What Is a Salt Pit in WI?

Salt pits can occur in different areas of your home, but they’re not always easy to spot. Many property owners are unaware of cavities or pits on their concrete surfaces as they can be hard to identify. Salt pit removal by professional concrete coating experts is necessary to secure your property’s functionality and safety.

Here’s everything you need to know about salt pits, why they occur, and how to remove them from your property in Duluth, WI.

What Is a Salt Pit?

Salt pits are small pockets of salty water found in the ground near your home. They can range in size from 1 inch to 4 inches deep and can form naturally or occur due to leaks from nearby pipes or drains.

The water that fills these pits is highly corrosive and will eat away at any nearby structures, such as concrete sidewalks or building foundations.

What Causes Salt Pits on Concrete Surfaces?

Salt pits on concrete surfaces occur when water gets trapped in the pores of the concrete, causing it to expand and crack. Salt pits are a common problem on concrete surfaces, especially in areas with high humidity levels. Though salt pits may be one of the most common causes of damage to concrete, you can avoid them with proper maintenance.

Salt Pit Removal in Duluth, MN

Salt pit removal requires the services of professionals who understand how to remediate the situation.

The process of removing salt corrosion and pitting is complex. It can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing, making it vital to hire a professional with experience working with the necessary chemicals.

When you contact a salt pit removal company to remove salt pits from your concrete surfaces, they will follow a proprietary process that includes the following:

  1. Inspecting the concrete surface where the salt pit is and determining if the concrete is sound for resurfacing.
  2. If the concrete is sound, they will use an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of each section of concrete. This measurement helps them determine if they need to remove any parts of the concrete before resurfacing.
  3. Wet sanding the surface to ensure that it is free of any dirt or debris before beginning the process of salt pit removal can begin.
  4. Using specialized equipment, such as a hammer drill, to blast the salt layers from within the pit.
  5. Injecting a sodium chloride solution into the concrete to break down the calcium carbonate in the concrete and allow it to dissolve in the water passing through it. (The goal is to create a solution you can remove from the concrete by using vacuuming equipment so that you do not have to chip it away from the surface, ensuring that no damage occurs during this process.)
  6. Fill in the pit with a particular type of concrete designed to protect the pit area.
  7. Applying one or more coats of sealant onto the surface of the concrete to prevent future rusting or corrosion. This micro-sealing prevents future water penetration and powdery salt deposits from returning to the surface.

How Do You Prevent Future Salt Damage on Concrete Surfaces?

Concrete is one of the best building materials for residential and commercial properties. It’s durable, easy to maintain, and looks great. However, if you don’t take steps to prevent future salt damage, it can break down and look less appealing over time, necessitating salt pit removal.

Here are some tips for preventing future salt damage on concrete surfaces:

Clean the surface regularly

Salt can build up on concrete surfaces very quickly. When you notice salt deposits forming on your driveway, sidewalk, or patio, clean them off immediately with a power washer or pressure washer to prevent further damage.

Apply protective coatings and sealant

Once you have cleaned off the surface and removed any loose particles, apply a protective concrete coating and sealer to protect the concrete from future degradation from moisture or other elements like sunlight exposure.

Contact the Salt Pit Removal Experts for a Free Quote

If you suspect salt pits on your property in Duluth, WI, contact the experts at Armor Coating Co. for an assessment and quote. We’ll come out to your location and perform a free inspection of your property, identifying any potential salt pits that could be damaging the integrity of your home or business.

After the inspection, we’ll provide a quote for salt pit removal. We will also recommend a durable polyurea and polyaspartic flake coating with an outstanding 15-year warranty to prevent further damage.

Call (715) 934-9037 to schedule your free estimate with our concrete coating experts.

How Much Do Your Concrete Floor Coatings Cost?

Each project is customized to your particular concrete flooring needs. Every job we do is different, because we offer different types of coatings and finishes.  We will work with you to develop a free estimate keeping your budget in mind. 

How Long Will The Concrete Coating Last?

We use the highest quality materials in our polyaspartic floor coatings and we’ve perfected our application process to make the concrete coating permanent.  Once completely cured and adhered, the concrete coating is meant to last as long as the substrate it’s adhered to.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Over Epoxy Floor Coatings?

