Do you sweep or clean the concrete of your garage floor only to have it feel gritty and dusty the next day? Even after washing it down, can you run your fingers over the concrete once it is dry and get a white, dusty film on your fingertips? If so, you may have a problem with concrete dusting.
For many, it’s a distinctive concrete floor repair issue that can lead to frustration. The good news is that dusting of a garage floor can be reduced. In some cases, it can be stopped completely depending on the severity and the solutions that are applied.
What is concrete dusting and what causes it?
Dusting is the white chalking or powdering of concrete at the surface. It is primarily caused by the slow disintegration of a weak top layer of concrete. Foot traffic, cars, and even cleaning can enhance the problem.
There are many reasons for this weakened layer of concrete. It can range from a poor mix at the concrete plant, excess clay or silt in the concrete mix, old age of the concrete, or even insufficient curing.
The most common reason is excess bleed water at the surface. If there is too much water in the concrete mix, this water will rise to the surface during the finishing process (troweling). The excess bleed water carries fine particles and cement to the surface that form a weak layer of concrete at the uppermost top of the slab.
Also known as concrete laitance, it is a porous layer of softer concrete that slowly breaks down, creating a white powdery surface. In some cases, the surface can be so soft that it can easily be gouged with a sharp screwdriver or nail.
In addition, this same condition can be caused when water is added to the surface during the finishing process. This is commonly done by less experienced and DIY concrete finishers in a last-ditch effort to create a smooth troweled surface.
Unfortunately, sweeping and even pressure washing the concrete never seems to get it completely clean. This is because the surface is in a constant state of disintegration.
If left untreated, this fine concrete dust can become extremely annoying as it finds its way onto the surface of cars, workbenches, laundry machines, and anything else kept in the garage. It can also be tracked into the house on the bottom of your shoes.
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How to stop a dusting garage floor
There are a few solutions for stopping or reducing the dusting of your garage floor. However, how effective they are is dependent upon the severity of the dusting.
For light dusting, the easiest solution in many cases is to apply a quality concrete densifier. Typically used for warehouse floors and polishing concrete, they have other uses as well. This includes the reduction of concrete dusting.
Densifiers are non-film forming and do not change the look of concrete. They work by penetrating into the upper layers of the concrete surface to create a chemical reaction with the minerals. This reaction forms a hard substance called calcium silicate hydrate (CHS) which fills many of the open pores and capillaries at the concrete surface.
The resulting reaction is reported by various manufacturers to increase the surface strength of concrete by 20% – 40%, depending on the initial condition of the concrete – and that is the odd paradox of a densifier.
The best way to explain it is like this. Densifiers tend to be most effective the better a concrete surface is and less effective the worse a concrete surface is. As a result, the worse the concrete dusting, the less effective a densifier will be. That is why they work best at reducing or stopping light dusting only.
Lithium-based densifiers are the easiest to apply and typically the most effective. They are relatively inexpensive and the only preparation required is to clean the concrete before application.
One product that we highly recommend is PS104 by Concrete Sealers USA. It’s a lithium densifier with a siliconate sealer added.
Not only will it densify your garage floor to reduce or stop dusting, the added siliconate sealer will seal the surface to protect it from water and salt damage as well.
You can check the latest price of PS104 here.
Check Price of PS104 – 1 Gallon
Check Price of PS104 – 5 Gallon
Another option for light to moderate dusting would be the application of an acrylic topical sealer.
Acrylic sealers are film-forming and create a protective coating on top of the surface. This thin coating layer acts as a barrier on the concrete, sealing in and stopping the dusting.
If the garage will encounter vehicle traffic, then our recommendation would be an MMA acrylic sealer.
This type of acrylic sealer is the most durable and will not suffer from hot tire pickup. Additionally, it will resist staining and chemicals much better than water-based and standard solvent-based acrylic sealers.
An epoxy floor coating or similar is another option to stop the dusting of a garage floor. However, grinding of the concrete surface would be the required concrete prep when dusting is an issue.
The reason why grinding is required is that it will remove the excess laitance and thin layer of soft concrete at the surface. Acid etching will not.
If epoxy or a similar coating is applied to dusting concrete that was prepped only with acid etching, the epoxy will peel up at a later date and expose a thin layer of concrete dust on the bottom of the epoxy.
