Photo 1 Side view of slab surface containing a blister. (Photo courtesy of the Portland Cement Association)
Photo 2 Slab placed on waterproofing membrane on roof slab. Premature finishing resulted in widespread delamination.
Photo 3 The thickness or depth of a delamination can vary, depending on the mix and the timing of final finishing. Here the depth of delamination is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
Photo 4- Postpone final finishing operations until the bleed water sheen has evaporated. (Photo courtesy of PCA)
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Photo 5 Fogging a slab surface increases relative Photo 6 - Removal of a delaminated slab surface by humidity and decreases the rate of evaporation. Here shotblasting, after hammer sounding identified zones the fog spray is 5 feet above the slab surface. Do not of drummy concrete. Shotblasting may need to be spray directly at the slab surface or finish the water into followed by sandblasting to ensure removal of all slab. This commonly results in dusting. (Photo courtesy weakened concrete. of PCA)
After proper removal of unsound concrete, you can then apply a new surface. In some cases, the slab can be ground smooth and sealed, resulting in an attractive final surface with an exposed-aggregate appearance. Alternately, you can bond a topping or concrete overlay to the prepared roughened surface. You can find resurfacing products for both interior and exterior use that are formulated to bond to a sound substrate and provide an attractive,
sound new working surface. Conduct a small mock-up with the resurfacing material in a noncritical area of the slab to verify that the final appearance and surface texture will be acceptable to the owner for the use intended. Related Information: