How To Fix A Concrete Floor

Posted by admin on August 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment

For More Information Visit www.rocksolidsurfacing.com 800-328-1443

This is the real story about how to fix a concrete floor. Unfortunately very few know how to do it right. To know how you first need to understand the cause. I might add this is a typical problem on both residential and commercial floors worldwide.

How To Fix A Concrete Floor – The Causes

In picture 1 notice how the joints are open – This is a garage floor. Water is continually going down the joints and underneath the concrete floor. That combined with ground moisture works it’s way under the slab. A couple of things result. In winter the moisture freezes causing the concrete to shift and crack. In the warmer months the intense moisture pressure under the slab causes upward pressure. Moisture travels through the capilaries, airholes and voids to the surface, evaporation pulls it out. Along with the moisture comes salts that deteriorate the concrete.
Picture #2 – you may have concrete that is crumbling “spalling”. That’s the case in this picture. This was likely the last part of the concrete to be troweled when the floor was originally poured. The contractors most likely were tired at this point, concrete was setting up and they tried to patch this corner. Unfortunately it was too late. Six months later the concrete was flaking off. Like from paragraph #1, moisture pressure and salts accelerated the deterioration.
Notice from picture 1 the dark, splothchy grey area. That area was a lip, a high point. Water that blew in the garage or was tracked in from cars would not drain, it was trapped by the lip. You may be able to see a crack that runs perpendicular to the lip. That crack was visible when GF1 grinded the surface. If your flooring contractor doesn’t grind the concrete surface you will never find all the cracks. That means the problem was never fixed.

: Joints-Moisture Problem

: Spalling Repair

: How To Fix A Concrete Floor

: Leveling High Spots

: Grinding Smooth

: Perfect Floor

: Steve Conklin 800-328-1443

How To Fix A Concrete Floor – The Rock Solid Surfacing Solution www.rocksolidsurfacing.com

Rock Solid Surfacing professionals use a small hand held jack hammer to remove all the weak concrete as you can see in picture #2. All the cracks are cleaned out. Any loose concrete is chipped out or grinded to open up the crack. The spalling areas, cracks and expansion joints are filled witha proprietary polyurea. High quality, pure polyurea blends are excellent for repairs. They are activated by moisture and are absorbed into the concrete. When they cure, the polyureas become part of the concrete. Moisture vapor is stopped.
The grinding process makes the floor smooth including the front edge and any expansion joints. Concrete shrinks at the expansion joints creating high points. It’s beacuse of air flow over the floor. Concrete at the expansion joint cures at a different rate than the center. You may have experienced water settling at the low spots on your floor. Uneven curing is part of the cause. Grinding the floor smooth will assure easy maintenance after application of a coating. Any water on the surface can be quickly removed with a squeegy.
Now that the concrete surface has been properly fixed a coating can be applied. Joe Sheehan of GF1 ( and partner with One Day Floors) has worked with Bayer Material Sciences and their blender to develop the ultimate concrete coating. They use a polyaspartic which is a two part system. The first coat soaks into the concrete floor. The unique soaking into the floor feature of “Pure Bred” polyaspatics will not delaminate while doubling as a waterproofing agent. Then they apply decorative chips or colored quartz while the polyaspartic is still wet. Once dry they scrape off any excess chips. The second and final coat is what provides long term durability.

So if you are wondering how to fix a concrete floor for long term function, design and ease of maintenance you might want to give Steve Conklin a call. Steve has professionals service residential and commercial customers in Minnesota and with his nationwide network of Rock Solid Surfacing applicators residential and commercial projects from New York to California.