Can You DO Anything to Make Concrete Last Longer?
Concrete has a flaw as a building material in that it is porous and absorbs water.
This would be fine if we all lived at the equator and the temperature never dropped below freezing, but that unfortunately is not the case for most of us. When the temperature drops and the water in the concrete freezes, it expands and breaks small particles of the concrete off and opens crevices and cracks ever wider with each successive freeze. This allows more water to enter and accelerates the damage.
This is called a freeze-thaw cycle.
When enough freeze thaw cycles have occurred to expose the rock layers just under the surface the damage accelerates even more and as the slab is penetrated deeper and deeper it becomes unable to support the loads it is under and failure occurs. The base can then be undermined and misalignment can result.
What can be done to stop this slow-motion destruction?
The American Concrete Institute recommend that all exterior concrete given protected by an application of a weatherproofing system to stop the water penetration into the slab.
Which system is best for your particular situation?
This can vary and must be assessed by a professional to obtain the best results.
Call today to set up an appointment to determine which system best suits your particular needs and stop the destruction of one of your largest investments.
This would be fine if we all lived at the equator and the temperature never dropped below freezing, but that unfortunately is not the case for most of us. When the temperature drops and the water in the concrete freezes, it expands and breaks small particles of the concrete off and opens crevices and cracks ever wider with each successive freeze. This allows more water to enter and accelerates the damage.
This is called a freeze-thaw cycle.
When enough freeze thaw cycles have occurred to expose the rock layers just under the surface the damage accelerates even more and as the slab is penetrated deeper and deeper it becomes unable to support the loads it is under and failure occurs. The base can then be undermined and misalignment can result.
What can be done to stop this slow-motion destruction?
The American Concrete Institute recommend that all exterior concrete given protected by an application of a weatherproofing system to stop the water penetration into the slab.
Which system is best for your particular situation?
This can vary and must be assessed by a professional to obtain the best results.
Call today to set up an appointment to determine which system best suits your particular needs and stop the destruction of one of your largest investments.
Posted by David Gordon at 7/14/2011 8:00 AM 
Categories: Repairs, Technical Consultation, Restorations, Damaged Concrete
Tags: sealers damage concrete ice damage repair restoration resurfacing no show waterproof waterproofing
Categories: Repairs, Technical Consultation, Restorations, Damaged Concrete
Tags: sealers damage concrete ice damage repair restoration resurfacing no show waterproof waterproofing
This is great information to know and use on my driveway and sidewalk to preserve them. I wonder what you think of using salt on driveways and sidewalks, it seems to me that it eats away at them. Would this sealer prevent that? How often does it need to be applied?
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Salt accelerates the weathering process by a factor of at least ten. Look at the post office sidewalks and you'll see it.
Waterproofing sealers that stand up to Chloride Ion penetration are the ones to look for.
If it says "safe for use with de-icing salts" then you're good to go.
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