Checking In With Chelsea

DIY ideas, crafts, and tips for your home

subscribe and never miss a thing!

Receive Free Email Updates

  • About
  • Videos
  • Projects
    • Indoor Projects
    • Outdoor Projects
    • Craft Projects
  • House Tour
You are here: Home / Outdoor Projects / Low Maintenance Walkway

Low Maintenance Walkway

October 7, 2019 By Chelsea Lipford Wolf 6 Comments

How To Make Concrete Low Maintenance

Concrete Sidewalk After Cleaning and Applying Protecting Sealer

Sealing concrete can actually reduce how often you have to clean it!

Clean It Well

As I mentioned in my fireplace makeover video, my projects tend to snowball and get out of hand pretty quickly…well, that’s what happened here. We need to reapply some caulk and touch up paint on the railings and columns on our front porch. But you can’t paint dirty wood. So I decided to pressure wash the whole front porch. Then I thought while I have the pressure washer out, let me go ahead and clean the front walk. And then I’ll seal it too.

It’s been way too long since we cleaned our front walkway. At first I didn’t think it was that bad. That is until I actually cleaned it.😱

Concrete Sidewalk Before and After Pressure Power Washing

I used a simple electric pressure washer* (which I got for 20% off because the box was damaged!!🎉) and an attachment that can help clean faster and streak-free.

Power Washing Concrete Walkway with Electric Pressure Washer

(Full disclosure, the surface cleaner attachment I used was recommended for use with a 3200 PSI gas pressure washer. I figured it might not work as well with my 1600 PSI unit but wouldn’t hurt anything either.)

The surface cleaner did help make it a little faster, but I found myself going over the same spots a couple of times to get it fully clean. (You really have to be methodical since it’s hard to tell where you’ve cleaned when it’s wet.) And it makes you have to bend over more since you have to make contact with the surface. If you have more than a small front walkway like we do, I’d totally recommend getting one for regular cleanings! But since we only have this walkway leading up to our house that we could use it on, it’s probably not worth it if I didn’t already have access to one.

Seal with Waterproofer

Concrete gets stained not just from dirt and grime but from water. The older concrete gets, the more porous it gets. Water soaks in but doesn’t always leave, instead turning into mold!

So the best and easiest way to prevent it from getting moldy is to seal the concrete and keep it from soaking up water in the first place!

Masonry and Concrete Waterproofing Sealer and Chemical Sprayer

The masonry waterproofing sealer* I used cleans up with water so I applied it with a chemical sprayer. It can also be brushed or rolled on, depending on your surface and personal preference!

Add 2 Coats

Seriously, all you have to do is lightly coat your surface, going in one direction. It soaks in/dries in less than 10 minutes and then you’re able to apply a second coat.

Front Sidewalk After Applying Sealer

Make sure your second coat goes in the opposite direction of your first coat. Let it dry before walking on it and don’t apply so much that it puddles.

Concrete Sidewalk After Cleaning and Applying Protecting Sealer

That’s it! Now your concrete will repel water and stop getting dirty so fast. If only there was a product that worked for keeping toddlers clean too!😆

Speaking of toddlers. I asked Gus to ‘help’ me photograph the finished sidewalk. I wanted to capture his cute little toes on the clean concrete. But instead he was looking at the camera and saying cheese!

Gus Little Boy Smiling Concrete Front Walkway

These kiddos continue to surprise me with their understanding and exploration of the world, crazy ideas, and love for being silly!

Toddler Boy Toes on Concrete Sidewalk

And now I’m thankful for one less chore to have to keep up with which means more time rolling in the grass with my little loves!

Concrete Walkway Leading Up to House After Cleaning and Sealing for Curb Appeal

I’m always looking for ways to reduce the maintenance around our house! I want to spend my time ‘moving forward’ on new projects, not maintaining ‘old projects’. So if you have any other hacks to reduce upkeep inside or outside the home, I’d love to hear them! Please share in the comments to inspire us all!

Thanks for Checking In! ~Chelsea

*This post may contain affiliate links*

Subscribe for Free Updates!

Stay up-to-date on Chelsea's latest projects, tips, useful resources and more.

