[BC] AM Tower base weathering

[richardbrianjohnson at verizon.net]

 Concrete is hygroscopic and needs to breathe. Weather tends to erode the surface and rainwater may enter and freeze. Therefore, each year a little more of the surface may be lost as freezing water expands and chips away some of the surface.

My advice is if it looks too ugly to ignore, build a box around it with pressure-treated lumber. This may keep rainwater and snow off the surface, extending its life, while making it look better.  Do __not__ paint it. If you get a chance, look at the concrete bridgework on highways where someone has applied a coating. It chips and falls away. My theory is that contractors do this so the bridge needs to be replaced every ten years or so.... Again, look at an old abandoned concrete dam and see how nice it looks. 
 
 Cheers,
Richard B. Johnson
http://www.AbominableFirebug.com
 
On 11/22/13, donroden at hiwaay.net wrote:
 
In the past, someone used a sand based grout to cover the concrete,
but it cracked and separated, so I'd like to make a longer lasting
repair.