Hello all. New to this website. Need some opinions expertise. New driveway and live in Michigan. Experiencing a lot of flaking after 1 month of install. It was installed last November and it did rain that day. Builder is claiming salt caused it and we are still trying to get if fixed. Possibly the issue but could it of been a bad mix, not a winter mix or the rain when it was being laid. It was not covered during the rain. Also step on front porch cracking and porch cracking. It’s been 1 yr for all. Thank you
Driveway less than 1 yr old flaking.
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Pictures don't really show it. Salt will cause spalling, in fact many people do a rock salt finish. Where did the salt come from?
Doesn't look like your porch cracked. That's just the seam of where they poured against. Your concrete shrunk a little (normal) and I guess you think it cracked.
Perhaps you can get that caulked if it bothers you.
The builder is claiming the salt thing. If anything maybe our vehicles accumulated it while driving on the roads? We don’t use salt on our driveways to get rid of the ice.
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I don’t see flaking either.
i used a brush to brush off the flaking. So now it just looks like pitting
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That just looks like a joint to the building. Things will move between the seasons. Those few little things should not be an issue.
And on the surface that's not really flaking, just bits of chalky surface really. The driveway finish looks to have been creamy almost interior smooth finish. Most people would prefer a bit of texture. Salt could totally drop from vehicles, wheels, wheel wells, vehicle frame ...
And on the surface that's not really flaking, just bits of chalky surface really. The driveway finish looks to have been creamy almost interior smooth finish. Most people would prefer a bit of texture. Salt could totally drop from vehicles, wheels, wheel wells, vehicle frame ...
It's a year old, you think it's "normal" to be peeling and delaminating?
OP, you shouldn't have to, but if you can document the weather for the time of the pour, you'd easily win in a court case. The surface of the driveway was compromised in strength if it rainedon it before it was hard enough to walk on. If salt was to blame, every inch of concrete street, curb, and sidewalk would look the same across the Northern hemisphere. It doesn't, though, because salt doesn't destroy good concrete, it only exposes poor work.......
Do you see peeling and delamination? Pictures make it tough for me.
If delamination is occurring it could be over-trowling trapping bleed water.
I would want to throw a contractor under the bus without seeing better.
What do you think of the OP suggestion that he has a crack in his stoop?
One must be cautious here before letting the hammer down.
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that isn't flaking. looks like a driveway that gets driven on.
Its not the salt, it's a condition called spalling.
Many reasons but the most likely is how it was finished and or the type of concrete used.
To dispute the salt theory look at every spot where the concrete has chipped, bet you will see a stone. If it was salt then it would only be in areas where the car sits where the salt could drip from the car.
It's pretty much a cosmetic situation as it effects the thin layer of concrete at the surface with a stone underneath, a weak spot.
I have the same situation, started the year after we moved in, out of the 20 some slabs it is bad in 5 (this pretty much confirms it was an installation issue) but others are perfect. It went on for about 4 years then stopped with no other issues, the drive is now 15 years old.
Sealing may help but year after year applications will eventually wane and then it will get you. There are repair materials, epoxy coatings, but being outside and very thin applications make it prone to failure and it will stand out.
Many reasons but the most likely is how it was finished and or the type of concrete used.
To dispute the salt theory look at every spot where the concrete has chipped, bet you will see a stone. If it was salt then it would only be in areas where the car sits where the salt could drip from the car.
It's pretty much a cosmetic situation as it effects the thin layer of concrete at the surface with a stone underneath, a weak spot.
I have the same situation, started the year after we moved in, out of the 20 some slabs it is bad in 5 (this pretty much confirms it was an installation issue) but others are perfect. It went on for about 4 years then stopped with no other issues, the drive is now 15 years old.
Sealing may help but year after year applications will eventually wane and then it will get you. There are repair materials, epoxy coatings, but being outside and very thin applications make it prone to failure and it will stand out.
Yes, I can clearly see spelling in the pictures, no question about it, and am kind of surprised few others can see it. The crack is superficial IMO.
I've been trying to defend contractor's here for the better part of 15 years, don't think I'm throwing anyone under the bus........
That's not a crack, it's a cold joint.
There is not enough evidence here to make a good opinion either way.
Get a better monitor with a higher resolution.
I hate to come across as crass, but I see minor damage in nearly all the pics, and I am blind in one eye, need reader glasses for the other after 2 cataract repairs in it.
I have a large screen flat screen for my viewing.
ED
Which is why I stipulated MINOR damage.
It will get worse over time.
Anyone with an ounce of observation skills would know what it is, just look around, there is many examples
everywhere.
ED
It's certainly a light broom finish....some of the finish has been wore off or maybe worse. Sometimes pictures don't show the real issue.
I see that in normal wear but one year would be premature. OP is no longer replying so not really worth anymore opinions until he does.
Neither of those pictures are spalling and it doesn't start with cracks like that. The first picture is severe delamination, the second looks like very old, "rotten" concrete.........
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