Concrete is solid and durable, making it a good foundation material for many kinds of buildings. Given its repute, it might surprise you to hear that concrete is in reality porous. Given enough time, water from beneath slabs or walkways makes its way through the concrete to the surface, and the water then evaporates. During its travels, 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.
If you notice joints or cracks in your concrete that do not dry completely, this points to a significant cache of moisture underneath your concrete. Many people attempt to mask the issue with tiles or inexpensive epoxy. Without a quality sealant, however, the water finds a way through, resulting in loose tiles or coatings that bubble and peel away. Then the problem is worse and more costly to fix.
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Some water problems are severe enough that in addition to sealing the foundation, you also need to take other measures outside the structure. But when the problem is just in the concrete, our epoxy sealing method is enough to waterproof the concrete. Then you can safely install ceramic tiles, carpet, laminates, or wood floors.
For epoxy sealants, the age of the concrete usually does not matter. Epoxy coatings dry quickly, reducing delays, but it cannot be applied to brand new concrete until the material is fully set. To find out more about moisture remediation for concrete foundations, contact West Coast Epoxy for assistance in Pleasant Hill.