Concrete is hard and long-lasting, making it a good floor material for many types of structures. Given its repute, it can surprise you to hear that concrete is actually 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 carries salts dissolved from the concrete. These salts become a white powder when the water dries on the surface of the concrete. This ugly substance is named efflorescence.
If you notice joints or cracks in your floor that never dry completely, this points to a significant cache of moisture under your concrete. Many people try to mask the challenge with ceramic tiles or cheap epoxy. Without a high-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 repair.
What To Do About Efflorescence
Depending on severity, you might need to fix the water challenge before proceeding (sealing the concrete may not prevent problems in the walls or other areas). If the situation is localized to the concrete, cleanup and epoxy sealing should halt water from accumulating. Nevada Custom Coatings adds a liquid barrier to our epoxy sealer that halts delamination from water vapor. After this procedure is complete, the concrete foundation is indeed waterproof on top. Thus, you can confidently overlay it with tile, wood, carpet, or laminates. The epoxy sealant ensures your floor surface won’t be vulnerable to moisture again.
The moisture remediation process benefits a concrete floor of any age and is fast enough to avoid significant delays for planned renovations. If you have any questions about moisture remediation during your renovation or building project in South Lake Tahoe, please give Nevada Custom Coatings a call or schedule a free consultation online.
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