When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

We finally got out driveway finished! Woohoo! soo...I'm looking for
info on coating it. What kinds of coatings are available? I'm mostly
interesting in prolonging the life of the driveway. I've seen concrete
here partially exposed to the rain, and the part exposed to the rain
eventually erodes. I'd like to prevent that if possible.

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

"Ook" wrote in message

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?


Most of the sidewalks in town are 5 to 75 years old and they are still
waiting to coat them. I'd wait that long too.

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

most sidewalks don't get 4000 pounds at a time on them and layers of salt in
the winter.

--
Steve Barker




"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"Ook" wrote in message

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?


Most of the sidewalks in town are 5 to 75 years old and they are still
waiting to coat them. I'd wait that long too.

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

On May 1, 10:47 pm, Ook wrote:
We finally got out driveway finished! Woohoo! soo...I'm looking for
info on coating it. What kinds of coatings are available? I'm mostly
interesting in prolonging the life of the driveway. I've seen concrete
here partially exposed to the rain, and the part exposed to the rain
eventually erodes. I'd like to prevent that if possible.

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

From what I remember about concrete roadways, you can put down a
penetrating-type waterproofing sealer just about anytime. There are
waterproofing coatings which can be applied the same day the concrete
is poured. In fact, that's how they lay down premium bridge decks
which represent about the most difficult applications for concrete in
a roadway.

I would stay away from Thompsons. It's one of the most cheaply made
but expensively advertised versions around. From what I've read
about it, it gets most of its protective effects from the wax
dissolved in the paint thinner.

I favor the silicone-based, acrylic-based products.

I agree with your concerns. When I spent some time working for a
bridge-deck contractor, they kept comparing concrete to sugar cubes,
i.e. porous and easily damaged by water. If you want to keep an
attractive surface under freeze-thaw conditions, you have to seal
those pores.

-Jason

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

Ook wrote:
We finally got out driveway finished! Woohoo! soo...I'm looking for
info on coating it. What kinds of coatings are available? I'm mostly
interesting in prolonging the life of the driveway. I've seen concrete
here partially exposed to the rain, and the part exposed to the rain
eventually erodes. I'd like to prevent that if possible.

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

I would not bother with anything unless you live in a snow area where
salt can be a problem. If that is the case I would wait until fall and then
use a water repellent type product to keep the salt out of the concrete.
Salt is most damaging to fresh concrete so you are lucky yours will have
time to cure well before winter. Sealers can help.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

"Ook" wrote in message
oups.com...
We finally got out driveway finished! Woohoo! soo...I'm looking for
info on coating it. What kinds of coatings are available? I'm mostly
interesting in prolonging the life of the driveway. I've seen concrete
here partially exposed to the rain, and the part exposed to the rain
eventually erodes. I'd like to prevent that if possible.

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?


I would recommend whatever's in there. The job and the mixing is already
done. Concrete continues to age over its life, so it will cure for 100
years. Adding surface coatings interferes with that process.

You got what you got, and there's nothing you can do about it. If you had
wanted color or texture, the time to do it has passed.

I hear Crayola has some awesome new chalk Crayon kits. You could have your
kids of neighborhood kids do a new mural every week.

Steve

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

On May 1, 6:47 pm, Ook wrote:
We finally got out driveway finished! Woohoo! soo...I'm looking for
info on coating it. What kinds of coatings are available? I'm mostly
interesting in prolonging the life of the driveway. I've seen concrete
here partially exposed to the rain, and the part exposed to the rain
eventually erodes. I'd like to prevent that if possible.

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

Coatings are a pain in the ass. The best coatings will only last a
year at best with severe conditions. They are expensive and messy. I
would have used a 4500psi concrete. 4000 pounds driving across it will
not be a big deal unless you poured it less than 3" thick with a pea
gravel mix and no control joints.

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

On May 1, 8:25 pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
"Ook" wrote in message

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

Most of the sidewalks in town are 5 to 75 years old and they are still
waiting to coat them. I'd wait that long too.

Most of the sidewalks where I live are not that old, and are in very
poor condition. It rains a lot here, and the rain appears to erode the
concrete. This is especially noticeable in places where part of the
concrete is sheltered from the rain. The part that doesn't get rain
has an almost new appearance. The part that has been rained on looks
like the cement dissolved, exposing the rocks/pebbles that was mixed
into it. In some places this is severe - my old driveway was very
badly eroded. But any cement around here that has been around for a
while seems to do this.

Maybe I should just dump some oil on it, and let that protect it from
rain? :-)

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

snip
I agree with your concerns. When I spent some time working for a
bridge-deck contractor, they kept comparing concrete to sugar cubes,
i.e. porous and easily damaged by water. If you want to keep an
attractive surface under freeze-thaw conditions, you have to seal
those pores.

-Jason

Around here it rains a lot. Most of the year. And concrete seems to
slowly dissolve just like a sugar cube would. When I lived in Las
Vegas, you would find 50 year old concrete that looked as clean and
solid as they day it was poured. Very little rain, dry compact
foundations so it doesn't settle - the stuff lasts forever.