Stopping moderate to severe concrete dusting
If the dusting is more severe or the surface of your concrete is soft enough to easily gouge with a screwdriver, then aggressive grinding or shot blasting of the concrete surface will be required.
This type of aggressive mechanical process effectively removes the soft upper layers of concrete to expose the harder surface underneath. It also leaves the concrete with a very rough finish.
This leaves you with a couple of options. The first is to coat over the rougher finish with a thick, multi-layer commercial epoxy coating system.
The second option is to smooth out the surface of the concrete with less aggressive grinding stones. After that, you can then properly seal the concrete.
Final thoughts
Though concrete dusting can be a real nuisance in your garage, it doesn’t mean that you can’t tackle the issue with a little bit of DIY effort on your part.
Unless the dusting is moderate to severe, an application of a quality densifier, an acrylic sealer, or a garage floor coating system will usually get the job done.
If the dusting is severe or the concrete is so soft that it can be gouged fairly easily, then we recommend contacting a garage floor coating company or concrete grinding contractor to discuss your options.
Lastly, do not rely on a home improvement center to help solve your problem. They typically are not well educated on such topics and most do not carry the proper products to use.
Instead, we recommend contacting a quality vendor who specializes in concrete floor coating and sealing products to ask questions. Their knowledge and experience can help you to successfully stop the concrete dusting of your garage floor.
Ravi says
Hello shea
I want to put 100% epoxy coat in my garage floor I diamond griend the floor. But not ready to put it on because of the possible bubbles.
So I called epoxy-coat where I got the epoxy.I don’t want to buy primer from them $189.00 .is their any good primer I can use for 100% epoxy from epoxy-coat.which gives me the same results.
Thank
Ravi
Shea says
Hello Ravi. We weren’t aware that Epoxy-Coat offers primer now. Up till now they never carried it. You can get a real good water based primer that is compatible with the Epoxy-Coat from Garage Flooring LLC. You can find it here. It’s TL015 TrueLock Epoxy Primer.
Ravi says
Hello shea
Is it ok the water base primer on
100% solid epoxy?
Thanks
Shea says
Yes Ravi. It’s designed that way for best concrete penetration and compatibility with 100% solids.
Robert Nash says
What do you guys think of the coatings you can find at your big box stores? For home garage use, such as Rustoleum or Valspar? I don’t have any issues with the concrete, so I was just going to clean it with my extraction cleaner before using one of these. Should I stay away from these products, or are they ok for residential use, in your opinion?
Shea says
We talk about those type of coatings here Robert.
Samantha Rogers says
I have recently noticed excess dusting of our garage floor. I really want our floor to last as long as possible, so I appreciate your suggestion to use a mild sealer to help protect the surface. I think that even this small step can really help to make our floor last.
Mark says
My garage floor needs levelling as well, do I put the silicon down first then pour a layer of concrete over the top to level it or do I level it first then put down the silicon sealer? thanks, Mark
Shea says
Hello Mark. You always want to do any repairs to the concrete first before doing any type of sealing treatment.
Mrs J Snell says
Hi we have a very damaged garage floor it has been dusting for the last 5 years and now has wear holes where the car tyres go. These areas are down to the loose stones. we spent a long weekend coating the floor with bostik concrete dustproofer and hardener, one week later the worn areas continue to erode. Hve previously tried Pva and sealant. suggestions would be very much appreciated. also if you suggest epoxy, how can i tell if company will do a good job (never have much success with workmen)
Shea says
Hello Mrs Snell. It sounds like your garage floor has a soft concrete top. Unfortunately the Pva sealant was the incorrect product to apply and it most likely blocked the Bostik densifier treatment from doing it’s job. Epoxy will not work with a soft top and it will not fix areas where you have pitting and loose aggregate (stones) in the concrete. At this point what would be required is to grind the surface of the concrete to remove the incorrect sealer that was applied and to remove to the upper soft layers of concrete. After that we recommend applying a good concrete densifier to the surface. This will help to harden the concrete and prevent the dusting. The Bostik may well work, but we are not familiar with product available in the UK. Before you do all this, however, you will need to remove all the loose aggregate in the holes with a hammer and chisel and fill them with a polymer-modified cement repair product. The grinding will smooth out the repairs.
