When we think of carbonation, the first thing that comes to mind is soft drinks. Oh, that wonderful bubbly fizz that tickles your nose as you move in for a sip! With these kinds of drinks, carbonation refers to suspending carbon dioxide gas in the chosen liquid to supply the bubbles, as well as a chemical reaction to create the fizzy sensation. But when it comes to concrete in Folsom and other areas, carbonation takes a different direction.
Pros and Cons of Concrete and Carbon Dioxide
When carbon dioxide meets concrete, it bonds with the calcium hydroxide molecules within the concrete, creating calcium carbonate. When the ambient humidity level is between 25% and 75%, this bonding process breaks down molecules made when water mixed with the concrete – the bonds created as the mixture cured and set. With enough regular helpings of carbon dioxide and ambient moisture, carbonation gradually disintegrates concrete over many years. Eventually, it can even corrode the steel bars acting as a skeleton for the concrete.
Now, the sun’s heat is typically enough to alleviate this issue. It removes the moisture so the carbonation process in concrete cannot proceed. Keeping that moisture away from your concrete is important to its survival. Installing epoxy coatings for concrete in your Folsom home or business creates a seamless barrier, one that moisture cannot penetrate. Epoxy coatings protect the porous nature of concrete from being inundated by water or other liquids, preventing carbonation.
But there is a flipside to the relationship between concrete and carbon dioxide. Over time, cured and set concrete absorbs significant amounts of carbon dioxide on its own. What’s more, some mixtures of concrete now come preinjected with carbon dioxide, reducing the carbon footprint made during production. As long as the molecular bonds are not compromised by water molecules, a concrete structure continues absorbing carbon dioxide for years.
Protect Your Concrete with Epoxy
To protect your concrete from water molecules, you need a seamless barrier that keeps water from making contact. There’s none better than epoxy coatings! West Coast Epoxy excels at installing epoxy coatings on concrete floors both indoors and outdoors, making sure that your concrete stays free of any moisture or corrosive spills and lasts a lifetime. Along with that, your concrete may reach a point where it’s absorbed as much carbon dioxide as was released during its creation, making your concrete carbon neutral!
To discover more about epoxy coatings in Folsom, give West Coast Epoxy a call. Not only do we have the training, skill, and experience to protect your concrete with the best materials, but we have color and texture options to make your epoxy coatings look fabulous as well. We’d be happy to show you all that epoxy coatings can do for your concrete in Folsom. Please give our office a call or schedule a free onsite consultation with our online form. Let’s keep carbonation where it belongs – in soft drinks!