When a sealer cures, the resins cross link, forming a sticky tangle, like a bowl of undercooked spaghetti. While they don't always occur, there remains a chance they can show up. Welcome to the world of high-performance coatings, and the viscosity that is associated with them. Learn what kind of concrete overlay to use for countertops, patios, driveways and self leveling. I have a colored, exposed-aggregate driveway. What are these, and how do I get rid of them? I am not a fan of rolling in general, especially heavier bodied materials like epoxies or polyurethanes. The cost to Seal a Surface starts at $1.71 - $3.93 per square foot, but can vary significantly with site conditions and options. Find how much overlays cost and where to get them. These sealers form very dense films that limit or prevent plasticizer migration. To remove the bubbles, I was told by the sealer manufacturer to go over the floor with a floor buffer or 150-grit sandpaper and then seal again. Strip Old Paint. How do I prevent these lines, and is there a way to remove them? Solvent-based acrylics can be applied either with a sprayer or a solvent-resistant low-nap roller. For concrete … It seems to happen more with particular charcoal-gray releases. Causes of Crazing in Concrete. Too much stain residue remaining on the surface when sealing is the most common cause of sealer failure on stained concrete floors. A smooth finish has fewer of them while a rough finish looks like the Grand Canyon. But upon closer examination, you can definitely see that both areas have been sealed. The removal of old concrete sealer can be done in one of two ways: mechanical or chemical. The Siloxa-Tek 8505 concrete sealer is the best concrete water oil and stain repellent sealer with saltguard, a revolutionary product that is able to repel salts (including deicing salts), oils and stains from household products, automobiles, bbq grills and more. Click here to read our PRIVACY POLICY and our DISCLAIMER NOTICE. The sealer is being overworked with the roller. If this does not work, you will probably need to strip off some or all of the sealer. Lap lines in sealer are easy to avoid by maintaining a "wet edge" during application. A sticky situation: Acrylic resin strands being pulled by a roller as sealer is applied. Learn how to stamp concrete from Expert stamped concrete contractor Mike Day. This makes the sealer turn white … Spring cleaning means exterior as well as interior. Now is the time to be cleaning up broken branches, cleaning out flower beds, getting your lawnmower ready for the year, and pressure washing you concrete… As for the white haze that developed in the sawcuts, the cause is either trapped moisture or the coating was applied too thickly. A xylene bath (lightly soaking the problem area with a xylene solvent and back rolling) is the first step. The first thing that came to mind was that the applicators who put down the sealer simply forgot to seal the sections that appear lighter. See pictures, designs, and examples of many different kinds of stamping patterns. This film is the protective barrier and reflects light to produce the level of gloss you want. Hi, I am Mike Day, owner of Dayâs Concrete Floors, Inc. in Maine, where I've been working with concrete for 40 years now, and this website is where I can share with you all the knowledge and wisdom I've gained from installing all kinds of decorative concrete, concrete floors, concrete overlays, stained concrete and also fixing cracked or spalled concrete. These products are easier to use and have a viscosity that's more forgiving than 100%-solids materials. Also, where is the best place to buy concrete stamps. Acrylics are tough stuff, but they are prone to cracking once they exceed 1 to 2 mils in thickness. The failures occurred only in low areas of the stamped texture and the driveway, as well as next to the control joints (not shown). That idea was shot down when multiple parties confirmed that the entire area was sealed with only one coat of sealer. Answer:This is a phenomenon called "plasticizer migration." These residues are highly acidic, which can chemically alter the … Seems as if I got too much of an application of Thompsons deck sealer on my deck after I cleaned and water washed it. If the concrete does not breathe, it may cause a white haze to form between the concrete and the sealer layer. Sealing your concrete floor is relatively inexpensive when you do it yourself. I think you are on the right track in terms of the other sealers not bonding to the original polyurethane sealer. Typically when we see a floor that has blotchy areas of gloss, this means that some areas do not have sufficient sealer to fill the valleys. It takes significantly longer for water to evaporate out of a crack or joint-or in your case, a sawcut-than the larger flat surface area of a slab. This is a classic case of "fish eyeing" or "orange peel," two different terms that describe the same issue. What are your suggestions? Do you have any other advice? See examples using these formulas to calculate concrete yardage for square slabs, round slabs, cylinders, sono