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Most of the country is still shaking off the effects of a long cold winter followed by a wet spring. Eventually the temperature will rise, and the long hot days of summer will be upon us. With that in mind now would be a good time to review warm weather practices.
For years, Tyler Stephens, owner of Stephens Concrete Sealing in Indianapolis, used to use your typical film-forming sealer on his outdoor concrete projects. “It left a little sheen behind and had nice curb appeal, but it didn’t bead water the way penetrating sealers do,” he says.
In my experience, sealer issues caused by cold weather don’t occur in the northern “cold climates” but rather in the more temperate or “shoulder” regions that have transition seasons. They also tend to happen in warm climates that may experience cold weather for only brief periods of time.
When working with stamped concrete overlays, experts caution you to keep your eye on weather and temperature conditions
We’re in the middle of another winter season. While it’s not predicted to be as harsh as last year’s “polar vortex” winter, we still need to be thinking about all the possible causes and sources of winter damage and eliminate them.
As we come out of the winter, I always deal with multiple polishing projects where the concrete was placed during cold temperatures. Although there are ACI standards for cold-weather placements, I still experience quite a few slabs that have issues related to cold weather.
Large parts of the United States recently experienced a brutal winter of cold temperatures and record snow and ice accumulations.
Winter and freeze-thaw have a way of exposing defects in concrete we normally would not see in warmer regions.
Watch out for water, especially in climates where you get cold winters. Water is by far the biggest challenge you will face as a decorative concrete professional. Words like “spalling,” “flaking,” “pitting” or “chipping” are not what people making a living in concrete want to hear. and rarely do these words mean a satisfied customer a profitable month.
Decorative concrete craftsman and landscaper Randall Klassen cannot afford to let cold slow him down. He works in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Cold comes with the territory.