Nila Gaytan says
I have a new concrete floor…but the more i sweep it the more dust it gives…i am going to stain this floor with high gloss for a bar room but i do not know what to do about the medium dust…its all over my house. Help
Shea says
Hello Nila. What type of clear topical coating/sealer do you plan on applying over the concrete stain?
Nila Gaytan says
What ever you recommend. 1st I need to get rid of that ugly dust. I did the scraping test, it picked up the concrete real fast. I understand that Armor L3000 will help that problem. Now can I still stain my concrete and what clear topical coating/sealing do you recommend? Thanks NILA
Shea says
Once you apply the L3000 concrete densifier, Nila, you will want to wait one week for it to take effect. After that you can stain your concrete. For a clear top coat indoors, we recommend using an MMA acrylic sealer. Legacy Industrial has an excellent product which you can find here. It has a nice glossy finish and is easy to apply. Two to three real thin coats is best. Legacy Industrial also has concrete stain if you have not sourced any yet.
Nila Gaytan says
Awww thank you so much…I have been stressing out bc I could not find a solution to this ugly problem that I have. We have spend a great deal of money on a new 18by36 patio and a 14 by18 bar room. I though I was going to pull out that new concert in the 14by18 room and thrown another new concrete floor. I will stay in touch. Again Thanks, feels like I got some relief.
Nila Gaytan says
Can I use Acid Stain on this floor? Or does it have to be just stain?
Shea says
That’s a great question, Nila, and one we should have addressed. If you want to use an acid stain you need to apply the densifier after the stain has been applied and neutralized. However, if you want to apply a dye, then you apply the densifier first then the dye.
Nick says
Hi Shea,
I have a 1934 bungalow with a basement that I am slowly trying to finish. I stripped off a ton of old VCT tile the previous owners installed and noticed moisture underneath some areas. I am trying to figure out the most economical flooring solution that will actually work. I would like to do epoxy, but I am concerned about the water vapor. I am also concerned about the concrete being soft. What are your thoughts on using a densifier before an epoxy coat?
Shea says
If you have moisture, Nick, then epoxy is not going to work. Epoxy does not breath and the moisture will cause it to lift and delaminate. You do not want to apply it to soft concrete either. A densifier will help with moisture reduction and it may harden your concrete some, but it’s not a cure all for old, soft concrete. Our recommendation would be interlocking floor tile. These are designed to breath so moisture will not be an issue.
Nick says
Thanks for the info!
larry olson says
I have a new shop 36×36, after the slab was poured we covered with plastic because of the weather forcast. It did not rain for several days but when it did it lasted for a month or more. needless to say the water sat on and under the plastic,now we have the dusting of the concrete you are discussing.Some areas of the floor that puddled are dusting and some areas that did not puddle are not dusting.what are my best options
Shea says
Your best option is to apply a densifier just as we discuss in the article, Larry. Clean and scrub the concrete well, let it dry, then apply the densifier. Once applied, it will take approximately seven days for the densifier to fully react and work properly.
Drew Ryan says
Hello, I have a basement floor that is dusting all the time. Someone suggested just painting it. What would the side effects be of using paint? Thanks
Shea says
Hello Drew. If your concrete is dusting badly then regular concrete paint may or may not stay adhered to the concrete very well. It would definitely help to alleviate the dusting issue. If starts peeling up in places, however, it can create a regular maintenance chore of repainting. If your basement floor has moisture, then paint will not work at all.
Debora says
Our garage floor is approximately 30 years old and the last few years we have noticed anything we place on the floor for a period of time and move has moisture under it. Some areas form white powder and then the concrete can be swept away a little at a time. Step where washer and dryer are positioned is breaking on the edge. Any suggestions? My husband feels the problem is elevations issues since we have seen the garage floor is a couple of inches lower then the driveway in the last few years.
Shea says
Hi Debora. Based on your description of moisture collecting under anything that you place on the concrete, you definitely have moisture under the slab that is rising up through it. The white powder is efflorescence. This is caused when the moisture rising up through the slab carries salts and minerals with it. Unless the surface of the concrete is blocked (floor mat, bucket, etc,), the moisture evaporates as it reaches the surface and leaves behind the white powder of salts and minerals that was traveling with it. The areas that are blocked do not promote evaporation and is why water collects. If the moisture issue was more severe, you would have visibly damp areas of concrete all over the slab due to the fact that the moisture can’t evaporate fast enough.
