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Moved To A Home With Oil On The Carport's Concrete? Repair It With These Tips

If you just moved to a home with oil stains on the carport's concrete, you probably want to remove it fast. If the oil penetrates the surfaces below the concrete, it can eventually cause nicks, cracks and other damages in the material. In addition, oil stains make your carport look unattractive, which may affect the value of your property. You can remove the oil and repair the concrete with the tips below.

Purchase the Right Supplies

To do the job right, you need to purchase a number of supplies, including a bag of ready-mixed concrete, several metal spatulas and sealant. Ready-mixed concrete is the easiest type of concrete to use because you only need to add water to form concrete. You can find the product at a home and gardening store for convenience. You should purchase a large bag of mix to ensure that you have enough to repair the carport. You can always store the leftovers in a cool, dry garage or shed. 

You also need a wide-bristled broom made with straw to remove fine particles of dirt, pebbles and other debris from the concrete. Obtain a long water hose with a high-powered nozzle to blast away any residue that the broom missed. Now, you're ready to begin.

Prepare the Carport's Concrete

You want to spend at least one hour cleaning and preparing the carport's concrete before you apply the mixture. Here's what you do:

1. Use the broom to sweep off the carport. Be sure to clean the areas around the carport's wooden or concrete posts thoroughly. You don't want dirt and debris to blow back onto the concrete during the next step.
2. Use the water hose to wash off the concrete. For stubborn areas of oil, pour 1 cup of degreaser on them, then wait one hour for it to fade away the oil stains.
3. Dry the carport with a large circulating fan or carpet blower. You don't want the concrete to air-dry, because it takes longer to do so. In addition, debris has time to blow onto the wet concrete and form mud.

After the concrete dries, move to the final step.

Repair the Carport's Concrete

Follow the instructions on the ready-mixed concrete's packaging to mix it. You can place the mixture into a large paint bucket for convenience, then pour the right amount of water into it. Make sure that the bucket is clean and free of old paint.

Next, follow these steps:

1. Fill one large container with cool water, then wet one of your spatulas with the water.
2. Dip the wet spatula into the concrete mixture. Try to remove as much concrete as you can with the spatula. Because concrete dries fast, you want to cover as much of the carport's concrete surface as you can each time you apply the mixture.
3. Choose a starting point at the back of the carport, then spread the concrete mixture across the surface. You want to work toward the house to avoid walking over the wet concrete and leaving behind footprints and dirt.
4. Wet a second spatula with clean water from the container to smooth out the newly applied concrete. You don't want the concrete to dry with bumps and other problems that can damage your car's tires or attract debris.
5. Refill the concrete mixture as needed and complete all steps until you finish the carport.

You want to give the carport at least two or three days to dry. Afterward, coat the concrete with sealant to protect it against future oil stains and other problems. 

If you run into problems repairing your carport's concrete or need additional services to repair it, contact a contractor that specialize in concrete construction by Foothills Concrete Construction Ltd for assistance.