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Slip and Fall Waiting to Happen - Removing Sealer/Finish from Concrete

2006

I have a picture that explains everything:



Our 1 year old drive under home has concrete that holds water. Rust and Mold are not our friends. The home is raised with a drive under garage and yet on humid days the water settles on the surface and won't penetrate the concrete. . Newly poured concrete on the extra garage pad added never has held water. Need help desperately on how to remove sealer.

Mark Gaddy
consumer + builder - Charleston, South Carolina

I HAVE SOME CONCRETE THAT WAS SEALED OVER. AND MY CLIENT IS WANTED ME TO REMOVE THE SEAL COAT SO HE CAN HAVE THE COLORED CONCRETE AGAIN IS THERE ANY WAY TO REMOVE THE SEAL COAT WITH OUT DAMAGING THE COLORED CONCRETE. OR DO YOU THINK THAT SAND BLASTING IS THE ONLY WAY

BRD WINK
CONSTRUCTION - RANCHO CUCAMONGA, California
2006

 

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You have the opposite problem as the rest of the world that is trying to get a cement garage floor coated with something that has some kind of integrity to it! Running a machine that has some kind of abrasive action to it comes to mind, like a hardwood floor sander type piece of equipment to break through the surface of this coating and start the deterioration process. I doubt you will be able to find anyone that would try to chemically strip it, the clean-up could be a nightmare.

Sheldon Taylor
supply chain electronics
Wake Forest, North Carolina
2006

I just poured a polymer modified cement overlay on my concrete floor. I let it cure for 2 days and on the evening of the second day it was forecasted to rain so I covered part of it with plastic to keep mud off. The next day I removed the plastic and noticed that the area that was covered looked fine but the area that it rained on had a white efflorescence. I put a light coat of acrylic sealer on the entire area based on bad advice and the efflorescence was still there. Any suggestions?

Jeff Hitchings
concrete specialties - San Antonio, Texas
2007

Hello - Part of my vapor barrier under my lower floor slab on grade was removed by the plumber when he installed the under floor plumbing. Where the barrier was removed, I have efflorescence coming through. I have a scoefield acid stain and sealer but it still dusts with a white salt powder. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Jim Dunn
architect - Seattle, Washington
2007

It seems because of improper coating application my garage floor was painted with Quikrete 1 part Epoxy coating and then high gloss sealer on top but the coating is peeling(coming) off. What kind of stripper can use that can remove water based Epoxy coating and gloss on top.

Raj Patel
- Sugarland, Texas
April 2, 2009

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Quikrete DIY Garage Floor Painting Kit: A very nice product, with a helpful DVD, but I ran into a problem with my concrete because it is not new.

Preparing concrete surface before "painting" with Quikrete's epoxy kit. Found much of the concrete repelled water, indicating the presence of some kind of spilled chemical sealer. Unfortunately, Quikrete's directions left me stranded at the point where it talks about "sealers." Just said that all "sealer" must be removed or the epoxy would not bond properly.

Tried various chemical paint removers, but found they have trouble removing the sealer, and are very time consuming.

Best solution is to "sand" the concrete. What's a good way to sand concrete that is inexpensive?

Bill Cowhig
- Durham, North Carolina   
April 26, 2009