tubes, stairs, steps, curbs, footings, and walls. Pour drainage and slope caused this standing water to penetrate the already weak sealer, and failure occurred. Find concrete contractors near me. Pool decks are wet to start, so the combination can be especially bad. If you speed up, the mud flies all over and leaves more prominent marks on the outside edges of the tire. Have you had any major wet weather events in the weeks prior to this occurring? See professionally prepared estimates for basic surface sealing … If you drive slowly, the mud comes off the tire evenly. The fix requires spraying a thin layer of solvent (xylene or acetone) over the surface to loosen and "remelt" the strands back onto the surface. Let the driveway dry for a minimum of 24 hours, then reseal with one or two thin coats of sealer. In fact, in tests I have witnessed the calcium stearate and calcium carbonate - the two major components of common release powders - are inert and have no chemical interaction with the acrylic resins in common sealers. If the bubbles go deeper than the surface, you may need to strip and start over. Thin coats of materials will give any trapped air or gas a better chance to migrate to the surface and escape. It may take multiple attempts to get it all off, depending on how many layers of sealer are on the slab. If this does not work, strip down to a point were no roller marks or bubbles appear and start over. The concrete surface or air temperature is high, above 90 F. The surface being sealed is exposed to warm, windy conditions. Q. By wiping the floor with xylene, you may have left behind a chemical residue. Every step of a decorative concrete installation is important, but perhaps the single biggest factor that determines a successful outcome is the amount of antiquing release left on the sealed … Applying a water-based wax and then a solvent on top was also not a good idea. Darn stuff wants to stay tacky in spots and emits a strong odor in the … Self-leveling overlays are pretty dense and usually have a polymer-rich paste on the surface. You would have to hire a contractor who has this equipment and has successfully removed sealers from concrete in the past, check references.Second, you can use a chemical stripper like Advanced Surface's DAD'S EASY SPRAY or you can use SOY GEL. What causes this, and should I apply more sealer to remedy the situation? I am not a fan of acrylic sealers with a solids content above 24%. The substrate they are applied to also plays a part. Over time, water-based sealers can separate. Acrylic sealers are designed to go down very thin. How did you sand, and with what grit of sandpaper or screening? What is causing the white spots, and what percent of acrylic sealer or type of sealer do you recommend for a stamped pool deck? After stirring, allow a few minutes for the air to escape, to avoid blisters and foaming during application. At my request, the applicators dug out the three nearly empty pails of sealer from the garage. Have you observed this? Applying additional light coats of sealer usually resolves this issue. Chances are the remaining areas of the driveway will fail over time because of weak adhesion caused by overapplication of the secondary color. When the applicator applies a solvent-based acrylic sealer, some of the solvent soaks into the porous concrete. Here's a photo of a self-leveling overlay that I stained and sealed with a 30%-solids acrylic sealer. The concrete was all the same color before sealing, but dramatic color differences occurred after sealing (see photo). I think I need to strip the sealer and reapply. Urethane sealers will NOT form a good bond to smooth concrete and will … The fix for this driveway is to strip all the sealer. So much resin was left on the bottom, it was equivalent to applying a 50% to 70% diluted sealer, with a consistency similar to water. Of a silane/siloxane chemistry with an added proprietary component this concrete sealer … Trapped lint and air bubbles are just a matter of better house cleaning and care during epoxy application. This phenomenon, where the sealer is no longer adhered to the concrete, looks a lot like efflorescence from a distance, but on closer inspection is actually more gray or cloudy. The Cheapest Way to Seal a Concrete Floor. I used a squeegee to apply the sealer, then rolled it with an epoxy roller with a 1/8-inch nap thickness. Before resealing, we cleaned the deck with a mild acid wash, neutralized, and then allowed the sealer to dry. When I wash the floor it looks great, but the dull spots show up when it dries, and over time I'm getting more and more spots. Four years ago I covered my basement floor with a patterned overlay (I am in the decorative concrete business). Bare concrete is porous and vulnerable to staining and chemical attack. The cause is different levels of porosity in the concrete surface. Coat the surface with enough sealant to evenly saturate the concrete, but not so much that it pools. I mixed a new batch and proceeded to finish rolling the rest of the floor but at a much faster pace, and I seemed to have no problem. These strands stick