How To Prep Patios, Protect Driveways, And Choose Colors For A Better Spring

What Outdoor Requests Do You Typically See The Most This Time Of Year?

Spring doesn’t just change the weather—it changes what you see every time you pull into the driveway or step onto the porch. We dig into the projects homeowners rush to first as temperatures rise: patio resurfacing, pool deck traction, garage floor upgrades, and the overlooked hero of curb appeal—driveway protection. With Colorado’s fast melt-and-freeze cycles, we explain how to plan for quick weather windows, choose systems that actually last, and avoid the summer scheduling crunch.

We share why quartz broadcast finishes earn their place on porches and pool decks, how subtle earth tones like tan and gray complement stone and landscaping, and what to consider if your concrete needs repairs before color. For garages, we talk epoxy and polyaspartic options, plus the real-world logistics of clearing the space. Temporary storage, including a mobile cargo trailer, makes it easier to knock out a one to two day install without turning your life upside down.

Driveways deserve special attention. Road salts and magnesium chloride quietly eat away at unprotected concrete, leading to pitting and scaling. We break down why penetrating sealers outperform film-formers on driveways, how they chemically fortify the slab from within, and why the right treatment can deliver years of low-maintenance protection. And for play, we cover pickleball and basketball courts: traction-tuned acrylic systems, accurate measurements, and custom color schemes that mirror your favorite team while still handling sun, snow, and heavy use.

If you’re eyeing a spring refresh, now is the time to plan. Get ahead of the rush, protect the places you park, play, and gather, and choose coatings that look great and perform through every season. Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe, share the episode with a neighbor, and leave a quick review so more homeowners can find practical tips that actually work.

To learn more about Mile High Coatings visit:
https://www.MileHighCoatings.com
Mile High Coatings
970-314-1023 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Welcome to the Mile High Coatings Podcast, where we elevate your spaces to a new peak in quality. Hosted by David Naniga, president of Mile High Coatings, this podcast explores how expert residential painting, concrete coatings, and epoxy flooring can transform garages, basements, patios, and commercial spaces across Colorado's front range. So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and dive into the world of high-quality coatings.

SPEAKER_00 0:35

As warm weather approaches, homeowners start shifting their attention outdoors, and the requests we see this time of year tell a clear story about what people want refreshed first. Welcome everyone.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Thanks. Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm glad to be here.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Yeah, it's nice to get to talk about this topic. I'm sure you're really busy. So, what outdoor requests do you typically see the most this time of year as we get close to spring?

Popular Patio And Pool Deck Coatings

Mild Winter Flex And Quick Jobs

Garage Floors And Storage Concerns

Booking Exterior Painting For Spring

SPEAKER_01 1:08

So, well, our our most popular outdoor applications uh um with patios and front porches and driveway are certainly the ones that that uh that really start to come to the forefront this time of year as people are you know we're we're we're approaching the end of winter, we think. Um, and uh and people really start obviously planning for their outdoor projects, what what what what types of things are they gonna do? Are they gonna paint their house? Are they gonna um work on landscaping? Um, are they gonna, you know, are there uh other types of to you know projects on on their list? So um we definitely see uh a large increase in patio uh coating projects, whether it's staining concrete or uh or coating it with with say like a quartz application. Um that's really popular because of the the kind of the traction effect that quartz has. And um, and then pool decks, uh, we we do we do projects for pool decks, um, really just anything, you know. So so they're you know, balconies, you know, for condos and apartment complexes. We we get contractors and property management companies that will start to contact us and and the bigger projects, you know, they start planning, you know, in the fall, and then they're like, okay, let's let's get this planned and ready to go for for spring and summer. And so so those types of projects tend to be in the works, but but as far as getting stuff scheduled, um, you know, we we start um you know kind of starting to dial in, you know, what we're thinking for timing and and it's still we're still just a little bit early on on really fine being able to finalize um you know dates and stuff. That said, um we've we've had a really mild uh winter so far. And so we have been doing um occasional you know outdoor projects. If it you know, assuming we can fit them in, you know, if it's you know, if we know we're we're gonna have a 60 degree day, uh it's gonna be sunny, we can we can do a one or two-day project um fairly easily. And then of course, um, you know, garage floors. And while obviously a garage floor is not outdoors per se, um, a lot of people uh a a big consideration for for for people is what do they do with the the stuff that's in their garage. So in the middle of winter, they don't want to, you know, haul their stuff out on the driveway or or leave it outside somewhere, maybe on a on a you know, an outdoor area, you know, to the side of the garage type of thing. And so so that's that get that gets kind of lumped in to outdoor projects as well, just because that you know you have to have a clear floor for um, you know, to be able to do you know an epoxy or polyaspartic floor. And um and then of course painting too. Um I I know that's obviously not not not floor coatings, but but house painting too, um it is really, you know, you see that level of activity um increase. People are you know trying to get on the books because you know, by by spring and summer, you know, painting companies are in are in full, full swing and um and getting them done. So so yeah, that's that's kind of what we have going on this time of year. And uh it's certainly never a dull moment.

