Concrete is solid and strong, making it a good floor material for the majority of types of installations. Given its reputation, it may stun you to learn that concrete is in truth porous. Given enough time, water from under walkways or slabs makes its way through the concrete to its surface, where the water then evaporates. During its travels, the water carries salts taken from the concrete. These salts become a white powder when the water dries on the surface of the concrete. This unseemly material is called efflorescence.
If you see joints or cracks in your concrete that don’t completely dry, this points to a significant cache of moisture beneath your concrete. Many people try to cover the issue with tile or inexpensive epoxy. Without a good sealant, however, the water finds a way through, resulting in loose tiles or coatings that bubble and peel away. Then the problem becomes worse and more expensive to fix.
What to Do About Groundwater
Depending on severity, you might need to resolve the water issue ahead of proceeding (sealing the floor may not prevent problems in the walls or other spaces). If the situation is localized to the concrete, some cleanup and epoxy sealing should stop water from accumulating. West Coast Epoxy adds a liquid barrier to our epoxy sealer that prevents peeling from water vapor. After this treatment is complete, the concrete floor is indeed waterproof on top and you can confidently overlay it with ceramic tiles, wood, carpet, or laminates.
The water remediation procedure benefits a concrete floor of any age and is fast enough to prevent significant delays for planned renovations. If you have any worries about moisture remediation during your renovation or building project, please give West Coast Epoxy a call or schedule a free consultation online for assistance in Redwood City.
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