One of the most frustrating scenes to walk into is a leaking chimney. It is one of the applications that you don’t give much thought to until it is too late. Because bricks, stone, masonry are extremely porous they are at high risk of leakage if left unsealed. In order to prevent water leakage, mold, mildew and efflorescence from occurring to your chimney these are the steps to take:
- Clean the chimney, make sure all mold, mildew and efflorescence are completely removed.
- Fix any cracks in the mortar, or if the chimney is severely damaged re-point the chimney.
- Use a waterproofing sealer, like this one found at homedepot.com which is a silane/siloxane blend that will waterproof and protect your chimney from future leaks and water damage for over 10 years.
There are a few different options when it comes to coloring concrete:
1. Integral coloring
Integral color is used when new concrete is being poured to add color to the concrete during the mixing process. The color is either in liquid or powder form and allows color to be added to the entire depth of the slab. This allows for a uniform color for a large amount of square footage.
2. Shake on color
Shake on color is used on new concrete by broadcasting small pigments of powder that work their way into the concrete. Water from the newly poured concrete wets the powder and causes the the color to bond with the top layer of concrete.
3. Acid Stains
Acid stains are chemically reactive and react with minerals in the concrete to create a unique, durable color effect. Acid stains are hazardous and must be neutralized after application. Acid stains can be used on new or old concrete slabs.
4. Acetone dyes
Acetone stains and dyes are solvent based and hazardous but can create vivid beautiful colors. They are not UV stable so a protective sealer should be used on top of an acetone dye to lock in the color.
5. Water-based dyes
Water based dyes are safe and easy to apply with all of the colors able to be mixed together to create patterns and effects. Since they are not UV stable a protective sealer should be used on top of water based dyes to lock in the color.
6. Color densifiers
Color densifiers are a new technology in which a colored, water based, lithium silicate solution is used. They allow you to densify the concrete while coloring it in the same step. The color densifiers are UV stable but a protective sealer can be used on top of a color densifier to lock in the color and add an additional sheen.
While concrete is exceptionally strong, one of the biggest potential threats to undermining that threat can be found in the form of moisture. Somewhat paradoxically, moisture is actually an integral part of concrete from its very beginnings. Concrete is created by mixing together Portland cement, some sort of aggregate, and water. Without water, the concrete would not adhere and bond together so strongly. Furthermore, during the curing process after the concrete is poured, the moisture levels of the concrete have to be kept stable, which often requires a sprinkler to douse the concrete with water constantly.
If concrete requires a certain amount of moisture, why do all of these concrete sealing products claim to prevent the passage of moisture through your concrete? Well, what these products really mean is that they will prevent the passage and entrance of excess moisture through and into your concrete. A certain level of moisture and moisture passage is healthy for a concrete slab – without it, the concrete will likely crack and crumble from excessive dryness. Therefore, a certain level of moisture needs to be in the concrete for it to reach its maximum potential.
This is where the concept of relative humidity comes in. All concrete needs to be kept at a certain stable reading of relative humidity for its strength to be achieved. Relative humidity is simply a measure of the amount of moisture in the slab. Testing for relative humidity is an easy process that involves using special relative humidity probes that you can insert into the concrete. Once within the concrete via a small hole, the probe will measure and record the percentage of moisture (the relative humidity) in your concrete. If the moisture is acceptable, then there are no problems. However, if the level of moisture is too high, you’ll need to take the appropriate steps to lock out that moisture in the future.
Polyaspartics are fast becoming a veritable wonder product on the concrete sealer market today. These products are relatively new derivatives of the traditional aliphatic urethanes that have been around for a lot longer. Aliphatic urethanes are typically used as topcoats that feature incredibly strong levels of resistance to the most extreme weather conditions, water exposure, heat, abrasions, and other such threats to concrete. While urethanes are typically used as the topcoats in concert with epoxy base layers, they can also stand on their own.
Polyaspartics are newer product that are similar to urethanes. The biggest difference between a polyaspartic concrete sealer and a traditional urethane is that the polyaspartics feature incredibly short dry times. They can be applied to the large floor of a retail store, for instance, only to dry completely overnight and be ready for the store to open for full service the next day.
However, the biggest drawback to polyaspartics is their short pot-life. The pot-life is the technical jargon term for the amount of time before being applied that a solution can last without being ruined. That is to say, once you mix a polyaspartic, it all has to be applied within a certain (short) period of time before it becomes unusable. A short pot-life is typical for a product that cures rapidly, as do polyaspartics. And, while this can be an inconvenience, it is not the end of the world, as there are proven ways to work around the limitation.
A general rule of thumb is that polyaspartics with a lower solids content will have a longer pot-life. Polyaspartics typically have a solids content between 70% to 100%; therefore, a product with a solids content of 70% will have a longer pot-life than a product with a 100% solids content. Another factor that makes the pot-life shorter is the amount of moisture, typically in the form of humidity, that the mixed polyaspartic is exposed to – the more moisture/humidity, the shorter the pot-life.
In order to extend the effectiveness of the polyaspartic, it is best to mix small amounts of the product more often in order to work around the short pot-life. As polyaspartics need to be mixed together before use, it is best to mix as you go, applying the polyaspartic between mixing breaks (even if this means mixing more often), in order to maximize the potential.
Concrete lasts for an incredibly long period of time, especially when it is properly treated soon after it has been mixed, poured, and cured. Protected by a concrete sealer, concrete can withstand the elements, freeze/thaw cycles, UV damage, abrasions, water damage, and the myriad forms of wear that accumulate over time. However, concrete sealers do not last indefinitely unless you have opted to use a penetrating sealer. As these sealers actually strengthen the concrete by changing its chemical make-up, penetrating sealers do not need to be reapplied.
Surface sealers, on the other hand, need periodic reapplication, though that will depend on your particular concrete project. Some, like epoxies, will last longer than others, like acrylics; water-based sealers will typically not last as long as solvent-based offerings. Before you can reapply a sealer, however, it is important that remove all the last vestiges of the old sealer in order to ensure maximum protection from the new application. As surface sealers bond to the surface of the concrete, the presence of old sealer can impede that adhesion process.
The easiest way to remove a concrete sealer is to begin by acid etching the surface of the concrete with muriatic acid. This process can be dangerous if you are unfamiliar with it; however, it is well within the ability of any ordinary homeowner, as long as the proper care is taken. To acid etch, you must first dilute the acid, which minimizes its potential danger. Then you must spray the concrete surface with the acid, scrubbing vigorously. Next, you have to neutralize the acid before washing down the concrete surface for a final time.
The acid etching process will remove the old concrete sealer completely from the concrete slab. In its place will stand a fresh slab of concrete ready for a new application of concrete sealer. Once the concrete has been acid etched, you need to let the slab dry completely before applying the new sealer. If the slab is wet, or if there is any sort of debris obstructing the surface, the new coat of sealer will not bond as well as it should, leaving your concrete open to potential problems. Once dry, you are now free to apply the new coat of concrete sealer, which should last you until you need to repeat the process all over again.
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