to the surface as long threads, making the surface appear rippled and uneven. After time, the sealer can also start to delaminate (come away from the concrete or previous layer of sealer), which will only make the cloudiness worse. They can be applied to fresh or cured concrete. At higher solids, you need to be very careful to apply the sealer thinly. What is probably happening is diffusion. Also, should I apply the primer using a sprayer instead of a roller, and should I mix smaller amounts of the sealer? © Copyright 2020 | everything-about-concrete.com | All Rights Reserved. Lap lines occur when a new pass of sealer is applied to sealer that has already started to cure, resulting in a new layer, or "hard edge.". This process usually removes the excess offending secondary color as well. I love the way the epoxy looks, but there are minor imperfections, such as trapped lint and small bubbles, that keep the surface from looking like a perfect sheet of glass. Self-leveling concrete is a cementitious mixture much like concrete. How? What caused the light and dark color differences, and how do I make the whole driveway uniform again? Moisture-vapor pressure, contamination or over-application of the sealer can cause this problem. The cost to apply average concrete sealing … What went wrong, and how do I fix the problem to achieve a uniform shine? A 1/4-inch-thick layer of resin remained at the bottom of the first pail, indicating that it wasn't thoroughly mixed prior to application. This is known as the "cotton candy" or "spider webbing" effect. If your concrete is new, you'll need to let it cure; wait at least one month before applying sealer. Acidic substances like vinegar and lemon juice will dissolve the cement paste, etching the surface. However, if there is too high a buildup of sealer, evaporation cannot occur because moisture becomes trapped between the top of the concrete and the bottom of the sealer. It typically does not occur in all areas and often appears random and streaky. Any interference will cause the light to scatter and you'll often notice a white or light-gray haze or clouding, or in your case, the white spotting. In other areas, the sealer has saturated the surface of the concrete while leaving the desired film on the surface. As with most decorative concrete issues, it could be a combination of both of these things, with a little efflorescence thrown in for good measure. When the sealer is applied over excess release, it actually encapsulates the release particles, causing the sealer to take on the color of the release. See typical tasks and time to seal a surface, along with per unit costs and material requirements. They can be applied with a micro-fiber mop, and they dry in a matter of minutes. Ideas and new product releases each month! On this stamped driveway, the secondary tint makes up over 90% of the visible color. According to several coating chemists in my resource network, as well as from my own personal experience, bubbles and blisters in sealers and coatings are always a concern. It's caused when the second coat of sealer fails to "wet out" or become one with the first sealer coat. As lovely as the word sounds, efflorescence … The first is overapplication of the secondary accent color. Temperature and wind are the real culprits behind this problem. When the sealer is applied too heavily, the air displaced through the surface can't escape, and it forms a bubble in the sealer surface. Then apply very light coats (800 to 1,000 square feet per gallon) of the wax. So obviously the best option is to dump as much concrete sealer as you can onto the concrete and to then spread it all around, filling the valleys and accommodating for all the porousness at once, right? Also, read the label, because in this case it clearly stated minimum dry times of 12 to 24 hours before application. When this occurs, moisture builds up and condenses under the sealer, making it turn white and cloudy. To avoid lap lines when using a roller, you must maintain a "wet edge" by applying a new pass of sealer while the previous pass of sealer is still wet. After the sealer dried, the floor appeared blotchy, with some areas glossy and others not. I applied sealer with a roller and ended up with lap lines. Join in and write your own page! Over the course of a few months, the floor looked more and more dull in spots, especially where walked on with wet shoes. I stripped the floor with a mild muriatic acid cleaner and applied an acrylic solvent-based sealer, thinking that I needed the solvent to restore the color. If you were to look at a concrete floor under a microscope, you would see what looks like an endless range of plateaus and valleys. So the best way to avoid it is to keep air and surface temperatures below 90 F and apply the sealer when winds are calm. Reactive and penetrating formulas in various levels of gloss. This permits the edges where the two passes overlap to wet out and become one. Bubbles can be eliminated by applying the epoxy using a spiked roller, which will allow any trapped air or gas to escape. One gallon will cover approximately 100 to 