1) What if your integrally-colored concrete does not match the color card?

Color represented on BASF’s MasterColor selector card should be viewed as approximate matches of the finished concrete’s color. Colors shown approximate the color of broom-finished concrete flatwork made with a medium-gray cement and a 0.45 to 0.50 water-cement ratio without
supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash and slag cement.

Possible causes

• ‍Concrete Materials
  • Cement color variations from region to region
  • Aggregate characteristics and color variations from region to region
  • Variations in concrete mixture proportions (especially water and supplementary cementitious materials)
  • Use of calcium chloride
  • Variations in water content
• ‍Placing and Finishing Practices
  • Addition of water to concrete surface
  • Variable finished surface textures
  • Improper curing/sealing practices‍
• Suggested remedies
  • Remove and replace the concrete
  • Alter texture by sandblasting (will modify final appearance)
  • Reexamine 4-6 weeks after placement

2) What if your concrete surface looks “light’ or “bleached?”

Possible causes

‍• Use of water during finishing of concrete surface sometimes called “blessing” the surface
• Over-watering of concrete mixture
• Wet broom finishing
• Concrete finished with bleed water on surface
• Hot or cold weather conditions
• Efflorescence
• Improper curing/sealing practices‍

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• ‍Suggested remedies
  • Clean concrete surface
  • Sandblast or acid etch per ASTM D4260 (will alter final appearance)
  • After surface problem is removed, apply BASF’s MasterKure CC 131 SWB curing and sealing compound per manufacturer’s recommendations

3) What if your color is blotchy?

‍‍Possible causes

• Concrete not fully cured
• Concrete surface closed too early with magnesium floats and/or steel trowels
• Concrete surface burnished by hard troweling procedure
• Curing paper has touched the surface in some areas and not others
• Use of calcium chloride
• Variation in concrete setting due to jobsite environment i.e. sunny versus shady areas
• Inconsistent subgrade conditions (variations in depth and moisture)
• Improper curing/sealing practices
• Placed concrete during wet weather, external moisture

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• Suggested remedies
  • Reexamine 4-6 weeks after placement
  • Clean concrete surface
  • Sandblast or acid etch per ASTM D4260 (will alter final appearance)
  

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4) What if you have a non-uniform broom texture?‍

• ‍Possible causes
  • Inconsistent broom moisture
  • Changing broom direction
  • Inconsistent brooming procedure
  • Unsuitable or worn broom
  • Use of different textured brooms i.e. horsehair versus nylon
  ‍
• Suggested remedy
  • Change the surface texture by sandblasting or acid etching performed per ATSM D4260

5) What if you are experiencing efflorescence?

Efflorescence can be naturally occurring process for cementitious materials. Concrete practices and remedies exist to minimize efflorescence.

Possible causes

• ‍Concrete Materials
  • Jobsite water addition
  • Use of calcium chloride
  • Availability of soluble salts from subgrade or concrete, and water evaporation from surface
  • Abundant environmental water
  • Improper curing/sealing practices
  ‍
• Suggested remedies
  • Clean concrete surface
  • Sandblast or acid etch per ASTM D4260 (will alter final appearance)
  

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6) What if you have post construction discoloration?

• ‍Possible causes
  • Water marks from landscape irrigation, water runoff
  • Efflorescence
  • “Bird bath” depressions in finished surface
  • Entrapped moisture
  • Surface stains from external sources i.e. rust, oil, paint, deciduous trees, etc.
  • Application of rock salt, calcium chloride or other deicing chemicals to the surface
  • Use of landscape features such as potted plants
  ‍
• Suggested remedies
  • Clean concrete surface
  • Sandblast or acid etch per ASTM 04260 (will change appearance)
  • Remove and replace slab
  

7) What if you are experiencing curing membrane related issues?

Problem:
Cure/sealer is white or cloudy‍

• ‍Possible causes
  • Applied too heavily
  • Applied while concrete was visibly moist
  • Application by other than airless sprayer
  • External moisture on surface i.e. rain, irrigation, etc.
  • Applied when temperatures were below manufacturer’s recommended ranges
  • Material frozen before, during or after application ‍
• Suggested remedy
  • Apply BASF’s MasterKure CC 1315WB curing and sealing compound per manufacturer’s recommendations
  

Problem:
Cure/sealer is peeling off

• ‍Possible causes
  • Substrate not properly prepared
  • Applied too heavily
  • Application outside specified temperature ranges; improper use of salamanders‍
• Suggested remedy
  • Apply BASF’s MasterKure CC 1315 curing and sealing compound per manufacturer’s recommendations
  

Problem:
Cure/sealer has streaks, drips and/or roller marks

• ‍Possible causes
  • Applied by pump-up sprayer
  • Applied unevenly by roller
  • Inconsistent pressure on airless sprayer
  • Nozzle clogging‍
• Suggested remedy
  • Remove and reapply