Vertical efflorescence removal/seal help

Jwalk90

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Mar 19, 2019
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Watauga
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Joshua Walker
I have a guy that is wanting efflorescence removal on his slate wall at his dealership. I'm familiar with efflorescence removal, and sealing. What I'm not familiar with is quoting vertical surfaces/time required to clean and seal. Anybody want to butt in on what they might charge for this? Would it be better to do a sq/ft or hourly price? I will be masking off all surrounding areas as to the nature of efflorescence removal and wanting to protect their property. Here's the job friends. P.s. they have a sky jack that we will be allowed to use.. it will be essentially 2 sides. The other 2 are small biscuits.

Screenshot_20210614-193913_Google.jpg Screenshot_20210614-193828_Google.jpg
 

DAT

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Nevada
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Bill Cheryl
The soft washer/pressure washer guys usually knows this, hopefully somebody will chime in
 

Desk Jockey

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A planet far far away
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Rico Suave
I have a guy that is wanting efflorescence removal on his slate wall at his dealership. I'm familiar with efflorescence removal, and sealing. What I'm not familiar with is quoting vertical surfaces/time required to clean and seal. Anybody want to butt in on what they might charge for this? Would it be better to do a sq/ft or hourly price? I will be masking off all surrounding areas as to the nature of efflorescence removal and wanting to protect their property. Here's the job friends. P.s. they have a sky jack that we will be allowed to use.. it will be essentially 2 sides. The other 2 are small biscuits.

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You don't have to itemize line items. You can do your computations, come up with what you feel the job is worth and just put a total.

You can put verbiage like "the total includes labor & materials necessary to complete the project."
 

Kenny Hayes

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If you know what you would charge on a floor, I would use the same as a reference point, then start factoring in the Pain in the ass charge cause it’s gonna be that. I would hate to do a floor in a dealership must less that. Plus they are as cheap as doctors! Or more.
 
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Tom Forsythe

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Dec 19, 2006
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I think Mike's point is that the efflorescence will come back until the water issue is solved. A silicone water repellent would enhance water runoff and limit efflorescence if the moisture is indeed coming from the surface from runoff and not from a moisture problem behind the tile. I believe Stone Pro or Stone Tech have such a product which you could add to the ticket.
 

Mikey P

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Dry Treat's Stain Proof is regarded as one of, if not THE best penetrative sealer to block the mineral travel if you really want to take this on.


I would offer no warranty what so ever. Mother Nature is too unpredictable.


Efflorescence is a problem affecting all cement based building materials. This includes pavers, brickwork, blockwork, concrete, render, grout and tiles. In every kilogram of cement-based material there are also many grams of water-soluble salts. Most commonly, efflorescence begins when unused lime compounds from the cement are dissolved in mixing water, ground water or rain. Evaporation of the water brings these lime compounds to the surface where they can react with carbon dioxide in air to form insoluble crystalline calcium carbonate. This is the unsightly white powdery material we often see on pavers that detracts from what should otherwise be an attractive and clean surface. In extreme cases the efflorescence can obscure the surface and the crystallisation can cause erosion and pitting. Eventually, the calcium carbonate may react with more carbon dioxide to form calcium bicarbonate - a material that is water-soluble. The surface may become clean after a number of months or years in the outdoors. Understandably, not everyone wants to wait that long. And since first impressions are always lasting, it's worth preventing efflorescence problems from the start. Just washing the efflorescence off the surface usually starts an almost endless cycle of more efflorescence rising to the surface. After only a few days the surface is as powdery as before. The answer is to seal the surface with a high performance sealer as soon as is practical after the building material is installed. The sealer must be deeply penetrating, able to withstand the highly alkaline environment found in cement based-materials and be completely breathable so moisture cannot be trapped below the surface. Once the surface is sealed a deep water-repelling layer is formed. This layer will prevent water and dissolved lime compounds from reaching the surface where efflorescence could occur. At the same time the sealer stops further water soaking into the surface and so breaks the cycle of efflorescence. The unused lime compounds are left harmlessly immobile in the core of the building material with little contact with carbon dioxide. Since the sealer can breathe, sub-surface moisture can escape as water vapour rather than in a liquid form. Most efflorescence can be removed using an acid such as STAIN-PROOF® Acidic Cleaner, formerly known as Eff-Erazya™, diluted in water - although extreme caution and testing is required when the surface is acid sensitive.
 
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Jwalk90

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Mar 19, 2019
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Watauga
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Joshua Walker
Where is this located?
Dfw, Tx. I'm almost certain the water is not coming from behind the tile as there is a cap on the "monolith" as seen in photos, and they would have bigger problems if it is coming from the interior of the building, why I think it must be rain water as well as the way the efflorescence is forming on the tile. I was going to offer 1 year warranty after I sealed it but maybe that's not going to be such a great idea. I might just have a conversation about continued maintenance if he is not ok with a no warranty policy on the sealer.
 

Doug Rice

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Feb 28, 2011
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I think Mike's point is that the efflorescence will come back until the water issue is solved
Listen to the experience of the smart guys on here with years in the business. The one year warranty is the scary part of the job. I think you will live with that business owner while he has you on his favorites page on his phone.
Maybe they are trying to be polite???
 

clean image

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Oct 5, 2012
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Orlando
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Carl Maddock
Pictures are not clear enough to see. 2 options to remove are chemical or mechanical. on vertical gravity work against you, so i would media blast clean if needed

Dry treat is some stinky sealer, expensive also, so you better factor that in if you go that route. we did an entire limestone pool deck with dry treat sk-40 after grinding to repitch standing water to secondary catches

I would also be asking if he wants to keep the natural look or if he wants to enhance.
 

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