Make sure that water outside drains away from the slab and does not flow towards it. This is one of the number one causes of moisture issues. Check to make sure your down spouts are not letting water collect up against the slab as well. Treating the concrete with a densifier as we explain in the article will help to slow down (if not stop completely) your moisture issues. It will also help to harden the surface and stop the efflorescence issues.
Bill Brown says
Hi Guys,
Water runs into my garage floor from outside. The garage door opening has a slight dip inward so that rain water and melting snow comes into the first three feet or so of the garage floor. I am constantly sweeping or pushing out the water. Is there a material that I can apply along the entrance that will leave a “bump” to stop the inflow of water?
Shea says
Hello Bill. We would suggest looking into a garage floor door seal. You can run it from end to end. Just apply some silicone on the ends so water does not seep between the seal and what it butts up against.
Marilyn McGrath says
About 18 months ago we had a concrete driveway installed. Ever since then, we track dust into our home on our shoes which leaves dusty footprints all over our hardwoods. And our cars leave very heavy dusty tire tracks all over the garage floor, which is a gray painted floor, and that really shows the problem.
We contacted the driveway company and the president came out and said, “I cannot imagine what is doing this. Did you pressure clean your driveway?” He obviously is playing dumb, and I need to pursue this further to I can get them to make corrections. Do you have any idea what would be the best solution to this dusting? Thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions you can give me.
Shea says
Hello Marilyn. No, pressure washing is not going to cause concrete to dust. It will dust for one of the many reasons that we listed in the article. I would recommend putting some pressure on the company to fix the issue. If it’s dusting as bad as you say, the only way to fix it would be to grind the surface down to the harder concrete or re-pour the driveway. If you apply a good densifer to the concrete it may slow down the dusting, but it will not stop it if it’s as bad as you say. Densifiers become less effective the worse the dusting is and will not fix a poorly done concrete job.
Garrick Matheson says
Great article. I am having this dusting problem on a pool deck/patio and driveway, both poured at the same time, the deck colored with powdered “throw-on” color and both areas finished with a salt finish. They were poured a little more than a year ago and I didn’t notice this dusting last summer. It’s been a fairly wet winter here in northern California and there doesn’t appear to dusting from the concrete under a patio roof. Our contractor suspects the sun may be the problem (due to the difference between the exposed and protected areas) but I am sceptical. I really don’t want to have to seal and reseal this every year or so – it’s a very large area. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts.
Shea says
Hello Garrick. Rain will actually change the look/texture of concrete that is exposed to it versus concrete that is not. This usually takes some years to notice though – not just one. As hard as concrete is, it’s the pollution in rain (acid rain for example) that causes this change over the years. If the surface of the concrete is not a hard as it can be, then you can notice this effect much sooner, especially in a wetter climate. This most likely explains the difference in the exposed areas vs the protected areas. U.V. rays (sunlight) can be damaging, but it generally affects coloring, not texture. Has the concrete been sealed at all?
Garrick Matheson says
Thanks Shea. Interesting info on the rain!
No change in the color, just the dusting, which is a biggie cuz it’s tracking into the house and soon into the pool (getting close to that time!).
The concrete was not sealed, I didn’t want to start something I would have to keep up with everything year or so in my advanced age. And I’ve had plenty of concrete that survived without sealing. Maybe the densifier you discussed as a one time fix?
Shea says
Yes, we would recommend a densifier in your case, Garrick. The one we link to in the article is good. Another good product for an application such as yours would be a densifer with siliconate sealer added. We would recommend the one in this article. Either one is very easy to apply and all that is required in terms of prep is to make sure that your concrete is clean. You can use a pump-up garden sprayer for the application. Just don’t let the densifier puddle for long. If it does, mop up the excess before it can dry.
Garrick Matheson says
Great. Thank you !
Shea says
You’re welcome!
Justin says
I applied Rust-Oleum Epoxy shield about 16 months ago on my garage floors. I applied the epoxy because of the dusting problem I had. I have quite a few areas that the epoxy is breakin up and I’m realizing now that I should have grind the floors. I will grind the surface of the concrete to remove the existing epoxy and the upper layers of concrete. Can I apply a concrete densifier and then coat the floor with epoxy?
