Does cement absorb water12/31/2023 Sprinkle some water on your sidewalk or driveway and look very closely. You can actually see this happen on a hot summer day. Does Concrete Absorb Water?īelieve it or not, while concrete appears to be a very dense material, it is in fact quite like a blotter. Will it RUIN your concrete? Did you know that salt can SERIOUSLY harm you? What about your expensive landscaping? You can have all these answers and more in less than a minute. Get a 24-page guide right now that answers all your questions about Deicing Salts. Rock salt can take advantage of this weakness. However, it is extremely weak when it is subjected to tension, or 'pulled'. How is Concrete Weak When Stretched?Ĭoncrete has high strength when it is compressed, or 'squeezed'. However, its useful life can be significantly reduced if you do not recognize its weaknesses. As a paving material, it can be one of the longest lasting surfaces that you can use. I can also take you to new homes where concrete driveways and sidewalks look horrible after two years of winter weather because the concrete was not mixed, installed, finished or cured properly.Ĭoncrete is a magnificent material. You'll note that he mentions if the concrete is mixed and placed properly, it can withstand the pressure from the freezing and thawing cycles. Pay CLOSE ATTENTION to what he says starting at 3:00 into the video. Watch this video by a top chemist who explains what salt can do to concrete. You just need to add an extra bag of Portland cement per cubic yard to get this strength or greater. I've never had the opportunity to core drill one of these old concrete surfaces, but if we could I'm willing to bet you that the concrete would test out at least 5,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of compressive strength. I can take you to places in downtown Cincinnati that have concrete sidewalks that have been in use for fifty or more years and the top surface never spalled or was damaged by years of rock salt used to melt snow and ice. Cincinnati can get brutal below-zero temperatures in the winter. I grew up in the Midwest in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lots of old concrete was installed correctly and deicing salt does not harm it. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter Is All Concrete Harmed By Deicing Salt? If you shovel first and get off most the snow before spreading the salt, your driveway will look this great in just 24 hours. Avoid using it on your concrete sidewalks, driveways, and patios if they have not been installed correctly.ĬLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local concrete contractors who can seal your concrete.ĭeicing salt can be used on asphalt or blacktop with no worries. Rock salt can be one of concrete's worst enemies if the concrete was not mixed, finished and cured properly. D.: Your builder's advice is somewhat accurate. ![]() Does my builder know what he is talking about? S. I don't believe him, because our city uses it on our streets every winter. He told us that it will damage the concrete. Our builder has advised us not to use rock salt on our concrete sidewalks and driveway for snow and ice removal. CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter! Deicing Salts - Does It Really Harm Concrete?ĭEAR TIM: We just moved into our new house.Apply silane/siloxane sealers - CLICK HERE to BUY it.Rock other deicing salts will NOT harm strong concrete.Copyright 2018 Tim Carter Deicing Salts and Concrete Checklist See the dark stain? The stain is caused by water vapor from the air being attracted to the salt. Deicing salts has been spilled on concrete.
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