Although solid, concrete is in truth porous. Water can be wicked up by concrete and travel through it. Along the way, the water absorbs salts in the concrete and transports them to the surface. After this water reaches the surface and evaporates, the salts are left behind. This creates the ugly white stuff that often forms on concrete called efflorescence. To stop efflorescence, you require concrete moisture remediation.
If you notice joints or cracks in your floor that don’t completely dry, this points to a significant cache of moisture underneath your concrete. Some people attempt to cover the problem with tiles or cheap epoxy. Without a proper sealant, however, the water finds its way through, resulting in loose tiles or coatings that bubble and peel away. Then the problem is worse and more costly to repair.
What To Do About Efflorescence
Depending on severity, you may need to resolve the water issue before proceeding (sealing the slab 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 moisture from accumulating. West Coast Epoxy adds a liquid barrier to our epoxy sealer that stops delamination from water vapor. After the procedure is complete, the concrete floor is waterproof on top. Now you can confidently overlay it with ceramic tile, wood, carpet, or laminates. The epoxy sealant ensures your floor surface won’t be vulnerable to moisture again.
With epoxy sealants, the age of the concrete typically does not matter, if it is stable. Epoxy coatings dry rapidly, reducing delays, but it cannot be applied to green concrete until the material is fully set. To discover more about water remediation for concrete floors, contact West Coast Epoxy for help in Blackhawk.
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