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

Concrete is one of the very few things that grows stronger in
contact with water. If rain is eating the local concrete, you
must be in an industrial area prone to acid rain. Water does not
hurt concrete - the Hoover dam hasn't melted just yet!

One of many quality concrete chemical specialty companies is
Conspec. It is the brand I use. Look also at Prosoco, WR Grace,
Meadows, etc. Here are Conspec's products for what you want to
accomplish:
http://www.conspecmkt.com/products/weather_proofing.htm
Notice that all silanes and siloxanes that I know about need the
concrete to be at least 28 days old.
--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Ook" wrote in message
oups.com...
We finally got out driveway finished! Woohoo! soo...I'm looking
for
info on coating it. What kinds of coatings are available? I'm
mostly
interesting in prolonging the life of the driveway. I've seen
concrete
here partially exposed to the rain, and the part exposed to the
rain
eventually erodes. I'd like to prevent that if possible.

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before
coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any
good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

On May 2, 6:24 pm, "DanG" wrote:
Concrete is one of the very few things that grows stronger in
contact with water. If rain is eating the local concrete, you
must be in an industrial area prone to acid rain. Water does not
hurt concrete - the Hoover dam hasn't melted just yet!

Lake Mead water tends to be alkaline, where rain water is naturally
acidic (pH=5.6, which is why you don't use rain water in fish tanks -
it's too acidic). The concrete at Hoover Dam that they have erosion
problems with is the part that is exposed to the rain, but it's not
that bad since it doesn't rain very much - I know, I used to live
about 15 minutes up the road from the dam, and I've been there many
times. We used to take the tours back when you could actually take the
elevator down into the dam, see the generator rooms, walk out on the
bottom platforms, etc. I was there when water was flowing over the
spillways on the east side of the dam - something that has not
happened for a long long time.

But I digress - rain water is acidic and will naturally erode
concrete. I see it everywhere, and it's very noticeable where the
concrete is partially protected from the rain.

Tnx for the product referrals - my driveway is about 5 weeks old, so
it sounds like we are ready to coat.

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

On May 2, 6:24 pm, "DanG" wrote:
Concrete is one of the very few things that grows stronger in
contact with water. If rain is eating the local concrete, you
must be in an industrial area prone to acid rain. Water does not
hurt concrete - the Hoover dam hasn't melted just yet!

Lake Mead water tends to be alkaline, where rain water is naturally
acidic (pH=5.6, which is why you don't use rain water in fish tanks -
it's too acidic). The concrete at Hoover Dam that they have erosion
problems with is the part that is exposed to the rain, but it's not
that bad since it doesn't rain very much - I know, I used to live
about 15 minutes up the road from the dam, and I've been there many
times. We used to take the tours back when you could actually take the
elevator down into the dam, see the generator rooms, walk out on the
bottom platforms, etc. I was there when water was flowing over the
spillways on the east side of the dam - something that has not
happened for a long long time.

But I digress - rain water is acidic and will naturally erode
concrete. I see it everywhere, and it's very noticeable where the
concrete is partially protected from the rain.

Tnx for the product referrals - my driveway is about 5 weeks old, so
it sounds like we are ready to coat.

When and how to coat concrete driveway
 

On May 2, 6:28 pm, Ook wrote:
On May 1, 8:25 pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"Ook" wrote in message

How long after pouring the concrete do I have to wait before coating
it? I've not found a lot of information on this subject, any good
sites or resources that you would recommend?

Most of the sidewalks in town are 5 to 75 years old and they are still
waiting to coat them. I'd wait that long too.

Most of the sidewalks where I live are not that old, and are in very
poor condition. It rains a lot here, and the rain appears to erode the
concrete. This is especially noticeable in places where part of the
concrete is sheltered from the rain. The part that doesn't get rain
has an almost new appearance. The part that has been rained on looks
like the cement dissolved, exposing the rocks/pebbles that was mixed
into it. In some places this is severe - my old driveway was very
badly eroded. But any cement around here that has been around for a
while seems to do this.

Maybe I should just dump some oil on it, and let that protect it from
rain? :-)

Deterioration of the surface is a bit more complex than simple
freeze-thaw-salt exposure. Over-troweling to produce a super-smooth
surface can produce a really inferior surface with very poor
weathering properties, i.e.

http://www.tpub.com/content/construc.../14043_199.htm

". . .Begin floating immediately after screeding while the concrete is
still plastic and workable. However, do not overwork the concrete
while it is still plastic because you may bring an excess of water and
paste to the surface. This fine material forms a thin, weak
layer that will scale or quickly wear off under use. . ."

I would avoid oil. You want to dissolve the waterproofing agent in
paint thinner. By the time you paid for the oil and thinner, you
would be approaching the cost of a good acrylic-silicone based
waterproofer but self-formulating an inferior product.

Jason