleaning dirt after heavy rains, flooding.
3. Treating joints and seams with a hose in the summer. This is how you can wash out weed seeds in the street.
4. Additional hydrophobic protection before the winter season.
5. DIRECT SNOW DESELTING IN WINTER. Don’t wait for the snow mass to build up a crust.

When choosing cleaning agents, always check with the dealer. Evaluate the condition of the pavement and only then choose cleaning methods.

Porcelain stoneware in winter

To ensure the convenience of pedestrians in settlements, the organization of areas where paving tiles are used to cover the roadway.

To ensure the convenience of pedestrians, the organization of zones in settlements, where paving tiles are used to cover the surface. Beautiful design of tiles in the warm season pleases the eyes of others. With the onset of the cold season, paving tiles as a construction material has a special demolition procedure. It is the natural factors of winter weather that can affect pavers. Failure to comply with basic maintenance norms will cause paving tiles to fall into disrepair and lose their aesthetic appearance with the onset of the new warm season.

As you know, paving tiles are made of porous concrete material. During operation, the pores of concrete get clogged with dirt, dust, appear inclusions of fatty components. The main “enemy” for paving tiles is water. During the winter, water turns into ice, thereby expanding the pores of paving tiles, where moisture has remained since the fall. This kind of expansion format causes the tiles to develop cracks, chips and other negative factors.

Is it possible to protect paving tiles from possible damage?

It is impossible to completely exclude the penetration of moisture on the tiles, but it is possible to minimize the penetration of moisture into the structure of aerated concrete. For this purpose, special compositions called hydrophobisers are used. Universal composition includes a silicone base with organic additives. The component has the ability to prevent the penetration of moisture into the concrete without clogging the pores. Today in the market you can find waterproofing from domestic and foreign manufacturers. Depending on the brand and structure of the component, you can choose a composition suitable for a particular type of paving stone. In practice, this is done by street craftsmen. During the first laying, specialists treat the surface with the specified composition. Repeated treatment is recommended after 10-15 years.

Options for cleaning tiles from snow and ice

Often you can observe such a picture, as in settlements they thoughtlessly remove snow and ice from the tiles with ordinary hand tools. Many use a crowbar and shovel for this purpose, damaging the tiles themselves. Many believe that they have “cleanly” removed the ice without damaging the tiles themselves. This is a mistaken belief. Visually, you have not damaged the tiles, but as a result of the impact of the heavy mechanism in the paving tiles themselves form cracks that eventually make themselves felt.

If you do not have the opportunity to buy expensive winter tools for the care of tiles, you can use a classic broom, wooden tools – shovel or scraper, or tools on a plastic basis for cleaning snow and ice. A snowblower can be an ideal option for cleaning. Such equipment minimizes damage to the tiles and can keep the building material safe for the upcoming use season.

The use of de-icing agents is also allowed. However, the composition must be chosen carefully, otherwise there is a risk that the strong chemical components of the reagent will lead to the destruction of the concrete base of the paving tiles. Please note that snow removal from paving slabs should not be done on an ad hoc basis, but after each heavy snowfall. Even if there is little precipitation, the pavement must be cleared of snow, because otherwise there is a risk of compaction of snow across the surface, which is the result of natural accumulation.

Tile installation is a responsible and challenging task. We recommend treating the paving tiles at the initial stage in order to avoid damage to the top layer of construction materials during the winter.

How to properly care for paving in winter

Falling ambient temperatures lead to the formation of ice and heavy snowfall. Many people are still faced with the problem of cleaning their home areas. In many homes, the main sidewalk for sidewalks is asphalt. But while various methods of dealing with snow and ice have been developed for asphalt, things are much more complicated with paving stones. To cope with ice for asphalt, metal scrapers, crowbars, shovels, ice axes and other devices are used. Very often a “thrifty” material is used to deal with people – salt. However, the above tools are unacceptable for cleaning sidewalks and pedestrian areas paved with paving slabs. The use of the above tools will definitely damage the paving tiles. The result will be premature wear and tear of the pavement and even the appearance of injury-prone areas.

What the rules should be

The main enemies to paving tiles are snow and ice. However, given the peculiarities of our climate, you have to take it easy with snow deposits and ice. Even if you never clean the area in winter, gentle problems can arise with the onset of the first sunny days – the paving tiles will swell, layered and safe. Improper pavement maintenance in winter, or no cleaning at all, means that the life of the building materials company is reduced by several times. It is not uncommon when the first winter was excessively frosty and the owner did not remove the snow and ice, and in the spring the paving slabs had to be dismantled because they were completely unsuitable for further use. How to deal with ice in the winter season, and whether in this case you can use ordinary salt?

