Dealing with Moisture in Concrete

Concrete is hard and durable, making it a beautiful floor material for most kinds of properties. Given its repute, it might surprise you to hear that concrete is actually porous. Given enough time, water from beneath walkways or slabs makes its way through the concrete to the surface, where 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 named efflorescence.

Water comes up through the floor for many reasons that do not involve leaky pipes. The manner of soil and amount of rainfall can influence the amount of groundwater. The presence of springs or near-surface aquifers may create water reservoirs underneath your property. And a nearby lake, river or stream 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 Ground Water

Depending on the severity, you may need to fix the water problem before proceeding (sealing the slab may not prevent problems in the walls or other locations). If the situation is localized to the concrete, some cleanup and epoxy sealing should stop moisture from accumulating. California Custom Coatings adds a water barrier to our epoxy sealer that prevents peeling from water vapor. After the procedure is complete, the concrete floor is indeed waterproof on top. Therefore, you can confidently overlay it with ceramic tile, wood, carpet, or laminates. The epoxy sealant makes certain your floor surface won’t be vulnerable to moisture again.

For epoxy sealers, the age of the concrete usually does not matter, so long as it is stable. Epoxy coatings dry rapidly, reducing delays, but it cannot be applied to brand new concrete until the material is fully set. To learn more about moisture remediation for concrete floors, contact California Custom Coatings for assistance in Fairfield.
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