How Can I Prevent Concrete Pitting, Flaking, and Staining?

Unfortunately, you can’t keep concrete in pristine condition forever. It will eventually deteriorate after more than five years. Sometimes, concrete pitting, flaking, and staining occurs to no fault on the homeowner’s part. If there are problems with the concrete mixture or the mixture was poured incorrectly, the concrete’s stability will fail no matter how many preservation tactics are put into place. 

There are prevention measures that can be taken to preserve your concrete for as long as you can. It’s not impossible to keep your concrete looking brand new, so take the following into account: 

• Pitting and Flaking  

Most homeowners have no say in how the contractor mixes the concrete, especially if the house was bought and you weren’t there for its construction. However, if you do find yourself in a position where you can oversee cement pouring, try to talk to the contractor or site master about the usage of calcium chloride, as well as the mixture’s psi levels that determine the concrete’s strength. 

Pitting and flaking can be caused by freeze-thaw, so it would make sense to cover your driveway so it doesn’t get exposed to snow. You’ll also want to make sure your shoes are dry before stepping on any concrete. This might seem a bit inconvenient, but if you at least commit to only doing it during the winter, it will greatly help you preserve your concrete. 

• Staining  

Again, if you’re in the position to talk to a contractor while overseeing a project, talk to them about the use of too many different materials used in the mixture as well since this can cause staining. Ultimately, every contractor will have their own way of mixing they might not want to change, so make sure you choose a reputable company to do your concrete flooring. 

Moisture will bring up salts and minerals in the concrete, so keeping the pavement covered is a good idea. Moisture doesn’t affect concrete as much as freeze-thaw does, but the risks of staining are still there when the concrete gets wet.