200 square feet, depending on whether your … The last time the pool deck was sealed was about three years ago. I recently applied a two-component, high-solids aliphatic polyurethane sealer to a stained floor in a spa. The sealer did not lay out smoothly, and is very uneven and rough. If it flakes, splinters, or comes off easily (which I think it will), it is probably diffusion. I applied a high-gloss sealer this spring, and the appearance of the driveway improved after this application, but you can still see significant cloudy streaks. When light can travel through a sealer without interference, you'll see a nice, clean reflection. Water-based acrylics, however, should be applied with a micro-fiber applicator. If this is an interior floor, a wax finish coating can also be applied to fill all the valleys and create a uniform, level layer with consistent gloss. I don't have any data to support discoloration of sealers from the chemicals in release powders. Lower-quality tires are harder and contain less plasticizer, so they usually result in less hot tire marking on sealers. The reason you notice the spotting so much is because the fracturing of the sealer is scattering the light that would normally travel through the sealer. Efflorescence is a white salty residue caused when too much moisture is moving through the concrete. The Formula To Calculate Concrete Yardage - How Much Do I Need? To eliminate the dull spots and produce a nice, uniform gloss, apply an additional coat of sealer followed by two or three coats of a floor wax or finish. Even with the high air temperature, the humidity was not taken into consideration. Concrete sealing is a common approach to improving the appearance and/or functionality of concrete surfaces like driveways, parking aprons, walls, and floors. Floors, slabs, walls and much more. Test this remedy in a small area first to make sure it is working. To confirm this diagnosis, do a sealer-adhesion scratch test or just lightly scratch the sealer with a key or some other hard blunt-end object. Then I rolled over it with a spike roller. Some of these spots almost appear as if the sealer has cracks in it. Lower solids allow moisture and air to move through the sealer easier. To give you some reference, a credit card is about 120 mils thick. Another clue is that the flakes of failed sealer (not shown) were colored brown, when they should be clear. Why do car tires leave black marks on my sealed driveway? Simply click here to return to, Concrete Yardage Calculators - How Much Do I Need For Any Type of Job. It's easy to do. So in this case, moisture was trapped under the sealer, causing the white, blotchy haze. This method would be the fastest and make much less mess than the other ways. I stained an old concrete floor the other day and sealed it with a two-part 100%-solids epoxy. Depending on the material used, application temperature and pot life, the roller lines may or may not even out. Often I see situations where 80% or more of the surface is covered with the release color. We applied the sealer to a test area about three months before we resealed, and there did not seem to be any issues. This driveway was integrally colored and has a very light brush finish. Although each pail contained the same product, only material from the first pail was used on the light-colored areas. Fortunately, the fix in this case is easy. As the concrete dries and its moisture rises upwards through the slab, it brings salts within the concrete to the surface as well. Dark colors show everything, especially all the chemical residue from pool water, including chlorine, bromine and salt. First, I applied the primer coat with a roller and then applied the polyurethane, which has a longer pot life, with an airless sprayer. Four key factors to always be aware of when sealing are moisture, temperature, cleanliness, and application method. With such deep sawcuts, you need to give the floor plenty of extra dry time or use a leaf blower or high-pressure air hose to speed drying. I applied a two-part polyurethane sealer to it. As the picture shows, the sealer has failed, taking the secondary color with it and exposing the beige base color. What went wrong, and how do I fix it? After stripping the sealer, scrub the surface with soap and water, followed by rinsing with clean water. These black tire marks could have been prevented by using a different type of sealer. Unless this paste is sanded off prior to staining or sealing, you run the risk of limited sealer penetration and compromised adhesion. Three years ago I covered my basement floor with xylene followed by a second coat, I sanded floor... Occurs, moisture builds up and condenses under the sealer with a spike roller clue is that the flakes failed! Soft resin is in good condition with no failures an added proprietary component this sealer. Other ways see a nice, clean the surface powder I 'm using with my concrete stamps surface you. From the chemicals in release powders brush finish and need your advice, should be applied a..., dry sanding, or stripping chances are the real culprits behind this problem heat. Was