Shea says
Hi Justin. Yes, you can do that if all you plan to apply is another Rust-Oleum DIY garage floor coating kit. The steps are different if you are planning on applying a commercial quality, high build garage floor coating system.
Gail Alford says
We just bought a new home and the concrete driveway has a white powdery chalky substance that gets on our car tires. We opted to get the epoxy granite garage flooring when we bought the house. Now, that white chalk comes into our garage on our tires and in to the house. It is a chain of events where the powder gets everywhere. I am concerned that over time this white powder will damage our expensive garage floor. I have swept and damp mopped a few times, but nothing helps. It is very bad! The builders say they cannot address the problem with a sealer until spring when the weather is warmer. Now we are dealing with this problem daily. I have been reading on your site and it does not sound like just putting a sealer over it is a permanent fix. Also, I worry about our granite coated garage floor which continues to have layers of chalky powder coming in on our tires every day. One of our cars is battery powered and has to be charged using a 240 outlet in the garage so we need to pull the car inside. Could you offer us a solution to this on-going problem?
Shea says
Hello Gail. It sounds like your concrete driveway has a severe dusting problem. If it’s a new home, I would first contact the builder about the problem with the driveway and ask them to address it. New concrete that has been poured and troweled correctly should not dust the way you describe. It’s a weak layer of concrete at the surface that causes this issue. As for your garage floor coating, the white powdery dust will not hurt the floor. It’s just dust. Your car tires bring in dust and debris from the road, but it does not stand out like the white stuff. However, if you want some piece of mind and don’t want to be cleaning it off the floor all the time, we would recommend purchase an inexpensive car mat/s like these here from Amazon. They will collect the dust from your tires and keep the floor clean until the driveway issue is rectified.
Sk says
I have a new concrete slab for patio poured 2 days back. Firstly there is chipping around the pressure joints. Secondly I see chalking and effercent when I am watering the the new concrete. How can I fix this? The contractor said he will come after two weeks to fix the chipping on pressure joints . I am in Florida.
Shea says
Hello Sk. Your slab is fresh and still going through the initial phases of curing. The concrete releases a lot of moisture during these early stages. It’s not uncommon for the moisture to carry some of the minerals from within to the surface, where the moisture then evaporates and leaves these minerals behind. Many times this can be washed off within a week or two.
Jon Bedford says
Your original article from more than three years ago was exactly what I was looking for (god bless Google!). I assumed the dust that seems to permanently coat the contents of my garage was the remnants of building work still settling. It was only when I installed a ping pong table and found the dust levels increasing that I realised I was creating a new problem. The guidance in your article is really helpful. I have two further questions: 1) If you use a sealer and then discover it’s not sufficient to do the job, can you subsequently treat it with a densifier? 2) Do sealers create a glossy finish to floor overlaying the concrete?
Many thanks
Shea says
Hi Jon. Did you previously grind your garage floor and not do anything with it afterwards? I’m asking in order to answer your questions :). Also, you may want to read this article about sealers to get some general information. It will make more sense when you get back about the grinding.
Jon Bedford says
Hi Shea, the floor has never been ground. It was a ‘ready mix’ concrete. Thanks
Shea says
Since it was Ready Mix concrete, Jon, I’m assuming it was not a concrete contractor that did the job? Dusting is a common complaint by DIY installations or installations by people who are not experienced concrete finishers. The dusting problem is almost always caused from excess bleed water or from adding water to the finishing process to make the concrete smooth. This creates a weak layer at the surface that is filled with fine particulates that floated to the surface when troweling was done. Regardless, densifiers become less effective the worse the dusting problem is. It won’t hurt to give it a try. If it does not reduce the issue, then the best way to eliminate it is to grind the surface to remove the soft layer and then apply a coating. Applying a coating over an extreme dusting surface without first grinding to remove it is a 50/50 gamble at best. The concrete surface can continue to deteriorate under the coating which will cause it to peel (with dust stuck to the underside) at a later date.
Jon says
Shea, that’s great advice. Thank you. If the densifier does the trick, is it worth using a sealer as well? I’m not overly concerned about the aesthetics but I do want it to be durable.