SPEAKER_00 4:32

And I actually had a question about um the most popular color that you're seeing for like requests. And I know in the next episode we are gonna get into that, but I was curious, are there more requests for certain types of colors in your area?

SPEAKER_01 4:45

I would say so. For outdoor concrete, you you tend to see neutral earthstone type of colors. So so we have a quartz color that's like the the most popular one, it's called sandstone. So it kind of it's like a kind of a a light, a really light brown, probably like a tanned kind of color. And um so so that's certainly the the most common. And then, and then there's we have a couple of different sort of gray options and and that. So, so we really don't do I mean we we have the the option to to get right colors, but we typically don't just because those tend to be muted, you know. If you think about um, you know, stone um and and things that people have in their landscaping, typically you have a lot of like buff type of colors, so kind of that tan yellow color, um, or you know, grays and maybe some reds and and stuff. So there's a lot of color options available, but uh certainly muted, subtle people aren't necessarily trying to draw attention to, you know, a front porch um per se. You know, they they just you know, maybe maybe it's kind of ugly or the concrete is damaged and and they need it coated. And um, and so obviously we can we can get that repaired and you know if needed and and get it get it fixed up and looking good for them.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Yeah, and are there more challenges as well this time of year? Because like you mentioned, the the snow, the elements outside to actually go out and provide estimates and quotes along with the the other challenge you mentioned is where do people put their stuff? So I was just wondering how that all works because how do you go out and really get a good look at everything with um uh like where I am, there's tons of snow. So I just wonder, you know, is it easy, is it still easy to get estimates?

SPEAKER_01 6:40

I mean, so the the nice thing about uh Colorado is you know, I mean we could have several inches of snow one day and the next day it's melted off the driveways and and porches and things. So, you know, if if if it's covered up, I mean, m most people are are are understanding that we you know we may want to reschedule and and and and have a you'll be able to actually see the concrete. So uh so that said, it it doesn't really pose much of a challenge, usually. Uh occasionally, you know, it does, but but usually if there's a snowstorm coming or or something and we we know that the ground's gonna be covered, we just you know, we we might, you know, in all likelihood, you know, a a couple days from now or or or or you know a week, certainly, you know, it's easy to look at and everything. And then as far as doing estimates and trudging around outside, I mean, that's just the nature of uh of of the business and it is what it is. So yeah, it's no no real trouble.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

Oh, that's interesting. And do you do you guys provide any storage, uh like mobile storage for people if they need to put stuff, you know, out while you're working?

Mobile Storage Solutions For Clients

SPEAKER_01 7:47

So yeah. So we actually um we just recently have uh an extra cargo trailer um that has been sitting uh in our yard. And um, and so we've kind of made the the the recent decision to to offer that as an option for people if they want to you know clear out their garage uh and and have a store and and and whether it's in the middle of the summer or whether it's you know in the middle of winter. And um, and so so yeah, we we do have that option. Uh and if if maybe our trailer isn't big enough, we have other options uh to you know to kind of talk through and and and provide for the customer. So so yeah, we can certainly help them out um if we need to.

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Oh yeah, that's great. The flexibility that they could have.

