White Stuff on Brick Paver

BradCarey

New member
Could anyone tell me what this is and how to remove it? I tried using F-9 because thats what I had with me, let it sit, and then used a surface cleaner, cold water, but after a few days the white stuff came back. Can anyone tell me what the white stuff might be and what is the best way to remove it?IMG_0607.jpgThe pavers are old.
 
Yes, efflorescence. One way to test for this is to get it wet and it goes away. When it drys, it comes back just like your scenario. Use the F9 efflo like he said. It will bubble when working and you may need to repeat till gone. Good luck.


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You can clean it and in some cases it may come back. Look into a product called Innerseal from Wakefield manufacturing. David at southern stain and seal sells it. At this point do not do any cleaning with acids unless your customer does not want it sealed. Innerseal can turn white if you acid wash cementious substrates before using it.

If you have acid washed it with a HCL product or F9 Efflo there is another product that I have that can help. Let me know where you're at.


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Hi Craig , I used F-9 BARC the first time on the paves, my bad of course and thanks to the comments I order F-9 EEflo from your sight this morning. I post this in case somebody else is in the sleepy boat and never really got the fact that you sell two F-9 products.BARC and EEflo. I have had excellent results with BARC on what its designed for rust. Now I realize there is EEflo which is for calcium type problems. We can rule out winter salt as we washed it well, I'm thinking it is something along the lines of efflorescent.

So do you suggest trying the EEflo at this point or something else? It is at two entrances same paves same problem.The customer does not want the pavers sealed they just want the "white stuff" to go away.
 
Craig are you saying that if he was to seal it after cleaning he should not use F9 Efflo? Kind of got confused by your post.


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Craig are you saying that if he was to seal it after cleaning he should not use F9 Efflo? Kind of got confused by your post.


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Yes. On this Efflo in particular if you want the best chance of keeping the efflorescence away you'll need to seal it first, the acid wash it 3 days later with F9 Efflo. The innerseal works with the chlorides to seal the substrate from the inside-out. It purges salts that is doesn't use to seal the concrete. These salts need to be cleaned afterwards.

Cleaning powdery efflorescence is easy, keeping it away is nearly impossible if it is severe. Innerseal has gotten us the best results if the efflorescence is light enough where you don't need to use an acid to clean it first.


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Are you saying; step 1 wash with water, step 2 apply Innerseal , step 3 come back 3 days later apply EEflo? I dont do much efflorescence removal but I'd say this is on the heavy side. If I did use acid what type would I use and where would I add it in the steps? Thanks
 
Are you saying; step 1 wash with water, step 2 apply Innerseal , step 3 come back 3 days later apply EEflo? I dont do much efflorescence removal but I'd say this is on the heavy side. If I did use acid what type would I use and where would I add it in the steps? Thanks

Brad, please call David Phillips at Southern Stain and Seal for his thoughts on this too. This is not an easy thing you are going to try here to seal out efflorescence. You may or may not be successful and it is very time consuming. Cleaning it is one thing, sealing it out is something else entirely. I would personally advise there are way easier jobs out there with much less risk.

His # is 615-604-5115

If you have to come back and acid wash it I'll spend a half hour on the phone with you to tell you how.

Here are the steps I would take if I had to do it:
Day 1: Power wash and flash blow dry with blowers
Day 1 or 2: Apply Innerseal
3 Days later either power wash or acid wash.
Day 4 May need to do it again

One week later go back and check it.
3 Months later go back and check it.
 
Good advice Craig. Just a lot easier ways to make a buck and happy customers.I think this is probably how this story ends.I tell them its beyond my scope. This comes under one of my life motos "it is what it is". Thanks for everyone's comments.I did learn from this and look forward to using my EEflo on something.
 
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