Polyaspartic Floor Coatings dry more quickly than Epoxy Floor Coatings, and the finish is also more durable.  Our floor concrete coating finishes are also more slip-resistant and will not discolor like some Epoxy Floor Coatings.

How Long Do I Need To Stay Off My Concrete Floor Coating After It Is Installed?

Our flooring cures within a few hours, however our team of professionals recommends waiting at least 4-6 hours before walking on your brand new concrete coated flooring. After 12 hours, you can begin moving lightweight objects onto the flooring, like light patio furniture.  We recommend waiting a full 24 hours before moving anything heavy back into the area where we’ve applied the coating (your car, heavy equipment or furniture etc.).

Will My New Concrete Floor Coating Turn Yellow?

It sure won’t! Our concrete floor coverings will not yellow or discolor, because they are UV stable. This  one of the many benefits of using Polyurea or Polyaspartic floor coatings.

Will I Need To Reseal My Concrete Floor Coating?

If you follow our maintenance and cleaning guidelines, you should not have to worry about resealing the concrete floor coating. We offer a professional grade cleaner that will easily remove stains or tire marks, but will also preserve the life of your concrete coating topcoat.

How Long Does It Take You To Apply Concrete Floor Coatings?

We’ve perfected our 6-step application process, so most typical projects take between 5-10 hours depending on the square footage.  We pride ourselves in a one-day application, and will do everything possible to stay within that time frame.  Rainy weather can delay the project, but it is rare.

How Do I Care For My Concrete Floor Coating?

You can clean our concrete coatings with typical sweeping, mopping or steaming, and hoses.  We offer maintenance services should your concrete flooring ever need cleaning, however you can also use non-abrasive cleaners, like CLR, to remove grease or other stains. 

Will Oil Stain My Concrete Floor Coating?

Armor coatings are oil resistant as well as moisture resistant.

Who Invented Polyaspartic Coatings?

Bayer Material Science first developed Polyaspartic coatings in the 1990’s to protect steel bridges and infrastructure from rusting and corrosion. It has since been modified for different applications, once being durable concrete flooring coatings.

What Are Polyaspartic Concrete Coatings?

Polyaspartic Concrete coating is another name for Aliphatic Polyurea, which is a hybrid material consisting of ester and other materials. It was originally developed to coat metal bridges.  It was later used to coat concrete flooring due to its durability and moisture resistance. Polyurea is also used to coat truck bed liners.

Can Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Be Used Outside?

They sure can!  We offer wonderful solutions for driveways, patios, and even the area around the pool.  Our coatings are all UV stable, which will help prevent discoloration or flaking.

What Types Of Environments Can Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Be Used?

Polyaspartic flooring coatings can be used in a variety of environments.  The durability, slip resistant finish is fantastic for any industrial setting, storefronts, patios, or even driveways or garages.

How Are Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Applied?

We have perfected a six step process for applying Polyaspartic Floor Coatings that involves prepping the floor, basecoating, applying chips, scraping the chips, and applying the clear UV protective clear coat. 

Can I Apply Polyaspartic Floor Coatings In Cold Temperatures?

You can!  Polyaspartic floor coatings are safe to apply in temperatures as cold as -40 degrees.

How Long Do Polyaspartic Floor Coatings Take To Dry?

Our Polyaspartic Floor Coatings are engineered to rapidly cure, and can be dry in a matter of a few hours!  However, we recommend waiting at least 5-6 hours before walking on newly applied coating and 24 hours before moving heavy objects back onto the flooring.

Do I Need To Hire A Professional To Install Polyaspartic Floor Coating?

Installing Polyaspartic Floor Coating correctly is critical to the appearance and durability of your flooring.  Hiring a professional is the best way to ensure that your flooring will look amazing and last a lifetime! Our team at Armor Coatings is certified in Polyaspartic Floor Coating installation and have many years of experience.

Is It Possible To Cover Existing Epoxy Floor Coating With Polyaspartic Floor Coating?

It is!  Polyaspartic floor coatings are specially formulated for their incredible adhesion properties.  If you have existing patches of epoxy coating, our team can sand it down, vacuum, and wipe down the area with a solvent.  Once prepped, we will apply your new, superior, Polyaspartic Floor Coating