Five Patio Maintenance Concerns During Fall

Home patios seem to really shine their best during the fall, most likely due to the vibrant colors, cooler atmosphere and shorter days. On the other hand, fall can pose a few problems for one’s patio, including a pile of leaves, overgrown weeds, stained surfaces and other things of the like. Check out these five great fall patio maintenance tips to get the patio looking back to its best.

1. Weed Removal

During the spring and summer, weeds grow at their fastest rate, leaving a mess in the patio by the time fall comes around. Fortunately, a majority of these weeds should die off by the first frost. Better yet, spray some weed killer to prevent future weeds from growing. However, don’t wait until then, as removing the weeds now will leave room for an awesome autumn patio.

2. Damage and Misalignment Repair

Continuous freezing and thawing in the fall may cause bricks and other hardscape material to warp. A permanent fix for this would be to create a solid border around the perimeter. This way, the ground won’t have any room to move and warp. This border can be constructed out of strong wooden planks. Shattered bricks, on the other hand, will need to be replaced entirely.

3. Surface Cleaning

Because leaves drop most during the fall, all surfaces, including concrete floors, become stained in a matter of weeks. In some cases, moss may develop. Fortunately, a solution of bleach and water will kill all algae and other fungus. As far as dirt stains go, a strong solution of water and soap should do the job. For really heavy stains, one can use a strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid. Do be careful with this stuff though, as it’s really corrosive.

4. Filling the Gaps

This fall patio maintenance tip goes together with the weed cleaning tip, due to the fact that grown weeds tend to leave gaps between bricks and other concrete structures. However, this can easily be fixed by filling in these gasps with either concrete or some other filler. Fortunately, there are plenty of gap fillers on the market today to choose from.

5. Sealing

Sealing will go a very long way in preventing future damage to concrete and brick floors. Adding an acrylic sealer to a cement floor will prevent all water from seeping in, effectively preventing damage caused by freezing. On top of that, it will block UV rays from the sun.

Verdict

There are plenty more things that one can do to improve the appearance of their fall patio. However, following just these five fall patio maintenance tips will make a drastic difference in the overall appearance of one’s patio. Above all, make sure that these tips are done well before winter starts, as it’s very hard to do any maintenance during the harsh winter. If you’re worried about your property prep for fall give us a call at Twin Oaks Landscape.