Concrete Spalling

DTL504

I hired a contractor pour this 30 x 36 slab and now the concrete have a serious case of spalling. I have only gave him the down payment and waiting until I am completly satisfied with the finish before I complete the payment.

This was done before Thanksgiving but seem to have gotten worse as time goes by. He want to scabbler the top coat and add a color layer of epoxy over the top.

What do you thing about adding epoxy over the top? Will it just be a bandaid or should I have the top complete scab and redone. I want a good surface that will withstand the abuse of working on cars and I dont need the floor to be peeling everytime its cold or when I jack a car on it.

Here is a few picture of what my detached garage floor look like.
http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/t...l504/Concrete/

Attached Thumbnails

         

 

Trainer019

Am not sure what happened here. Firstly what was the temp when the concrete was poured and finished? It looks like there was either a sever frost issue which happens here sometimes if not tarped and heated in winter. Secondly it could be way to much water sprayed on top and powertroweled. Either way I would have to say contractor error. Remove and replace is your best option.

DTL504

The temperature was about mid 50* when it was poured, but temp drop to lower 30's at night. They finish pouring it late that afternoon and the next day the guy was adding and using a powertrowel to get me the smooth finish.

Trainer019

I dont think temperature was the issue. Power troweling the next day???? And what was he adding??? Am a concrete supplier not a finisher but no one I know power trollels the next day unless it was poured VERY wet.

DTL504

He was adding water from my garden hose, did not see any other chemical added while powertrolling, This spot in the middle start coming up and he went to Lowes to get portland cement to fix that area.

Trainer019

"This spot in the middle start coming up and he went to Lowes to get portland cement to fix that area. " I think we found the problem.
Power troweling should be done when the concrete is firm but not set. I think he waited WAY to long to start troweling and just tried to hide his mistake. By adding cement and water he is trying to add a topping to it and this will never work and will just flake off as you see it has. I dont think you will be happy with any fix this guy has to offer. My advice is to NOT pay for what you have and seek another contractor to see what he can do.

Tscarborough

Tear out and redo, or polymer resurface. It is overworked.

__________________
Advice is free, Lessons begin at 75 bucks an hour.

jomama45

That's some of the deepest, most uniform spalling I've ever seen. I'd actually classify it as "delamination."

Either have that entire layer ground off completely, or it's a "do-over."

Why are the forms still on the slab at this point? Contractor going under?

STL B.

My guess is that the finisher added to much water while he over worked it with a power trowel and it probably froze thats a problem. I could see your concrete guy telling you to buzz off you never payed him and you asked him for a steel finish floor for the inside of your garage. The problem is that theres been no garage over the fresh soft finish for 2 cold months and I think that if there was you may not have ever noticed the problem with the slab. I think that a partial tear out is in order but if you think this guy did a bad job once why would you give him the chance to screw it up again.