I have tried everything I can think of and different dilution ratios and methods and this stuff does not even flinch.
I’ve used F9 Efflo amat varying strengths, including full strength. Multiple applications. I’ve scrubbed. Not scrubbed. Every method from the cookbook and nothing.
I’ve used OneRestore with the recommended method. Nothing happened.
I’ve tried F9 Barc. Nothing happened.
I understand that efflorescence can be difficult to remove to near impossible to remove in some instances, but have you guys run across something that absolutely will not even fade no matter what you throw at it??
I have about 20 brick columns that I’m trying to remove this substance from and I’m getting pretty frustrated with it. I’ve tested every method I can think of on a few columns before moving forward with the rest and have had no luck whatsoever.
To give some more information, there are rusted still lentils throughout the center right above these columns as you can see in the last photo. So I believe it’s probably a combination of some kind of runoff from the steel rust and maybe eflo, or maybe even calcite. Probably about 30 years worth of neglected maintenance so this has been aged for quite some time.
Short of trying to media blast this off or putting a wire power broom on this, is there any other ideas you guys might be able to come up with? Or should I just succumb to the fact that this might not be removable.
I appreciate tips or suggestions as usual. You guys are great. Thanks.
I looked into this after your comment because I honestly hadn’t heard about this method. There’s only 1 Sunbelt rental place that has one of these in my state (Georgia) and it’s super costly. Seems like this would be a very slow process as well?
Would wet sand blasting be an option for this as well?
Had a similar situation a while back at a clients house. Contacted and discussed with F9, ebc, and eacochem (plus local chem suppliers for masonry). NOTHING worked, including muriatic. We worked on this property for over a year total. Finally just called a media blasting company. They came out and had it looking brand new in about 3 hours.
Learned to never again guarantee the client efflorescence removal unless I add media blasting equipment to the arsenal. I was probably around 3 grand in the hole after all was set and done.
Damn. That’s good to know I’m not the only one. Luckily I’ve already alerted the client that there’s been difficulty removing this and if I can’t find a chem or a solution I’ll just credit back a portion of my quote at final invoice for removing the eflo. I’ll look into a local media blasting company and see what they say.
I had one exactly like that one several years ago. Same result. Client elected not to go with media blasting. But for small areas like that I looked into recently for some pool tile, and the equipment is not terribly expensive if you already own a small compressor. It’s a slow process though with small equipment and the media, glass beads in my case, is a little expensive.
Appreciate all the replies. Looks like I just ran into a severe case of eflo on my first big commercial job. I feel better that I’m not the only one and that it’s not just me not being able to figure this out lol.
There are a couple dozen of these pillars with extreme eflo or whatever that is, so media blasting might be too slow of a process. Might just have to stay the same way it is. I’m going to test wet sand blasting on an inconspicuous area and see what happens.
