Showerthought: A guy in a hardware store parking lot told me his biggest regret was not sealing a driveway in Denver before winter.

He said he lost a $12,000 job to spalling because he told the homeowner it 'could wait until spring' and a single freeze-thaw cycle wrecked the whole pour, so now I never skip that step even if the client pushes back.

4 comments

4 Comments

davis.noah23d ago

Seriously? That sounds like a scare story to sell more sealer. A single freeze thaw cycle wrecking a whole new pour? Concrete needs to cure, slapping sealer on too early can trap moisture and cause way worse problems. Sometimes waiting is the smarter move.

kelly63823d ago

Yeah, that freeze-thaw cycle is no joke. I always seal right away now, even if it means pushing the schedule back a bit. It's just not worth the risk.

wendy13123d ago

I learned that the hard way last winter, what sealer do you use?

the_lisa1d ago

Totally agree with you and @wendy131, that first winter is brutal. I use a basic silane-siloxane blend now, it lets the slab breathe a little while still giving solid protection.