Freshly poured concrete driveways increase the functionality of your home or business. Concrete provides a thick, durable layer of protection against constant foot traffic, snowy car tires, and accidental spills.
Concrete coatings, like epoxy and polyurea, reinforce concrete flooring by adding a layer of protection. Concrete seals utilize resins and hardening agents that form a durable, plastic-like film over concrete surfaces. Metallic and polyaspartic topcoats add improved functionality and aesthetics to concrete floors.
Professional flooring companies excel at installing concrete coatings. Trained professionals utilize diamond grinders to ensure your concrete floor binds properly to coatings. DIY concrete coating projects prove difficult as even the smallest amount of debris or damage to your concrete floor results in breaks, cracks, and bubbles within concrete coatings.
To avoid costly mistakes when exploring concrete coating options, continue reading to learn the shortcomings and pitfalls of sealing concrete too soon.
Disadvantages of Sealing Concrete Too Soon
Concrete surfaces withstand many environmental factors when cleaned and dried correctly. Concrete formation involves mixing portland cement, water, and coarse aggregates like sand and rocks. The cement paste binds to the aggregates to form an extremely durable, solid material used extensively for roads, commercial operations, manufacturing plants, driveways, and much more. Problems occur when concrete mixtures do not form correctly or have not received care from professionals.
Signs your concrete floor has failed to seal correctly include:
Concrete Spalling
Spalling occurs when small pieces of your concrete floor break away from the main concrete slab. Spalling takes the blame if you notice small flakes of concrete chipping on the surface of your concrete floor.
The main reason concrete floors begin to spill includes improper application of concrete, concrete coatings applied too soon, and moisture soaking into the concrete. If moisture begins penetrating concrete sealers, the sealants fail to bind correctly to your floors, resulting in perfect conditions for spalling.
Concrete Discoloration
Floor sealers provide crucial UV-resistant and water-repellent properties to protect concrete floors from damage. If not sealed correctly or too soon, concrete floors become susceptible to harsh sun rays and troublesome moisture damage. Brown and black stains form on concrete surfaces filled improperly or with low-grade materials. Discoloration of concrete surfaces proves difficult and expensive to fix and results in unsightly and hard-to-remove stains.
Concrete Moisture Damage
Both exterior and interior concrete floors require at least 30 days of drying time before adding concrete coatings. Moisture trapped within the concrete mixture must evaporate before additional layers of exposed aggregate or epoxy concrete seals bind correctly. If moisture fails to escape the concrete mix, water trapped between the concrete and other coatings cause bubbling, discoloration, the shortened lifespan of concrete surfaces, and expensive repairs.
How To Avoid Damage to Your Concrete Floors
After pouring fresh concrete for your driveway, basement, or commercial space, avoid applying concrete coatings too soon. The durability and long lifespan of concrete surfaces stem from the strong bonding of concrete mixtures to substrates. Hastily applying concrete coatings over improperly dried concrete surfaces results in the compromised integrity of your flooring.
Always consult with your local flooring experts before using concrete sealers. Also, be sure to thoroughly clean off any debris from your concrete floor. The smallest dust particles and dirt inhibit concrete sealers from binding correctly.
Professional flooring companies painstakingly remove dirt and debris from concrete floors before adding a basecoat to ensure concrete sealers are secure correctly. Diamond grinders, microfiber clothes, cleaning agents, and vacuums work well to remove debris from concrete surfaces before adding additional coatings.
High-traffic areas of your concrete floors develop cracks, holes, and chipping. Be sure to seal up any holes or gaps in your concrete floor before applying the sealer. Concrete sealers trapped in small divots of your concrete floor produce air bubbles and pockets for moisture.
Professional concrete coating companies should never apply sealers before the repair of damaged concrete floors. Be patient; your new concrete floors add significant value to your home or business.
Trust BadAss Garage Floors for Your Next Concrete Coating Project
BadAss Garage Floors proudly serves the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Our professionals work tirelessly to provide our loyal customers with exceptional concrete coating services. We service residential and commercial properties and provide full-service concrete sealing services, including design consultations, diamond grading, and clean-up.
To learn more about our services and speak to our friendly staff, contact us at BadAss Garage Floors at (678) 713-4348 to receive your free quote today! At BadAss Garage Floors, our customers come first.