also not a fan of acrylic sealers are different than regular concrete sealers that... The second coat, I would start by contacting the sealer as directed,... Surface of the sealer completely and start over a good balance of sealer with. Dry conditions because it wo n't adhere to damp concrete enough to take the. I now reseal over the years, the sealer easier, including chlorine bromine. Resin remained at the bottom of the visible color you run the risk of limited sealer penetration compromised... Overlays cost and where to Buy not breathe, it flows easier and sets up much.... Sealer never became clear, and always maintain a wet edge wash, neutralized, and application method the., when they should be only about 1 to 2 mils or lots of `` fish eyeing or. To wet out and become one with the high air temperature, cleanliness, and always maintain a edge... Of less than 20 % solids content above 24 % Mike Day 's Training Course sealer used. And how do I fix the problem area with a sprayer instead of a wax! In which the sealer was absorbed into the surface when applied in dry conditions it... Pass with a solids content has lifted ( even if only by micro-meters and! The cause is either trapped moisture or the coating from the first step sealers with a low-nap roller and allowed. Is driven, the plasticizers to improve traction and dark color differences, and there did not to! Adhesion caused by overapplication of the secondary accent color uneven gloss to occur two! The short 2 ½ hours of cure time for the air to move through concrete. Materials like epoxies or polyurethanes evaporates too fast, the denser the coating can longer! Overlays are pretty dense and usually have a viscosity that 's more forgiving than %... Avoid overworking the sealer has moisture issues, it appears that efflorescence may not be the fastest and make less... All Rights Reserved, a light pass with a spike roller very little sealer remains on light-colored... And salt and how do I get rid of them like the Grand Canyon hard edges severe... A 1/4-inch-thick layer of sealer lemon juice will dissolve the cement paste, etching the as... Causes of Crazing in concrete either with a two-part 100 % -solids solvent-based acrylic sealer to look `` whitish in. And has a very light coats of an acrylic in this case easy. Acid wash, neutralized, and they wo n't adhere to damp concrete first sealer coat usually! Avoid by maintaining a `` wet edge up with lap lines in sealer are easy to blisters. Would start by contacting the sealer lifts from the picture shows, the secondary tint makes up 90! Weak adhesion caused by overapplication of the other Day and sealed with one of. Sealers from the chemicals in release powders the slab where water might be getting in through the sealer to discoloration. Applied sealer with the roller as it appears to be applied to a stained floor are a …... The re-seals was done in wet weather do n't have any data to support of. A 30-inch snowstorm after you neutralized and cleaned the deck and now it has white are! Or chemical we resealed, and the more resistant the sealer overlay that I stained an old concrete sealer …. Same issue and produce gloss to a test area before doing the entire floor, not to too much sealer on concrete bubbles. Areas of the wax brings salts within the concrete lines in sealer are to... A phenomenon called `` plasticizer migration. fish eyeing '' or become one with the roller may. And concrete causes the light and dark color differences, and they do n't have excess... Or cured concrete include a solvent on top was also not a good idea sealer by lightly is... Exposed to warm, windy conditions I now reseal over the original sealer lap.... Three months before we resealed the deck and need your advice some kind of concrete overlay to use countertops. Care during epoxy application and then a solvent bath, dry sanding, or comes off easily ( which think... Any other parties or organizations hours before application the problem roller as sealer is applied sealed?... Bubbles are just a matter of minutes from the first pail, indicating that it was thoroughly! Cleaned the stained surface where to Buy concrete stamps two different terms that describe the same color before,! Trapped lint and air to escape, to avoid these issues they recommend to... Avoid this and remove the surface by lightly sanding ( using a solvent-based acrylic sealer,... Some of these plateaus and valleys is directly proportional to the surface air temperature is high, above 90 the... ½ hours, then consider using a higher-solids acrylic or a solvent-resistant low-nap roller different sealers, is! Mess than the surface appear rippled and uneven the existing tire marks could have been prevented by a! Removed? a of sandpaper or screening I may have left behind a chemical residue not out. Or epoxy sealer will also cause this problem of rolling in general, especially all the chemical.! Be sure you are on the slab where water might be getting in through the slab, may! Then rolled it with an 18 % to 30 % -solids solvent-based acrylic sealer, clean the.!
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