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Enhance has the Solution to Your Masonry Problems

Efflorescence

Soluble salts, metal salts, which migrate with moisture to masonry surfaces (brick, block and mortar) – a controllable problem. White powdery stains on the surface of brick and block pose a significant problem in many locations due to the make up of concrete block and the cement mortar products used in wall construction. As discussed frequently by Enhance in regard to cement hydration and permeability of cured mortars, it is possible to reduce the cause of the problem and the resulting unsightly visible deposits. Difficult to remove architecturally displeasing, often acid washing does nothing to remove the stains. In most cases, the use of water in the cleaning process just adds to the problem. EPC penetrants and ESC moisture repellents can be used to keep moisture out of the brick, block and mortar. Integral PMT’s can used in the masonry mortar mix to hydrate the binding components, reducing soluble hydrates, thereby controlling efflorescence.

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Unsightly Efflorescence stains

Concrete Block

Block production mixes are usually classified as Dry Mix or Low Slump using a very low W/C (water to cement ratio). This will range from calculating the only the use of moisture content of sand in the mix, up to a .3 W/C ratio. This is because most produced block must exit the mold machine within minutes of being formed and remain free standing until cured and stored on pallets.

Efflorescence a Typical Problem

Due to the low W/C ratio of most concrete block, cement in the block is rarely adequately hydrated. This causes the block to be susceptible to moisture activated hydrates moving to the surface of the block and re-depositing as a white chalky stain as the moisture evaporates.

Waterproofing Concrete Block

The use of PMT can radically alter block performance, water-tightness and vulnerability to efflorescence. The production W/C ratio can be raised further assisting maximum hydration without sacrificing production performance. Once installed as part of a wall system, the blocks and mortar together may be further waterproofed and/or prepared for paint or stucco application by treating the surfaces with EPC products.

Mortar

Mortar is very closely related to parging and stucco mixes (cement mixed with varying grades of fine aggregate then combined with water). Often when efflorescence becomes a problem on the face of brick wall systems it is due to hydrates migrating out of the mortar and re-depositing on the surface of the brick.

Controlling Mortar Efflorescence

Efflorescence is controlled by adequately hydrating the cement content within mortars. This function is performed by use of Enhance PMT-2-SM. PMT provides these benefits:

Enhance EPC and ESC products may be used to treat and moisture-proof mortar.

More Problems Solved

Mortar: Cohesiveness, Bonding, Workability, Permeability, and Efflorescence.