Are you dealing with concrete chipping and peeling? If so, you're not alone. Many homeowners have to deal with this issue, especially in cold climates where deicing chemicals are used. Fortunately, there are ways to repair the peeling concrete and prevent it from happening again. In this article, we'll discuss what concrete chip repair is, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening in the future. What is concrete chip repair? Concrete chipping repair is when a professional team comes to repair concrete that has been chopped, peeled or broken, which typically exposes steel reinforcement beams that often rust.
The most common method to repair flaking on horizontal surfaces is to coat and seal the surface with a resurfacing solution. This solution is usually a mixture of one part Portland cement Type 1 and one part fine sand by volume. Add water until the mixture has the consistency of a thick paint, then apply it to wet concrete. Believe it or not, that's all it takes to deal with splinters in the driveway or yard, walkway or garage floor slab. In fact, you can use the respaver to revive almost any worn concrete surface.
Descaled concrete can be fixed with a cement-concrete coating layer. A good concrete resurfacing product such as the Semco concrete resurfacing machine can fill cracks, repair gaps and coat concrete without having to remove it. After re-coating the concrete, to prevent further flaking, it is recommended to use a waterproof concrete sealing system. Fortunately, most pitting and chipping in a garage can be easily repaired. In general, the depth of damage is usually less than ¼ for peeling and ½ for some bites.
A lot of times it's less than that. If you encounter chipped concrete and are not sure how old the concrete is or how and when it was poured, consider contacting a structural engineer or similar professional to come and assess the structural integrity of the surface. Deicing chemicals only aggravate already stressed concrete by allowing more water to migrate into concrete, increasing the size and depth of husking failures when freezing occurs. Over the course of a winter, or over the years, as internal pressure increases and decreases, the surface layer of concrete is stressed, which leads to flaking. Rust on the rebar takes up more space than the original rebar, resulting in pressure build-up and, consequently, chipping.
If you ignore the flaking, it eventually spreads, compromising the integrity of the surface until it can't be repaired, leaving no recourse other than to tear it off and start over. The first step in repairing peeling concrete is cleaning the area to be repaired from any oil stains, wax, sealants or anything that is considered a joint switch. Chipping on a concrete driveway or sidewalk may require a more comprehensive solution to ensure it doesn't return. Some people mistakenly believe that it is necessary to completely remove old concrete and re-pour new concrete to fix and prevent the concrete from peeling on driveways or sidewalks. Don't wait any longer on your garage floor project just for some required garage floor repairs. If you have chipping on the wall of a basement or other vertical concrete surface, the solution can be a bit complicated.
Descaling tends to be more common in cold climates when defrosting chemicals are applied or when seasonal freeze-thaw cycles damage concrete. Repairing a pitted or peeling garage floor is only intimidating because most people don't know what to use or how to start. Splinters can also be avoided if concrete is handled with care and appropriate techniques are used when pouring, such as providing adequate concrete coverage (embedding) of rebar and placing joints in the right places and at the right distances. Descaling of concrete is the result of chemical and physical processes that occur within the concrete itself. To prevent further flaking and ensure structural integrity of your surfaces for years to come, consider using a waterproof sealant after repairing your peeling concrete.
