Concrete is hard and enduring, making it a great foundation material for most kinds of installations. Given its repute, it may surprise you to hear that concrete is in truth porous. Given sufficient time, water from under slabs or walkways makes its way through the concrete to its surface, and the water then evaporates. During its travel, the water picks up salts taken from the concrete; these salts become a white powder when the water evaporates on the surface of the concrete. This unsightly product is named efflorescence.
Water comes up through the concrete for various reasons that do not involve leaking pipes. The kind of soil and amount of rainfall might influence the amount of groundwater. The presence of springs or near-surface aquifers can create water reservoirs underneath your home or business. And a nearby lake, river, or stream could influence the water content in the soil, especially if your foundation is below the level of the high-water mark.
What to Do About Groundwater
Depending on severity, you might need to resolve the water problem ahead of proceeding (sealing the floor may not prevent problems in the walls or other locations). If the situation is localized to the concrete, some cleanup and epoxy sealing should halt water from accumulating. West Coast Epoxy adds a moisture barrier to our epoxy sealer that stops bubbling from water vapor. After this procedure is complete, the concrete floor is indeed waterproof on top and can be confidently overlaid with tile, wood, carpet, or laminates.
With epoxy sealers, the age of the concrete typically does not matter, if it is still reliable. Epoxy coatings dry rapidly, limiting delays, but it cannot be applied to new concrete until the material is fully set. To find out more about water remediation for concrete foundations in Auburn, talk with West Coast Epoxy.