# Foundation Concrete Blocks Face Chipping



## ceramicbrad56 (May 17, 2017)

I am doing a kitchen remodel and the owner asked me to investigate a foundation wall issue in their south facing concrete block foundation.
It appears that there are some moisture issues as I inspected it, noting that there are several blocks where the faces are breaking off near ground level or one to two rows up. Owner said started happening 3 years ago. I noted some moisture in area as they have an in ground water pond in the area. There is a basement on the other side of these blocks and this site is in Wisconsin. I attached pictures to help. i would appreciate any advice/ideas how to fix problem, as they hired someone to patch it and the patches fell off.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Moisture pops. There is too much moisture getting into the wall.


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Tscarborough said:


> Moisture pops. There is too much moisture getting into the wall.


Is that from the moisture freezing??

That was my guess, but we don't really get freezing weather here in California. :smile:



Delta


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Doesn't require freezing, just the hydrostatic pressure behind the surface coating.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

It could also be movement spalling, but I don't see the cracks for that.


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

That is called "spalling".

Spalling can come from the saturated block being subjected to repeating cycles of freezing and thawing. The water is a saturated block expands when it freezes for a few cycles.

The way to prevent it is to make sure the outer surface of the cannot get saturated since you cannot stop Mother Nature from freezing in the winter. - It happens to all concrete. It can also happen after repeated cycles of extreme wetting and drying where crystals form in the concrete and push outward.

The freezing and expansion of the excess moisture causes the pressure that pushes off the coatings or a layer of concrete.

I have seen it occur on 20 year old foundations just after the interior of the basement was insulated, causing the outside of wall to spall.

Preventing the wall from being saturated is the solution. Poor drainage makes it difficult to stop.


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## ceramicbrad56 (May 17, 2017)

Thank you all for the valuable responses. I will provide this information to the homeowners. I will let them know they need to find a way to prevent the blocks from getting saturated with moisture from the outside. This forum is great help as the homeowners do not use computers so could not access the internet.


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

concretemasonry said:


> That is called "spalling".
> 
> Spalling can come from the saturated block being subjected to repeating cycles of freezing and thawing. The water is a saturated block expands when it freezes for a few cycles.
> 
> ...


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

ceramicbrad56 said:


> Thank you all for the valuable responses. I will provide this information to the homeowners. I will let them know they need to find a way to prevent the blocks from getting saturated with moisture from the outside. This forum is great help as the homeowners do not use computers so could not access the internet.




There is a tip jar at the bottom of your screen. Just kidding,in a crazy / playful mood.:laughing:


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## ceramicbrad56 (May 17, 2017)

*Follow up*

I provided the owner with the information, and the first thing I was asked was do you have a telephone number of someone local who could fix it.
I did not, but if anyone here covers the Sparta, Wisconsin area you could email me a phone # and I would pass it on to the owners, or I could provide you with their number...

Thanks again.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

This guy might be in your area


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

Does anyone know how to get a hold of 6strings ? He is up that way .


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

Impervious paint holds moisture in, freezes, popped faces...

REMOVE paint, or stop water/vapor flow into blocks......

use only coatings that allow vapor to be emitted....

Road/sidewalk salt also could lead to block damage.....


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## jomama (Oct 25, 2008)

fjn said:


> Does anyone know how to get a hold of 6strings ? He is up that way .


You might be closer to Sparta than he is, that's a long way from Green Bay.........


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

Seems a lotta masons went down with that pw reset..


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

Fouthgeneration said:


> Impervious paint holds moisture in, freezes, popped faces...
> 
> REMOVE paint, or stop water/vapor flow into blocks......
> 
> ...





:thumbsup:


This article re-enforces the warning to not paint masonry with a non breathable paint.

http://www.oldlouisville.com/circa1900/brick-structures.htm


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

FWIW I used the lime paint found at limeworks.us in a basement and it looked amazing, might wanna look at that.


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

JBM said:


> FWIW I used the lime paint found at limeworks.us in a basement and it looked amazing, might wanna look at that.






Absolutely,the lime paints allow the walls to breathe . The latex,oils,epoxy etc. do not.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Many latex based paints breathe Fred...Thoro aka BASF thorocoat acrylics and thorolastic elastomerics and many others.

Now I would agree the perm ratings are not as favorable as cementitious, lime based paints or lithomex products, but they do breathe.

Just got back from a DeGruchy (limeworks us) seminar on lithomex...pretty bad azz.

I happen to live close to Andy, he does free seminars at Thoro Systems occasionally and I try to catch as many as I can.


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