Moss growth is a common issue for external concrete floors, such as pathways and driveways, and can ruin the appearance of your concrete. Areas that are shaded and moist in nature are hot spots for moss to appear, with moss growing well in as little as 6 weeks.
Whilst there are plenty of solutions for ridding your concrete of moss, you can read our own blog on this very topic, there isn’t much information on prevention. Preventing the growth of moss can resolve issues before they arise, and keep your concrete flooring moss-free.
Ways to prevent moss growth
There are various ways of preventing moss growth, and all are very simple to do. Instead of going through the removal process, you can complete these easy steps to end moss growth on your concrete flooring.
Treat the concrete
Treating your external concrete flooring is especially effective after ridding the surface of moss. You can stop it from growing back by treating concrete with moss control products, which work to prevent and kill moss growth on concrete flooring. These treatments can also reduce risks by turning the concrete into a non-slip surface, as even a thin layer of moss can create a hazardous surface.
Maintaining the concrete is a simpler way of preventing moss growth, by keeping the concrete dry, exposed to sunlight and away from garden soil.
Reduce nearby greenery
Shaded or partly shaded areas encourage moss growth on external concrete surfaces. If there is greenery, such as trees or shrubbery, nearby that is casting a shadow on your concrete floor, consider cutting them back. Moss struggles to grow on areas constantly exposed to light, and by allowing sunlight to reach your concrete flooring, you will effectively prevent moss growth.
Reducing nearby greenery can also expose your concrete flooring to the wind. Should any areas become moist or damp, wind and sunlight can help dry out these sections and stop moss from growing.
Limit water
Moss growth excels on moist and damp areas of concrete flooring, and whilst it’s difficult to shelter concrete from the rain, there are other ways to prevent moss growth by limiting the amount of water that runs over this area. If there are external taps or sprinklers near the concrete flooring, ensure they either do not reach the concrete area or do not overflow onto it.
If you are struggling to keep your concrete flooring away from water, or if you often hose down this surface, keep the concrete exposed to sunlight and wind. This can help dry the concrete and prevent moss growth.
Keep soil away
If soil frequently makes its way onto your external concrete flooring, this can also encourage moss growth. Moss can grow in both acidic and alkaline soils and thrives in moist environments. To prevent moss growth on your concrete flooring, sweep away any soil that ends up on the concrete.
It may also be worth moving areas of soil away from external concrete flooring, to not only prevent moss growth but to make the maintenance of your concrete much simpler.
Oxfordshire Concrete Ltd. wants your concrete surfaces to remain moss free as long as possible. For more information on preventing moss growth, or if you are interested in external concrete flooring, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Oxcrete.