Deicing salts have no direct effect on sealers.
Deicing new concrete.
Considered the most environmentally friendly concrete deicer.
The results were published in april 2008 in the report sd2002 01 the deleterious effects of concentrated deicing solutions on portland cement concrete the study determined there is significant evidence magnesium and calcium chloride compounds chemically interact with cementitious paste resulting inexpansive cracking increased permeability and significant loss in strength.
De icers should not be used on new concrete wait until it is at least one year old and it has been treated with a sealer to reduce the amount of salt that can penetrate the surface.
Some deicing salts for concrete are corrosive sodium chloride rock salt and calcium chloride are two.
Cma was produced for new concrete less than 2 years old.
Cma will melt snow and ice effectively in temperatures down to 20 degrees fahrenheit 7c.
It does take concrete at least 30 days and sometimes up to a year to reach its full strength.
Many ice melting products and salt products can and will damage concrete.
Just use some sand in the meantime and clean the concrete off regularly.
In fact concrete sealers of any type have been proven to increase the lifespan of salt treated concrete three to five times.
If you want to have your new concrete last for years you are going to want to use products that are safe and that will not damage your new concrete you do not want to wait until the dreaded snowstorm has happened before you decide to go out and get your ice melter products.
When you spread rock salt on your concrete to melt snow and ice the salt dissolves the snow and makes a salt water mush.
Spread a thin layer of the magnesium chloride and sand mixture over the concrete stairs.
Cma is considered no more corrosive than tap water and does not harm vegetation or ponds lakes and streams.
But before i get to the de icers let me talk about a new kid on the block the ice that is simply not slippery eco ice grip.
Use more of the mixture on the parts of the stairs that get the most foot traffic and less on the edges.
Sealers for decorative concrete often fail in areas where deicing salts are applied or that receive drip off from parked cars.
If deicers must be used then it is important that the owner of the new or susceptible concrete understands the risks associated with freeze point depression deicers and freeze thaw cycles.
You can always use straight abrasives such as sand on any new concrete and minimize the likelihood of spalling no matter what the quality.
If your concrete has rebar or wire mesh in it the liquid brine solution can cause the metal to corrode rust metal expands when it rusts this could also cause the surface to pop or scale.
If the temperature then drops and the water freezes the growing ice crystals can blast apart the concrete.
