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Effective Fixes to Get Rid of Blisters and Bubbles on Your Newly Sealed Concrete

07 February 2023

Most buildings today take advantage of concrete as it is versatile, durable, and long-lasting. The versatility of concrete allows it to be used in constructing various structural elements in properties like slabs, beams, columns, and footings. Concrete can even be used for flooring, driveways, walkways, and other landscaping features.

Concrete is also durable. With proper installation and application, concrete features are expected to withstand weather elements like heat and moisture. They can also resist rust, corrosion, and other natural processes that can be damaging to other materials. And since concrete can last for a long time, property owners can expect the appeal and value of their buildings to remain great for numerous years.

Concrete Sealing is Important

But to ensure that concrete surfaces can last for a long time, they must be sealed appropriately. Concrete sealing is a crucial part of maintaining the said materials and features. It is often done by adding a sealant to the concrete surfaces. Once added, the sealant can close the pores of the concrete surfaces, minimising their porosity and preventing damaging elements like weather, oil, chemicals, salt, grease, UV rays, and moisture from infiltrating them. The sealant can also preserve the colour and texture of the concrete elements.

Concrete sealing is extremely helpful to concrete features that are always exposed to weather elements and heavy foot and vehicle traffic. Hence, this process should be done in walkways, driveways, and commercial/industrial flooring.

Common Issue with Sealing

The processes involved in concrete sealing can be straightforward, especially if one thoroughly followed the sealant manufacturer’s instructions. However, some issues can still occur on the sealing surfaces, which can be bothersome for many property owners.

If you applied a sealant on your concrete surfaces and spotted some blisters and bubbles forming, you do not have to panic. These issues can often occur once the sealant has been applied on concrete surfaces, especially during the curing phase.

You see, the liquid portion of the sealer evaporates in the atmosphere once the sealer is applied. During the curing phase, the air as well as other gases then need to escape. If the sealant dries too fast or too slow, the gas may be trapped, generating blisters and bubbles. The same thing can happen if the top portion dries before the bottom.

Remove Blisters and Bubbles

To remove blisters and bubbles, you may want to carry out one of these numerous remedies.

For solvent-based sealers, you can remove blisters and bubbles by utilising a solvent bath. This bath involves wetting the concrete surface with acetone or xylene. This method may be applied with water-based sealers as well. Alternatively, you might be able to remove any blisters on your newly sealed surface by adding a new coat of sealant or sanding the surface.

But if the bubbles run deep, you may apply a solvent bath along with back rolling. If these remedies do not work, you may want to remove all the applied sealer, clean the surface, and reseal it again. If you want to know more about concrete sealing and the products needed for the process, you can contact us at Auseal.

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