Curbing After Care

Keep children and pets away from you new borders for at least 24 hours. The concrete will be “hard” to the touch after 24 hours however it requires a full 28 days to for concrete to completely cure. This is especially true if we are experiencing a period of damp or humid weather.

If it rains within 4-8 hours after completion of your install you may want to cover your curbing/borders with plastic (painters drop cloth). Make sure that sprinkler systems do not come on for 24 hours after we complete your install. Irrigation, backwash from pools and heavy rain could damage the border during the first 24 hours.

It is not necessary to spray your curbing/borders with water with the chemical additives we use in our concrete mixes, one of them is used to slow down the evaporation process in turn gives you a stronger curb. You may water your lawn after 24 hrs after completion of your curbing install. It is strongly suggested the first time you turn your sprinklers on to observe the water hitting the curb to insure it is not damaging the surface of your new curbing/borders.

You may resume your landscaping project with sod laying, sprinkler work, filling you flowerbeds with topsoil, mulch, flowers ect. and any other work can be started 24 hrs after completion of your curbing/borders. Caution must be taken as shovels, picks and wheelbarrows will damage your new curbing/border. If you have a landscape contractor working for you, caution him about protecting your new curbing/borders from damage. If you are going to be using wheelbarrows to move dirt, rock, mulch over your new curbing/borders, build a mound of dirt over it (6” deep x 12″ wide) or build a ramp over the border to keep the weight from damaging the curbing/border. Never allow a lawn tractor, maintenance tractor or truck to run over the border.

Once in a while curbing will look “splotchy” for a few days while it is curing. This is normal as concrete cures and is not to be confused with efflorescence. Concrete is darker in color when first installed and will lighten as it dries. It will take approximately 28 days to fully cure.

Efflorescence (white chalk like substance) in cooler temperatures, only noticeable in colored curbing/borders can appear on occasion and don’t look good on curbing. We experience little to none of this, because we address this with the use of chemical additives. A solution of 50/50 vinegar and water with a light brushing will remove the efflorescence. You may have to do this a few times, eventually, the efflorescence should go away.

If your curbing/borders becomes damaged we will come back to make necessary repairs however, there is a $450.00 minimum charge for this service. An exact estimate will be prepared after we have had a chance to evaluate the damage. Repairs are difficult to make in colored concrete, a perfect color matches are almost impossible to achieve. If the damage area is minor, it is advisable to leave it alone because the repair in most cases will be more noticeable then the problem “the cure is worse than the ill”. A hairline crack is much less noticeable than a patch or discoloration in your curbing/border.

When curbing is installed as a retrofit (grass already in place), there will be a small amount of concrete on the ground between the grass and the curb. It is very difficult to remove concrete when it is wet. After the 24 hr curing period it can easily be picked up and thrown away. Since we have not included a return trip in the price of our curbing to do this, we ask that you take a few minutes to remove any excess concrete. This will allow your grass to grow back against the curb.

Your landscape curbing has a 1 year warranty against defects in workmanship. It will be replaced at no charge if the defect is caused by the materials used or improper installation by our workmen. Our warranty does not cover damage as a result of tree roots, ground movement or soil settlement. If curbs are against walkways or driveways there is no warranty on the borders due to the inherent movement of walkways and driveways.

Your new curbing/borders (if colored) will be sealed with a high gloss sealer to enhance the colors it also has UV inhibitors to protect the colors in your curbing/borders from fading. This is a process you will need to repeat at a minimum of every other year but we recommend doing this once a year in the spring to insure your curbing looks great for years to come, and if done in the spring you know it will look great all season long.