I Have a Flaking Garage Floor Due to Salt on the Concrete

Causes

• Many deicing salts contain calcium or sodium chloride. When these products are applied to the concrete, they melt the ice, which leaves water on the concrete. This water soaks into the porous concrete and, through freezing and thawing, the concrete begins to flake or spall.

Remove the Flakes

• Once the damage is done to the concrete, it’s necessary to repair it. Brush the flakes off the garage floor with a stiff scrub brush. Power wash the floor to further remove the flakes. Hold the nozzle of the power washer about 12 inches from the floor and move it back and forth over the concrete. Power wash the entire garage floor rather than just the spots that are visibly flaking. Other areas of the floor may be weak even if they haven’t reached the point of flaking yet. Power washing these areas will remove the damaged concrete from those spots as well. Allow the garage floor to dry completely before moving on to fixing the damage.

Repair the Damage

• After the flakes are removed, the spots must be filled in. Smooth concrete mortar over the damaged areas. Choose a product that is polymer, vinyl or latex. Mix the mortar according to the package instructions, and pour it over the damaged spots. Smooth the mortar out with a steel trowel until it is flush with the rest of the floor. Remove the excess mortar from the floor with the trowel. Let the mortar dry completely as instructed by the manufacturer. Sand the repaired spots with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth it out so it blends with the rest of the floor.

Tips

• Wait until the temperature is at least 50 degrees or higher to repair the garage floor. Do not allow foot traffic on the concrete for a minimum of 36 hours. Keep vehicle traffic off the garage floor for a minimum of one week. To prevent future problems from deicers, choose products that do not contain calcium or sodium chloride.