The specifics of cleaning has a number of features that the owner of the road should be aware of.

1. If the ice is allowed for an asphalt road, it is strictly forbidden to lay paving tiles. Once there is enough “fight” with the ice axe, you can safely replace the paving tiles in the spring. Crumpling, skiing is just the tip of the iceberg of the result of negligent pavement maintenance.
2. If finances don’t allow you to purchase expensive snow removal equipment, always clean the pavement with a wooden or plastic shovel. In principle, there should be no metal tools.
3. It is necessary to free the track from snow not only during a heavy snowfall, but also when there is a little snow. Here you can use an ordinary broom, both plastic and on branches.
4. Large areas are expensive to clean. As a rule, special equipment is used for this purpose, which has protection on the wheels, so as not to damage the road surface.
5. Sand mixture is designed to clean only asphalt. This is not the best option for paving tiles. Using a mixed mixture will cause problems with high quality pavement in the future. The initial hydrophobic treatment is destroyed by the inconsistency of the chemical components.

A better option would be to use such reagents to combat people that do not contain salt at all. Now the industry produces such compositions, but you still have to carefully study the instructions, as not all streets can create the specified mixture to combat the ice.

How not to worry about recreation in the winter season

What experts pay attention to when dealing with snow and ice during the winter season. Below we give the rules that indicate what not to do when maintaining the street in the winter season, if the usual paving tiles are used.

1. Under no circumstances should you eat ice cream. It is forbidden to use metal tools and use the “planting” method, which means that in the spring, when you leave the ice cream, many people put a metal tool that “pulls” the base of the ice under the melted ice cream. This way you can pull the tiles out or at best damage the top layer.
2. Use metal tools only for asphalt. For sidewalk, metal objects cause inevitable damage to the surface.
3. Salt reagents or those with salt additives. Remember that tile is treated with a hydrophobic agent from the beginning. Salt is a basic compound that fights all kinds of negative factors all year round. Only use compounds where there is no salt.
4. chemicals. Some people think that ordinary chemicals won’t damage the tiles. Yes, the top layer is not damaged, but the color scheme acquires a different shade. Often there have been cases where red tiles after treatment with chemicals turned into gray, black, stained, etc. Chemicals can only be used by those who do not stain tiles. The result of staining can be seen as early as the first warm season.

hydrophobization

This is the only method to date, which does not lead to the destruction of the tiles, protects the coating from precipitation and is able to withstand sharp temperature fluctuations. However, if you don’t remove snow and ice from the residue at all during the winter, hydrophobizing will be useless. At best, if you don’t remove snow, the tiles will last 4 years. If you remember to remove snow and ice, however, the hydrophobic composition of the tiles will extend the life of the paving pieces. The minimum term is 8 years, the maximum is about 15-17 years. Hydrophobic agents prevent the pores of concrete from collapsing and reduce the risk of cracking from moisture.

Advantages of using hydrophobic products

All hydrophobic compositions on the market have a number of advantages.

1. With proper care of the tile, the hydrophobizer increases the service life of the building material up to 15-17 years.
2. The composition prevents the penetration of pores in the concrete base for the pavement material.
3. The risk of natural stains and so-called magic spells is reduced.
4. Significant, but not the main factors in counteracting the effects of frost.
5. The tile layer has the property of “roughness”, which adds to the attractiveness of the design style.
6. With proper care in the winter, it is easily cleared of ice and snow.
7. Attractive appearance by creating a “wet stone” effect.

These are the main advantages of hydrophobisers for paving slabs.

What other products protect the sidewalk

In addition to hydrophobic agents, it is recommended to periodically treat the tiles with other compositions. This allows you to prepare the track for the difficult winter season of operation of the roadway.

1. Special decorative coatings. Compounds that provide additional design shade to the tiles and maintain the properties of the material during the winter.
2. cleaning compounds. These compositions are recommended for use in spring or autumn, which allows you to prepare the substrate for the winter period of operation.
3. Antifungal compositions. Since the presence of microorganisms is a natural stage in the operation of the road, additional antifungal protection increases the basic characteristics of the paving.

However, only hydrophobization can qualitatively prepare the tiles for sharp temperature changes and protect them from possible dissolution from ice and snow. Popular brands of waterproofing compositions include brands Tiprom, Ceresit, Impregnat Dry and Voka. The task of the consumer is to study the complex composition of the product and treat the paved surface. As a result, it is possible to protect paving tiles from the effects of weather vagaries during the winter. It is recommended to study the rules of use of hydrophobisers and periodically treat an additional step to increase the required minimum duration of operation of the road surface. Before using the composition, take into account the climatic conditions of your region, as each type of product is designed for the criterion of exposure to ambient temperature.