The Benefits of Concrete Waterproofing

June 1, 2023

Concrete Waterproofing

Waterproofing concrete by filling expansion joints or other existing cracks with a silicone or polyurethane caulk is one of the best ways to extend the life of your concrete and prevent damage. This is commonly done on residential driveways, but it is beneficial for any concrete slab. Preventing water from flowing under your concrete is one of the most important things you can do to keep your concrete driveway or slab from sinking or lifting. Caulking the expansion joints and any existing cracks is the best way to stop this from happening. Here are some of the benefits of concrete waterproofing.

The Benefits of Caulking Concrete Expansion Joints

Prevents erosion. Filling the expansion joints with caulk prevents water from flowing under the concrete and eroding the soil the concrete is resting on. Over time, water will wash away some of that soil and cause that slab to sink.
Prevents damage from freeze-thaw cycles. Similar to erosion, water can flow into the joint and under the concrete and freeze during the winter months. This causes the slab to lift and potentially crack.
Keeps dirt, weeds and grass out of the expansion joints. Caulking the expansion joints also prevents dirt from building up, and weeds, grass and other plants from growing through the slab. Not only is this unattractive, the roots from these plants can also cause damage over time.
Looks nice. While gray caulk is most common, it does come in other colors. Sand can also be sprinkled over the top for a seamless look with the concrete.

At the Schilling Group, we use industrial-grade caulking. This caulking is higher quality, adheres better and lasts longer.

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For more information on concrete waterproofing, contact the Schilling Group today!

8 Ways to Upgrade Your Concrete Floor

There are so many ways to upgrade your concrete floor from polishing to coating to engraving or staining. We love helping our clients pick out the right fit for what they are looking to accomplish. Sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming to choose what to do with your concrete flooring. Here are 8 ways you can upgrade your concrete to protect and/or enhance it with a little explanation about each technique. We hope this helps when deciding what to do with your next project!

Mechanical Polishing

Mechanical polished concrete is a process that takes abrasives (diamonds) and mechanically places scratches in the concrete. This scratching process uses finer grit abrasives to remove and replace the scratches with smaller and smaller micro scratches.

The objective is to refine the floor and take away the small scratches so that you see a reflection in the floor. This process can be achieved with older concrete, new concrete and/or coated concrete.

This process is considered to be the maximum refinement method, and can be considered the best long-term solution for polished concrete.

Topical Polishing

Topical polishing is similar to the mechanically polished floor, but the course of action is shorter, and it leaves the floor at less than maximum refinement.

Most of the time the topically processed progression ends at a 200- or 400- grit step. These grits leave peaks on the top of the scratches that have zero lateral support. A topical sealer is then added and is placed into the gaps left by the scratching process. As the sealer settles and dries, it gives the appearance of being completely polished and is referred to as “polished concrete.”

This process is a much cheaper alternative to the mechanical process. The “topical polish” is exactly the same thing as putting on a coating. This method can be done with a burnisher, a floor scrubber and even a swing machine.

Decorative Epoxy Coatings

Epoxy floor coatings are hard wearing and durable solutions for both commercial and residential flooring. These floor coatings can be applied over concrete floors to provide a high performance and an attractive surface.

New technology now offers you the ability to choose almost any color. Metallic additives create a gorgeous surface and multiple colors can be randomly applied together revealing a swirling effect that is very unique and attractive.

Decorative Overlays

Overlays are a great option for concrete floors that are damaged or distressed. They are extremely durable and attractive. Overlays typically consist of a cementitious product, but some may be a combination of polyurethane and cement. They can be stained, mechanically polished, coated or stamped with any pattern you can imagine. Overlays are a great way to make an old concrete floor look brand new.

Dyes and Stains

The skies the limit when it comes to colorants. Multiple colors and patterns add to the beauty of your polished floor. There are a multitude of application techniques to add interesting effects when applying dyes and stains.

Engraving

We can incorporate engraving into your polishing process to provide borders and logos. Engraving can turn ordinary concrete surfaces into slate, tile, stone, brick and much more.

Hardeners and Sealers

Hardeners/densifiers are products that penetrate into the concrete surface and react with the Portland cement and fills the micro-pores. This reaction creates a very dense surface that helps with ease of cleaning, abrasion, dusting, staining, and overall wear of your concrete surface. These products do not change the appearance of the surface but can generate a sheen after burnishing and actually becomes harder the more you use the surface.

Sealers are an option for some floors. Depending on your needs it may provide a shiny surface that is easy to clean. All sealers will need to be reapplied at some point depending on wear and tear.

Final Notes

Performance Concrete Polishing is focused on providing services that are related to concrete surfaces. These services are appropriate for new and existing concrete. The majority of services we offer are oriented to improving the aesthetic appearance of these surfaces. Decorative concrete services are the hallmark of this company, and we’d love to help you out with your next project!