Can We Coat Damaged Concrete?

updated

October 16, 2019

Contributors

In a perfect world, all of our concrete would be smooth, beautiful, and blemish-free, right? Unfortunately, that’s just not often the case... Well, at least until our team finishes coating it.

But in all seriousness, concrete is typically found in hardworking spaces (like garages), meaning that it’s seen more than its share of use and abuse. The next question naturally is, how much damage can we repair as part of our coating prep process?

Let’s take a look at a few specific, real-world examples during a little segment we like to call, “Can we coat it???”

Can We Coat It???

Scott's got the inside scoop!

Exposed Aggregate: Can We Coat It???

All in all this sidewalk is in pretty good condition, but the elephant in the room is the large section of bumpiness in the lower center.

These types of issues can be caused by a lot of moisture damage. Water gets trapped underneath, freezes, the aggregate expands, and it creates this kind of minor concrete explosion over time. Unfortunately, this type of damage really needs to be restored, and coating it will not last.

Minor Concrete Moisture Damage: Can We Coat It???

Here we have another sidewalk, with just some localized damage that looks like it’s due to moisture pitting. These little spots can be filled with mender and ground down during the prep process, creating a smooth, solid surface.

Can we coat it? Definitely.

Cracked Garage Floor: Can We Coat It???

Believe it or not, this actually isn’t bad (despite looking a little rough!).

We’d check the lighter spots and test for moisture, and to see if it’s efflorescence or maybe another chemical that was spilled. We’d have an estimator visit to check it in person and determine the actual moisture content in person, but judging by the photo alone, we’re just about positive we could coat it.

Oh, and that crack? Not an issue. We can fill and repair it before the coating process begins.

Can We Coat Aggregate???

We see this a lot here in the Pacific Northwest!

We CAN still coat it, but the process is just a bit more involved. Grinding the surface is going to make many of the little pebbles shoot out, so a LOT of mender will be required to ensure a smooth and blemish-free.

This is another example of why we need to have an estimator visit your project in person. Ballparks just don’t work when there are this many variables.