What Are the Primary Causes of Concrete Scaling?
What exactly is concrete scaling, and how does it work?
At one point or another, your property’s concrete will break down. It is in the nature of the material despite its very long lifespan and overall durability. One sign that something could have gone wrong is when it starts to scale. What exactly is concrete scaling, and how does it work? What are a few of the reasons that concrete scaling happens? You’re in the right place if you’re curious about concrete scaling. Read on to learn more!
Air Entrainment Issues
Air entrainment is basically a technical way to describe how air is fully injected into the workable concrete. This technique is required for further protection against the whole freeze-thaw cycle. Even on the coolest of days, that wouldn’t sound like a problem in the summertime. However, you must think beyond the current time frame for your concrete. What will it look like in a few months? Will it last long? These are the answers you typically will not know. That is why monitoring and maintaining concrete is super important.
Subpar Finishing for the Concrete
One other issue could arise from the finishing process. Bleed water shouldn’t get into the concrete mix. This can create a higher water-to-cement ratio. Although this does not sound too bad, it could get ugly. The surface would then weaken and lack the right amount of durability. That is the exact opposite of what you’d want the concrete to do. The concrete can’t be overworked either, and this is as bad as it sounds. This means that there isn’t as much air content inside the surface layer. It could also make the concrete much more brittle and rough, thus more prone to cracking or breaking down in the hot summer heat or scaling in the freezing winter. One final problem has to do with how much curing time the concrete has had right before it is set.
Not Enough Curing Time
No matter what it’s used for, concrete needs time to cure. Without it, the concrete might not be as solid or stable as you would think. One of the main reasons why concrete scaling might become a problem is simple: it doesn’t have enough time for curing. There will be a weaker surface skin, which will then lead to different issues that could be a pain during the summer and even worse around the winter time. This is because the freeze-thaw cycle could exacerbate the matter. Luckily, you have about six months before you take action on this issue.
Revitalize Your Business with G&M Services
G&M Services is proud of our employees and the dedication they have for safety in the workplace. We reward our employees for displaying positive safety practices. We incorporate weekly and monthly discussions and meetings to ensure that all involved know how to handle equipment and potentially risky situations during a project. We offer services in the way of concrete drilling and sawing, concrete scanning, and Firestop. To get started with us, call today at 410-787-8828 or visit our contact page. Follow the official company page today on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