Shea says
When you say “sealer”, are you referring to a penetrating sealer (non-film forming) or a coating (film forming)?
Jon says
Film forming, I think would look best but if you suggest non-film forming, I would go down that route, particularly if it was much cheaper. As I said, I don’t mind too much what it looks like but I’m fed up of all the dust!
Shea says
If the densifier does not slow the dust to your satisfaction, Jon, then the best bet is to grind the concrete and apply a film forming sealer. This will completely stop the dusting. You can go as inexpensively as an MMA acrylic coating or go for something more robust such as a clear epoxy or single-part polyurea coating.
Jon says
Many thanks again, Shea. Roughly, how long does it take to apply and allow the densifier to dry? It’s a wet winter here in the UK 🇬🇧 and ideally, I need to get my garage emptied, treated and refilled in a day. Is that feasible?
Shea says
It only takes about 30 minutes to treat a standard 2-car garage, Jon. Allow it to dry for a few hours and then you can move your stuff back in. It is important to make sure the concrete is clean and dry before you start. In addition, pay close attention to the install instructions regarding temperature and humidity to make sure the conditions are OK.
Jessie says
If I have Heavy dusting can I put the densifyer down and thencome back later and add epoxy coating?
Shea says
Hello Jessie. Yes, you most certainly can do that, however, it does require that you grind the concrete in prep for the epoxy since the densifier can prohibit the effectiveness of etching the concrete. In addition, grinding is the preferred method for concrete prep when dealing with heavy dusting since it is the symptom of a soft layer of concrete at the immediate surface. The grinding removes this soft layer in order to provide a more stable surface for the coating to adhere to.
STEPHEN BURNHAM says
Hi Shea,
I have a detached garage of about 600 sq ft that I am turning into a home gym, no cars or heavy use, a bit of storage on one side for the push mower, etc. Minimally heated and insulated so no freezing issues. Eventually I will may turn it into an apartment with foam/hardwood flooring.
The floor is concrete somewhere between 30 and 130 years old (I am 20 years into the house) with a hard somewhat smooth surface. I don’t have a major concrete dusting issue but I’d like a smoother and easier to dry/wet mop surface.
I’d much prefer to only spot grind the floor if there is any old paint/ or oil and then pressure wash/scrub. Any recommendations for a product/procedure?
Thanks. Great site!
Steve
Shea says
Hi Steve. Are you looking for a recommendation for a sealer or coating for the concrete? Do you have paint currently on the floor?
STEPHEN BURNHAM says
Hi Shea,
There is no paint currently, just a few blobs from spills (and no sealer or anything else in the last 20 years). Readying your site a bit more I think a sealer might be what I am looking for, for the easy to clean surface. I put Rustoleum one part epoxy paint on another project 6 years ago or so and I was not 100% thrilled with the adhesion I got. The surface is OK but I’m hoping for something a little slicker.
I just re-read your sealer section:
1. Acrylic sealer – I don’t want to recoat every 18-24 months so perhaps the MMA would work. There are large double hung windows so need UV-A protection but not B or C
2. Epoxy would work but might be overkill as there won’t be heavy traffic. Maybe with a poly coating.
Thanks,
Steve
Shea says
Thanks for clarifying, Steve. From your description of what you want a sealer to do for you, an MMA acrylic like this type would be a great choice. They don’t require a lot of prep other than clean concrete that is not overly smooth. They are easy to apply, they are U.V. stable, and for your situation would last years. If were to damage it somehow, it’s just a matter of reapplying more.
Tony Mattina says
Hi Shea. A little over a year ago, I had a new driveway installed as part of sewer project which took place on my property. After the concrete cured, I noticed what I would call some premature wearing of the surface and a couple isolated areas where the concrete had spalled. I attribute the wear to car tires and foot traffic, and the result is the aggregate is starting to show beneath the textured surface (texture is a troweled swirled pattern with smoothed edges along the sides and expansion joints). If I rub my fingers over the concrete, my fingerprints will pick up some dust. Today, I used a blunt chisel and scraped away at an inconspicuous raised area (where smoothed edge and textured surface meet) and was able to grind down a bit of the raised concrete with a fair amount of effort. I also scrubbed an area with a nylon brush to clean up some paint drips, and noticed afterwards the concrete was a slightly different color in the area I brushed in and tiny bits of aggregate started to become visible.
