I recently laid a brick step as a transition from one part of an old patio,
to a new, lower level patio. Both the old and new patios were stained and
sealed with a xylene base sealer about 3 months before I built the step.
Now certain areas of the lower concrete surface have developed white stains
up against the brick step. I do not think the clouding is coming from
moisture seeping in from below, as we did put a vapor barrier under the new
slab. I am assuming that it is efflourescence from the brick, because it
started immediately after we laid the step.

It looks as though I will have to strip the sealer from the effected patio
surface and re-seal it. How can I tell when the brick step has stopped the
staining? I would hate to go through the effort of re-sealing the patio,
just to have it cloud up again. Is there any way to salvage the existing
sealer instead of stripping it and starting from scratch?

TIA for help.

"Wayne" wrote in message
...
I recently laid a brick step as a transition from one part of an old
patio,
to a new, lower level patio. Both the old and new patios were stained and
sealed with a xylene base sealer about 3 months before I built the step.
Now certain areas of the lower concrete surface have developed white
stains
up against the brick step. I do not think the clouding is coming from
moisture seeping in from below, as we did put a vapor barrier under the
new
slab. I am assuming that it is efflourescence from the brick, because it
started immediately after we laid the step.

It looks as though I will have to strip the sealer from the effected
patio
surface and re-seal it. How can I tell when the brick step has stopped
the
staining? I would hate to go through the effort of re-sealing the patio,
just to have it cloud up again. Is there any way to salvage the existing
sealer instead of stripping it and starting from scratch?

TIA for help.

probably the lime coming out of the mortar. Pretty common it will go away in
a few years