Is Concrete Spalling Normal?

Yes, Concrete spalling is the natural weathering and/or chemical reaction breakdown of concrete that results in pieces of cement flaking. It is the process by which the surface of concrete begins to flake off because of exposure to extreme weather conditions, salt, or chemicals.

Concrete spalling can happen for a variety of reasons, including exposure to extreme weather conditions, chemicals, or physical stress.

Concrete spalling can happen for a number of reasons, but is most often the result of exposure to extreme weather conditions, such as freezing temperatures or high winds.

While concrete spalling is not necessarily a structural issue, it can be unsightly and can cause problems if the spalled concrete is allowed to accumulate. In some cases, spalling can also lead to the formation of cracks in the concrete, which can allow water to seep in and cause further damage.

While concrete is a very durable material, it can gradually degrade and show signs of wear and tear over time. Spalling is one of the most common forms of concrete degradation, and it can have a major impact on the strength and integrity of concrete structures.

There are a few different types of spalling that can occur in concrete. The most common type is surface spalling, when the surface of the concrete begins to flake or peel away.

Spalling can cause serious damage to a structure and can even make it unsafe. It is important to address the problem as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

What Is Scaling And Spalling In Concrete?

Scaling is a type of disintegration caused by freeze-thaw events that cause the concrete to flake or peel off at the exposed surface.

Scaling indicates that the concrete has weak air-void properties. A Visual Condition Survey is used to detect this type of decline.

The examiner will first detect little patchy portions of peeling or flaking surface. If this is not addressed, it will continue to develop and may eventually cover a significant area.

A spalling occurs when large chunks break off a concrete structure. The corrosion of the rebar within the concrete is the major cause of spalling.

Steel corrosion products are expansive and take up more volume, putting the concrete under stress and creating fissures and, ultimately, spalls owing to the concrete splitting open and exposing the corroded rebar.

When a spall is discovered during a visual scan, the rebar is generally visible with the naked eye.

A spall can also occur as a result of the freezing and thawing of concrete. Water penetrates the inherent pores of the concrete mixture, which was almost certainly not constructed with air-entraining admixtures.

When the water freezes, an exothermic reaction begins, causing the water to expand and the concrete to spall under the pressure of the water on the surrounding concrete paste.

How Do You Fix A Spalling Concrete Garage Floor?

During freeze-thaw cycles, the expansion and contraction of leftover water in the concrete causes spalling or concrete surface collapse on a garage floor.

The earliest symptoms of surface flaking generally appear during the first winter or after a very hard and rainy winter.

Deicing chemicals picked up on the road drip off your vehicle, exacerbating the situation by producing extra water saturation.

Do-it-yourself concrete resurfacing is a simple operation, but the most critical stage is preparation.

Remove everything from the garage and leave the floor bare.
Put on gumboots and use a concrete vibrating pressure washer to remove any leftover spalled concrete from the surface.
Hose down the floor and carefully check the surface; if required, use a flat-ended garden shovel or chisel to dislodge any flakes that remain on the surface.

Allow at least 24 hours for the floor to dry after sweeping it clean with a stiff-bristled broom.

Put on protective goggles and latex gloves. Half a 5-gallon plastic bucket of micro-topping polymer base liquid should be poured out.

Blend the contents with a power mixer after adding a small amount of polymer-modified cementitious powder to the liquid.

Continue to add powder and mix until the batter has the consistency of a reasonably firm cake batter.

Apply a liberal layer of polymer-modified cementitious micro-topping primer to roughly 3 square yards of the surface at a time with a spray sprayer.

Spread the liquid uniformly with a wide soft-bristle broom until an even coating of primer is applied to the area. Proceed to the following step while the primer is still wet, and the surface is sticky.

Begin at the farthest inside edge from the garage door and work your way toward the garage entrance. Pour out enough mix at a time to cover 3 square yards of primed floor.

Spread the mix uniformly throughout the surface using a broad cement squeegee and smooth it with a wide, slightly convex hand-held bull float before moving on to the next 3 square yards.

Continue priming, pouring, and completing the floor until it is completely covered.

Using a long-handled bull float, go over the whole area to obtain a flawlessly level floor.
Divide the floor into 2- to 3-square-yard portions and draw horizontal and vertical chalk lines on the semi-hard surface to use as visual boundary guidelines when grooving.

Place the center line of a long-handled rocking groover on each chalk line, then run the groover back and forth along the chalk lines to cut horizontal and vertical control joint grooves in moist concrete.

Thoroughly inspect the floor. If required, use the long-handled bull float to smooth off any surface flaws. Allow at least 24 hours for the surface to dry before stepping on it.

Is Concrete Spalling Normal?