From what I’m reading here, it seems like my best bet would be to apply the densifier product and see what would happen. I don’t think grinding down the driveway would be an option since this would remove the textured surface. If this is correct, how would you suggest preparing the surface, and would you apply a sealer afterwards?
Shea says
Hi Tony. You are correct in your assessment. A straight densifier with no sealer added would be the recommended procedure at this stage. All that is required for prep is to clean the concrete real well and let it fully dry before applying it. It will take a full 7 days for the densifier to properly react with the concrete. After about 10 days or so you check the surface again to see how it has responded. If it has responded well, then it would be OK to apply a penetrating sealer afterwards.
Antoinette Visser says
I closed on a new construction home in early February in Illinois. Upon walk through, I mentioned to the Construction Manager that the garage floor looked terrible as the coloration looked so bad and it was covered in brown dust. He said it just needed a good cleaning. Now that Spring is here in Illinois, I have swept, washed and scrubbed the floor several times and when it dries, the brown dusting at the surface is worse each time. The garage floor looks terrible and I drag that brown dust all over the interior of my home. Now I have noticed a few gouges in the floor also. No idea what those are from. What do you think is wrong and what could remedy this problem? I appreciate any advice from an expert!
Shea says
Hi Antoinette. It sounds like you have a classic issue with concrete dusting. Does the surface easily gouge or leave a mark if you apply pressure with a srewdriver blade across the surface? Our suggestion would be to clean the surface using a floor maintainer with a black or green scrub pad. You should be able to rent one from your local home improvement center. Mix a solution of 1/2 cup TSP to 1 gallon of warm water. You may need a few gallons. Pour it out onto the floor in sections and begin scrubbing with the floor maintainer. Rinse each section real well as you go. Let it dry for 24 hours. After that, we suggest applying a densifier to the surface. We really like the performance of PS104 by Concrete Sealers USA. You can find it here on Amazon and you can read about how this type of densifer works in our article here. It takes full week for the densifier to react with the concrete. After that, it should cut down on your dusting issue quite a bit.
Antoinette Visser says
Hi Shea. Thanks for your advise. Would grinding also be required? I hope not but if so, how is that done and how much of the floor is removed? I am concerned as I only have about 1/2 inch lip entering the garage from the driveway. I need to go back to my Builder to address these issues with my garage floor.
Shea says
We would not recommend grinding yet, Antoinette. A thorough cleaning like we prescribed will clean up the floor real well and give you a better idea of what you are dealing with. If the densifier does not solve the issue or the coloring of the floor is not to your liking, then grinding will be an option to consider. Definitely get the contractor involved if you can, particularly if you can easily gouge the concrete with a screwdriver.
Chris Hooper says
My new concrete patio has dusting that can easily be scratched with a screw driver. The company said it wants to sand the surface and then resurface with “Rapid Set NewCrete Concrete Resurfacer.” It is an advanced hydraulic cement used to resurface worn, old or spalled concrete, giving a new concrete look.
Should I let them use that or request an epoxy or something else?
Shea says
Hi Chris. Yes, that would be an appropriate fix for the patio. The company should grind the surface to remove the soft layer and then apply the Rapid Set. It will cure to a PSI that is harder than a standard concrete pour. Epoxy is an indoor coating only and should not be used for a patio. The U.V. rays will cause it to chalk and deteriorate.
Patrick says
I just had a garage pad poured yesterday, it was hot and the contractor had to spray the surface with water while power troweling.
I can scratch the surface of the concrete with a screwdriver. Is that a problem or would it be normal for power troweled concrete that is 1 day old?
Wondering if I should push the contractor to rip out and repour or if I could just apply the densifier to reduce future problems if the softness is normal this early on.
Thanks,
Patrick
Shea says
Hi Patrick. The reason you can scratch the pad like that is because it’s only 24 hours old. It doesn’t immediately turn hard at the surface within a few hours of the pour. Concrete needs to cure for a few days or more before it hardens enough at the surface not to scratch. It’s way too soon to be asking your contractor to rip out. You need to have a bit more patience. 🙂