Previous Post
Cozy Curb Appeal 4 Ways
Next Post
3 Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Related Content

Brick Retaining Wall How to Waterproof and PaintWaterproofing Vertical Masonry WallBaby Toddler Helping Paint Iron Handrails on 1950s Ranch HomeHow to Update Rusty Iron HandrailsDining Room View from Living Room Ready to SellHow to Sell Your House Fast and CheapRear View of Tan Vinyl House and Wood DeckHow to Refresh Your Wood Deck for a New Look

Comments

  1. Connie Pledger says

    March 29, 2020 at 9:43 am

    Hi Chelsea,
    My husband and I would like to build a patio with steps using pavers, do you offer step by step instructions on how to install a patio that will have two steps?
    Thank you in advance for your help.
    Connie and Guy

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lipford Wolf says

      April 6, 2020 at 9:43 am

      Hi Connie! I do not have a video on my site, but we do over at TodaysHomeowner.com! Here are 2: https://todayshomeowner.com/video/tips-for-laying-a-paver-patio/
      https://todayshomeowner.com/video/patio-pavers/

      Hope that helps you with your project! ~Chelsea

      Reply
  2. Kate says

    July 16, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    Chelsea
    The pink color with white lettering is incredible difficult to read. Can you change the color so old eyes can read the areas on your site?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lipford Wolf says

      July 20, 2020 at 2:53 pm

      Thank you for your feedback. I will look into it! ~Chelsea

      Reply
  3. Elaine T Rutledge-Beuk says

    March 10, 2021 at 5:24 am

    This is a great project! We will be pouring a concrete walkway – now…it will also be sealed!

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lipford Wolf says

      April 1, 2021 at 9:55 am

      You’ll need to wait 28 days after the concrete is poured before sealing! But you’ll definitely want to keep it looking fresh!😎 ~Chelsea

      Reply

Please Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome!

I’m Chelsea. DIY
enthusiast who loves
sharing my victories
and mishaps!
Learn more
here.

CHECK IN WITH CHELSEA ON INSTAGRAM

Ask me how I know😑Whether you’re doing a smal Ask me how I know😑Whether you’re doing a small patch or a whole room, this drywall sanding hack will keep the dust at bay and keep the rest of your house looking good😎
.
.
#drywall #diyhack #tipsandtricks
A Spring Break to remember! Thanks to CeeCee and P A Spring Break to remember! Thanks to CeeCee and Pop Daddy for bringing the Wolfpack along on vacation! A long travel day ahead of us but it’s always worth it to spend time with family and get some r&r.☀️😴 Happy weekend!
9 years!✨Brandon and I will be celebrating 9 yea 9 years!✨Brandon and I will be celebrating 9 years of marriage this week. And how perfect we were invited to a wedding tonight walking distance from our home.🥰Sometimes reality is better than the movies and this weekend is one of those times. Enjoy, friends!☀️
What else do you use paper plates for besides eati What else do you use paper plates for besides eating?? Spray paint onto a paper plate and dab a small paint brush to do spot touch ups! Life hack when you’re working on a project but don’t need to paint the whole surface!👏🏻
.
.
#lifehack #diyhacks #spraypainting #painttips #paintprep #paintpro #shutters #craftsman #1940style
Didn’t mean for this to be #ASMR but here we are Didn’t mean for this to be #ASMR but here we are!🤷🏼‍♀️ I bought this orchid 15 months ago to use the flowers in our hair for my sister’s wedding. I’ve already repotted it once and it’s bloomed 3-4 times! Time to do it again with a pretty new pot that matches our new kitchen cabinets!🤩
.
.
Steps to repot an orchid:
1-large pot without drainage holes
2-plastic pot slightly smaller with holes
3-trim if needed so plastic pot is at or below outside pot
4-add layer of orchid specific potting mix (it looks like bark!)
5-add orchid, fill in around roots with more bark- don’t forget to add some mix under the leaves!
6-to water, soak bark and fill up outside pot, rinse the leaves too!
7-let sit for 5-10 minutes, then drain and dry the outside of your pot.
8-set in place and enjoy!🌷
New laundry, who dis? Our laundry room was a BLANK New laundry, who dis? Our laundry room was a BLANK slate after the kitchen renovation left it reconfigured too. So Dad and I tackled simple projects that make this space functional and of course visually pleasing too!👏🏻The full project airs this weekend on @todayshomeowner!
.
.
I love that the cabinets and hardware match what we have in the kitchen since the spaces are right next to each other! Synergy!
.
.
What do you love about your laundry room?
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Indoor Projects Outdoor Projects Craft Projects
Facebook Pagelike Widget
  • Contact
  • FAQs
  • Advertise with Chelsea
  • Media
  • Today’s Homeowner

Search This Site

Receive Free Updates Via Email

Copyright © 2023 Checking in With Chelsea • All Rights Reserved