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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:45 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Good evening, I have just had my PIC driveway cleaned and resealed and it has started to crystalise in places does anyone know what could have caused this?. It is an acrylic sealer but i dont know any more details. I use the tem crystalise because that is what it looks like and it stayed soft for a good while after the rest had hardened. Thanks in advance.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:53 pm
by Tony McC
Get a photie then we can see it for ourselves.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:05 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:11 pm
by getting to hate concrete
IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v369/ ... pic_02.jpg[/IMG]
Ignore the different colours, it is the same driveway.
the drive is 10 years old now and this is it's 3rd reseal, the others were quite ok with no probs but wear and tear. The sealer is two weeks old and the guy that did it says it is down to the concrete not him. Since my first post we have had words and he is going to his soliciter cos he WANTS PAYING.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:35 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:37 pm
by Pablo
Looks to me that the crystals you described are actually where the sealant has gathered in small pools and solidified. It's nothing to do with the concrete and everything to do with the quallity of the sealant and the patience of the person applying it. Don't know how you would remove it.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:37 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Thanks Pablo, 
cheered me up no end. When you say cant get rid of it is that other than strip the whole lot off and redo it?
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:47 am
by worldofpaving
Hi, that happens when the sealer meets moisture before it has hardened.
Fortunately, the remedy is very simple - some xylene and a cocoa haired broom or brush - pour some xylene on the offending spot, rub it with the broom for a couple of minutes and the sealer will soften then leave it - the sealer will re-harden and the mark will be gone.
Best,
WOP
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 1:33 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Again, thanks for the info W.O.P. These marks cover about 35square meters of the paving so is it still feasible to do as you say with xylene and a brush? If it is then next contact i will suggest it to him.
Rather have it fixed than have the hassle over payment.
Regards
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:31 pm
by worldofpaving
Hi,
Yes, it's perfectly feasible, there's almost no PIC contractor that hasn't had to do it when a job is rained on just after sealing. At that size, it's a mornings work.
You are completely in the right on this, it's down to him - tedious yes, but the reworking is a lot simpler than going to court.
Be prepared to give him a cheque after he's finished though, that would be only fair.
Best,
WOP
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:18 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Update:-
No further contact as yet, but the drive is looking worse than ever now, it has started to blister too.
As it stands I am very reluctant to have him back to "fix" the problem mainly because I suspect he doesn't have the expertise and may do more damage than good.
In the meantime thanks a lot, I am obliged for your help and will keep you posted if and when anything happens.
Regards to all.
P.S. reading around this is a very informative site,
thanks again to all
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:49 pm
by worldofpaving
No problem Jacko, don't worry too much about the blistering, you will be amazed at what a transformation the re-emulsification of the sealer will achieve.
It's a very busy time (usually!) for contractors at this time of year but he will want his cheque so your turn will come.
Cheers,
WOP
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:33 pm
by getting to hate concrete
Update on my drive sealant.
The last words I had with him he said he could do no more to sort the problem out and he wanted payment, when I said fix it first he muttered something about wasting money on people and put the phone down.
Two days later I got a solicitors letter in the post threatening dire consequenses if I withheld the moneyso I phoned the solicitor and told him the same, fix and I pay.
For some back up I went to the trading standards people and they wrote to the solicitor and told them that he couldn't demand money from me and to expect some form of counter claim for having the thing stripped and resealed. The solicitor passed this on and as of October had no response so the file was closed.
Now I have a drive that is almost all a mottled grey colour and getting worse, so when the weather gets a bit warmer will start looking for someone reliable to do it over. Or maybe sell the car and swop it for grass...
And again thanks v.m.
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:36 pm
by Tony McC
I know I sometimes get accused of being biased against PIC, which isn't strictly true, but with tales like this going around, the industry is shooting itself in the foot.
PIC as a product is absolutely fine. The weak link in the chain is the installer, and until the industry starts tightening up and insisting on selling product only to properly trained concrete technicians with demonstrable skills and a true understanding of the product, it's never going to get any better.
Four emails today regarding failed/damaged PIC. I wish there was an easy fix for these disappointed clients, but the common thread to each tale of woe is the abysmal customer service provided by the contractor once the cheque has been cashed. As the OP makes clear in this tragedy, a little bit of help and understanding could have prevented all this going so badly wrong.
