To all

 

I been reading the comments regarding the documents for efflorescence and everyone of you have good points. My caution is that first I prefer to explain to the customer and educate them of their problems, I find the more I can talk to the customer the more comfortable they are with me and my company.  Securing the customers trust in you as the professional is the most important part of selling your services. If the customer is comfortable with you closing the sale should be easy. After you have spent the time educating the customer, prior to leaving the appointment , that ‘s the time to leave the print material behind with your customer. Not only do you need to leave the print material for their particular problem you need to leave behind a brochure describing all your services. Also during you sale call it very important to ask the question “What are you using to clean your floors , walls etc ?”  this open the door to sell care products. Be prepared many time you can sell the care products before you even get the job. If this occurs make sure the customer understands the product will not correct their problem, only your professional services will solve the problem.

 

This is why I recommend everyone have several basic brochures for general services and  products along with brief hand out for specific problem such as efflorescence, etching , staining  etc.

 

John E. Freitag

President/Director

The Stone and Tile School

Office 407-567-7652

Cell 407-615-0134

jfreitag@thestoneandtileschool.com

 

 

www.thestoneandtileschool.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got one of those guys here, he's not italian .... He claims that his country they use engine oil to seal saltillo, and people believe him. Got calls on two, Referred both to Lube-N-Go .....

Joe Walters
Stone & Grout Meister, LLC

Tel: 505-890-3835
Cell: 505-859-0196
Fax: 866-920-2135
mail@stoneandgroutmeister.co
www.stoneandgroutmeister.com

From:
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:09:06 -0400

 

He must have been Italian!

 

 

There are generally three methods of which can assist in preventing efflorescence: 

• Selection of ingredients – Using ingredients which have minimum quantities of salts (eg. ensuring clean sand is used) can reduce the potential for deposits. Blended cement contains smaller amounts of calcium than Portland cement. The use of tools and mixers should also be well cleaned and free from rust.
• Control of Moisture - Moisture penetration into the masonry and mortar should be controlled or minimised.  Masonry should be covered with polythene sheeting. Mortar joints that are exposed to weathering should be tooled to produce a smooth weather resistant surface. It is also important to minimise premature drying when curing by avoiding exposure to wind and excessive temperature immediately after casting.
• Surface Treatment - The use of water-repellent material such as silicone will restrict the entry of water and may minimise the formation of efflorescence. However, water-repellent material may prevent moisture escaping and cause problems such as crystallization of excessive salt beneath the surface which will trigger spalling or flaking within porous and soft masonry.

 

We recently had the chance to have a man from another country work with us on a project.  He said in their country they use diesel fuel to clean and treat efflorescence and it supposedly prevents it from coming back.  He said it eliminates the minerals somehow that create the efflorescence.  

This has got to be an old wive's tale, or something scary to do as I would be afraid to use it. 

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