Winter is just around the corner. With long-range forecasts all over the place for Maryland and Northern Virginia, it’s best to prepare your home, yard, and even your patio pavers. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The Farmer’s Almanac, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac all indicate there are equal chances our area will have colder than normal temperatures and higher than normal precipitation. Or, there may be warmer than normal temperatures with less precipitation.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see what we actually get in the way of ice and snow. But it’s a good idea to go ahead and get a plastic shovel now while there’s not a snowflake to be seen. Why? Let’s take a look.
After you shovel or use the snowblower on your walkways and driveway, it’s important to shovel your patio. If it’s just a dusting of snow, you can use a push broom to sweep it away. But if snow is accumulating, it’s a good idea to shovel it off your patio pavers.
By removing the snow, you reduce the likelihood that melting snow will let the water trickle into the porous surface of your pavers, where it can then freeze overnight. This freeze-thaw cycle can damage your pavers. Use a plastic shovel rather than a metal one to avoid scraping and scratching or even chipping natural stone and patio pavers.
Pro tip: that plastic shovel is also the perfect tool for shoveling snow off your deck or even your inground pool winter safety cover.
We can get a lot of ice in the wintertime, which presents a safety hazard. Plan now to get a salt-free de-icing product or sand. That’s because salt is abrasive, and can damage your patio pavers. It also exacerbates the whole freeze-thaw cycle issue that can lead to cracking. Salt-free products and sand give you the traction you need without causing damage.
Even when there isn’t any snow or ice to worry about, you should plan on using a push broom to sweep fallen leaves and twigs off your patio so they don’t have a chance to stain it. If you see any moss growing in shady areas, dislodge that and sweep it away as well.
As soon as the weather is warm enough, you’ll want to clean and seal your patio if you didn’t seal it last fall. Or if you’ve been thinking about upgrading your patio, now is a great time to start planning for that. Contractors are often less busy this time of year. So, you should be able to get several design consultations and select who you want to work with relatively quickly.
If you’re looking to extend an existing paver patio, or you have an older stamped concrete patio or concrete slab that is cracked, uneven, or just plain ugly, we can help. We offer custom patio design and installation throughout the Capital Region, including Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia.
If you have a high-end home but your outdoor living space leaves something to be desired, call 301.720.1000 or use the contact form to set up a consultation. We are now booking for 2022 patios, inground pools, outdoor kitchens, and other outdoor living projects. We take your vision and turn it into reality. Check out our Portfolio for examples of our work.
