Need to fix a dusty concrete driveway or garage floor?

July 21st, 2020

Are you tired of cleaning off dusty foot prints from your dusty concrete?

dusty concrete

If so, read on to find out how dusting occurs and what you can do to resolve it.

The Issue:

Have you tried cleaning a concrete driveway or garage floor? Do you find it still dusty the next day? Perhaps you have an inherent issue with the upper surface properties of the concrete.

cleaning dusty concrete

You may be experiencing what is known as ‘laitance’.

What is laitance / dusting and why it has occurred:

The chalking and dusting of the concrete is caused by a breakdown of the top surface area of the concrete. The surface of the concrete will erode easily under general traffic. This can produce a powdery, chalky appearance.

Usually, the surface is very soft and will scratch off with a fingernail or sharp tool like a screwdriver.

cement laitance

There are many reasons for this issue of laitance. Laitance may be caused by;

  • Poor curing of the concrete;
  • Bad mixing of the concrete;
  • Excess water on the surface of the concrete; or in some cases
  • Changes in the local manufacturing of concrete involving excess silt in the mix.

Surface laitance is a porous layer of soft concrete that lacks inherent density. It begins to disintegrate over time.

This weak layer continues to disintegrate even after repeated sweeping and hosing. As such, the issue of dusting cannot be resolved by these methods alone.

Oncrete’s range of Densifiers help resolve the issue of dusting.

Densifiers are known as concrete hardeners. They are also effective for the reduction of concrete dusting. They penetrate deep into the concrete surface. Densifiers can increase the surface strength of concrete by up to 40%, depending on the condition of the concrete.

On-Crete Densil+ Lithium:

On-Crete Densil+ Lithium is a lithium silicate concrete densifier. On-Crete Densil+ Lithium serves to harden the surface area via a chemical reaction.

The application of On-Crete Densil+ Lithium will dramatically increase:

•   Abrasion resistance;

•   Surface compressive strength; and

•   Will help reduce dusting.

Lithium Concrete Densifier

On-Crete Densil+ Lithium Features

•    Deep-penetrating liquid hardener

•    Prolongs the serviceable life of “problem” concrete floors before resurfacing is required.

•    Helps protect concrete surfaces by increasing surface hardness

•    Provides increased durability and resistance to abrasion and dusting. •

 

Using On-Crete Densil+ Lithium to Repair and Restore a Dusty Driveway or Garage Floor:

  1. The surface must be cleaned to remove all surface dust.  A broom and hose is best used for this application.
  2. Once the surface is clean and dry, then On-Crete Densil+ Lithium can be applied to the affected area.
  3. Spray the densifier onto the surface.
  4. Use a broom and/or squeegee to ensure the densifier does not puddle.
  5. Allow to settle for 6-8 hours before reapplying.

The product will be stable within 4-7 days post application

 

On-Crete Densil+ Lithium can be diluted with water up to a ratio of 3:1 to penetrate deeply into the concrete surface.