The Overlooked Driveway And Salt Damage

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

And are there other outdoor projects that people tend to overlook that they might need help with outdoors? Like when they're, you know, like you mentioned, the porch, the patio, those are usually the front runners for requests for help. But is there anything that you find that people might be missing out on?

Penetrating Sealers That Last

SPEAKER_01 8:57

I think probably a lot. Probably the biggest one um is is our driveways. And so um, you know, usually, well, you know, a lot of homes have, you know, people park in the driveways. And so, so what can happen is, you know, especially in the mi in the wintertime, you can imagine, you know, you driving, drive along the snowy street, whatever, and you pick up snow, slush, whatever, gets in your wheel wells and your tires and everything, and you park, whether it's in the driveway or in the garage, if it's uncoated um or unsealed, unprotected, um, you know, that all that stuff, that that junk, that road grime, um, and and and sort of most importantly, the the mag chloride, which is an agassing salts, that can it'll it'll you know melts off um and and it just sits there on the driveway. And that is damaging the concrete. It I I see it all the time. And and uh and so so what happens to that mag chloride just kind of will slowly eat away the cream of the concrete and cause pitting, scaling. And um, and so so we have applications to to basically protect against that we call a salt attack. And um, and so so they're they're there's sealers that are designed to to not be driven off. So it's not a film sealer. You know, sometimes people think of a sealer as is as a film that sits on top. So in driveways we'll we'll apply um a sealer that will actually soak down and and chemically react with the concrete so so it's driven off. So so essentially it you know, it theoretically lasts forever. I mean, I I did my own driveway 10 years ago and uh never did a reapplication, and it's been fine. Um we have a car that parks in the driveway um you know all four seasons and and uh it's been totally fine. There's been no deterioration.

Sport Courts, Colors, And Kits

SPEAKER_00 10:52

So that's great. And uh just a last question for you. What about sporting outdoor um areas like a basketball court or playgrounds? You guys often work on those. And do you get any fun requests for like, I want this to be branded with the colors of like my favorite team in Denver or anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 11:11

So so we've so you know, pickleball has been pretty popular. Uh so we've got we we get requests for pickleball courts, um, and and occasionally basketball courts, um, you know, striping and and and coloring and all that. But um yeah, so so there's there's a few different options there. There's there's uh there's kind of pre uh fabricated. There's there's there's kind of systems tailored for you know for for courts that you know and and they have different colors and they have kind of kind of kits. Um and and there's there's a there's a few different options you can use. There's a lot of acrylics um with some aggregate that it gets thrown in there for a little bit of traction. And depending on the court, you know, whether it's tennis court, a basketball court, pickleball court, um, you know, can it can you know influence you know which which route you want to go and and how exposed it is to the elements and all that. So uh, but yeah, occasionally we get um you know just yeah, you know, interesting color schemes, you know, that that people want. Yeah, and and it could certainly um I mean that the amount of combinations um available um is endless. So I mean you could do you could do your you know favorite college team or pro team, whatever. So we can we can take care of that.

Court Dimensions And Prep

SPEAKER_00 12:31

Oh yeah, that's a lot of fun. And I just want to throw this in too. Did did you find that you and your team had to look up any measurements for sport? I don't know if you guys play pickleball, but um, I was just curious because then you have to know like the standard size, you know, for for the court and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

Yeah, yeah, that information is fairly widely available. Um and yeah, um, so yeah, get the get the dimensions and you, you know, it it takes a lot of preparation before you actually start applying it to make sure that your dimensions are are correct. You don't want to obviously make it certainly not too small.

Closing And How To Get A Quote

SPEAKER_00 13:04

So yeah, that would be yeah, that would be fun. That'd be funny, and somebody will definitely notice because a lot of people are serious about pickleball. That's a huge spore now. Oh um, all right. Well, David, thank you so much. We always appreciate your great insight and you always give us some other things to think about that maybe we didn't while we're like, you know, approaching these outdoor projects. So thank you.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

Thanks for tuning in to the Mile High Coatings Podcast. Ready to give your space a fresh, durable finish? Visit MileHighCodings.com for a free price quote or call 970-314-1023. At Mile High Coatings, we're not just painting walls, we're setting a new peak in quality. Until next time, keep your standards high and your coatings higher.