How To Repair Concrete Driveway Spalling
Is your driveway’s surface beginning to resemble the surface of the moon? Are there flaking areas that seem to widen over time, leaving the once-smooth surface pitted and cracked? You have spalling. Keep reading to find out how to identify spalling and how to repair it.
What is Spalling Concrete?
The breakdown of the top layer of concrete on driveways, garage and basement floors is known as spalling. Over time, spalling can not only lessen the visual appeal of your concrete surfaces; it can also allow water to permeate the concrete, which can lead to bigger problems down the road.
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What Does Concrete Spall?
The root cause of spalling varies. Here are a few of the most common causes of concrete spalling:
Improper Installation: In some cases, installation is the culprit. The floor or driveway may have been created using improperly mixed concrete. Too much water may have been added, or water might have been sprayed over the finished surface to extend the finishing time.
Freeze-Thaw Cycle: In other cases, weather cycles are largely to blame. When the temperature drops below freezing, any water caught in the capillaries of the concrete will expand as it turns to ice, pushing the concrete outward. When that ice thaws, the resulting crack will be wider, allowing even more water to intrude. The cycle continues until the surface has been significantly degraded.
Using Harsh Deicing Chemicals – Many homeowners unwittingly exacerbate the problem by using harsh deicing chemicals on their driveway’s surface during the winter months. While these chemicals can certainly help to prevent or remove ice, they can also degrade the surface of the driveway or garage floor, which allows more water to soak in. Even homeowners who avoid these chemicals can still suffer their adverse effects when their cars pick up deicing chemicals from the roadways. Rain or snow can transfer the deicing fluid onto the surface of the driveway. This is why spalling is often concentrated in the area where vehicles are parked, leaving the rest of the driveway or floor unharmed.
How to Prevent Spalling Concrete?
When the surface of their driveway begins to look the worse for wear, many homeowners fear that they will be forced to tear out the existing concrete and have an entirely new driveway poured. Fortunately, that level of intervention is not required. It is possible to have a contractor come out and resurface the driveway, which is a far faster and less expensive option than starting from scratch. The process begins with framing the existing driveway to ensure that the new layer of concrete stays where it is supposed to. Next, the concrete is mixed to the exact specifications required for a heavy use application. This is where many do-it-yourself driveway projects can go wrong. If the concrete is not properly mixed, the final product will not be able to withstand the weight of vehicles and the pressures of the weather cycle. In fact, many homeowners who try to complete this project on their own end up having to call in professional help, which makes the total cost of the project far more than it should have been.
Once the concrete has begun to set, the finishing crew will use a range of specialized tools to smooth and shape the surface. This is an interesting process to watch, as these workers have perfected the skill of working with wet concrete to create the best possible finish. The end result is a driveway that looks like new, and is ready to withstand many more years of use.
For any questions or concerns, schedule a consultation with Forte Surfaces today!