Can Efflorescence Be Prevented?

Understanding how efflorescence comes to be is the best prevention tool. While it can’t always be stopped, knowing what goes into creating cement can give you an edge when it’s time to mix cement or alter your basement.  

• When It Can Be Prevented 

For any home projects that involve pouring cement, speak to the stonemason on the job. Even professionals who have been in the business for decades occasionally get a bad mix. The best thing you can do as a homeowner is to speak to the contractor about the kinds of materials that can be used to avoid staining. There are special admixtures used specifically to discourage efflorescence 

If you’re worried about efflorescence on your already existing wall and want to avoid it, all you must do is waterproof the space where the concrete is. You can speak to a basement waterproofing expert on the best way to go about doing so. It’s important that full waterproofing measures are put into place. Waterproof paint is not enough to stop efflorescence stains, so it would be a waste of time and money to use it. The best thing you can do to ensure you have a sound, stable concrete structure in your basement is by encapsulating it and installing a sump pump.  

• When It Can’t Be Prevented 

If your basement has humidity problems, efflorescence is inevitable. Even if the basement is waterproofed eventually, the moisture has already made its way inside the concrete. Unless the cement was mixed to perfection with all the moisture-resistant admixtures available, the salt has already begun to move about. 

Concrete that has suffered from structural damage or is decades old is also more likely to experience inevitable efflorescence. Because secondary efflorescence staining relies so much on the soundness of concrete, weaker, deteriorated structures are more susceptible to staining.