If you’re in an area of the country where deicers are a necessity throughout the winter months, there’s a good chance your concrete surfaces suffered some damage.
Deicers, known as calcium chloride or rock salt, react with moisture, change the temperature and melt the ice. Concrete is kind of like a rigid sponge, however, so those same deicer chemicals permeate the melted ice/water, lay on concrete surfaces and absorb into the tiny, porous cracks in the concrete.
Once that water gets into the pores, or microscopic channels, it can re-freeze during temperature drops. This makes the pores expand. If concrete is mixed correctly, poured correctly and sealed well, it will be virtually unaffected by salt and deicer exposure. If not, the salt can expose a deficiency in the concrete mix, and these freeze and thaw cycles can cause spalling or pitting damage.
Damage Doesn’t Mean Replace
The good news is that if your concrete is showing winter wear-n-tear, there’s no need to despair. Today’s facility managers are finding some concrete resurfacing options to be more durable and less expensive and less disruptive than the old-school way of tearing out and replacing damaged concrete.
Spring into action and look into epoxy-mortar solutions with advantages that include:
- 2-3 times stronger than standard concrete
- Available in a variety of colors to match your brand or enhance safety requirements
- Resistant to chemicals like gas, oil, and salt
Do your research and take advantage of epoxy-mortar solutions that have proven to be quick, durable and economical options for both repairing and resurfacing damaged concrete.