Concrete is hard and strong, making it a beautiful floor material for most types of properties. Given its repute, it can shock you to read that concrete is still 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 travel, the water picks up salts dissolved from the concrete. These salts become a white powder when the water dries on the surface of the concrete. This ugly material is called efflorescence.
Water comes up through the concrete for many reasons that do not involve leaky pipes. The type of soil and amount of rainfall might influence the height of groundwater. The presence of springs or near-surface aquifers may create water reservoirs beneath your home or business. And a nearby lake, river, or creek could influence the water content in the ground, especially if your foundation is below the level of the high water mark.
What To Do About Efflorescence
Depending on severity, you may need to repair the water issue ahead of proceeding (sealing the floor may not prevent issues in the walls or other areas). If the situation is localized to the concrete, some cleanup and epoxy sealing should halt moisture from accumulating. Nevada Custom Coatings adds a water barrier to our epoxy sealer that prevents delamination from water vapor, ensuring that your floor surface won’t be vulnerable to moisture again. After this process is complete, the concrete foundation is indeed waterproof on top and can be overlaid with ceramic tile, wood, carpet, or laminate.
For epoxy sealants, the age of the concrete generally does not matter as long as it is reliable. Epoxy coatings dry quickly, minimizing delays, but it cannot be applied to green concrete until the material is fully set. To discover more about water remediation for concrete floors in Spanish Springs, contact Nevada Custom Coatings.
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