We tell you everything about the prevention, repair and protection of clay floors against salt spray and saline efflorescence. Requirements and causes for the presence of saltpeter in clay soils Presence of salts in solution in some of the elements that make up the pavement. Mainly, porous materials will be those likely to contain soluble salts: masonry, stone , ceramics ... Humidity. The most common is usually infiltrated humidity, but any of the five types of humidity can produce saltpeter: infiltrated, capillary, accidental, interstitial condensation, or construction. Transport of salts through pavements until recrystallization occurs . This recrystallization can happen on the surface or inside the material. It depends on the nature of the salts, the porosity of the materials and the evaporation conditions. If recrystallization occurs in a cavity in the materials, it is called cryptoflorescence phenomenon . Typology of saline efflorescence Efflorescence is the property of some minerals, in this case salts, to lose the water they contain through exposure to air and become solid on the surface of clay soils. Efflorescence has the disadvantage that you never know when, where and how it will appear, although it tends to appear in certain areas of work, such as porous floors and facades. There are a high number of efflorescent salts that act within the construction .
However, there are some types that are more common to find in buildings: Calcium sulfate ( concrete and masonry). It appears thanks to the existence of other salts and in long periods of humidity. Potassium sulfate (clays, concretes and mortars with seawater). It causes a crystalline layer and causes erosion of the material. Magnesium sulfate or Epsom salt (sedimentary stones, gypsum). It produces a small erosion when crystallizing. It manifests itself with white spots, and Israel Phone Number List does not allow a paint coating on them. Calcium carbonate (limestone materials). Produces a very light white outer layer. Presence of salts and chemical reactions Normally, efflorescence on clay floors before laying usually occurs due to: The presence of soluble salts, existing in the type of clay used. A chemical reaction with the gases that have surrounded the pieces during the drying and firing process, and interaction of the different components of the raw materials that form the clay. Once placed on a new floor, the clay tiles will tend to expel the salts found inside. Due to the humidity of the pieces and the mortar, this process is inevitable. It will be more or less intense depending on the composition of the tile and the humidity factor , fundamentally.
The humidity that produces recrystallization on the surface when the pieces dry is mainly due to water infiltration into the ground or into the concrete of the foundation. These humidity causes saltpeter to appear in clay floors, composed of salts that are present in the tile, in the aggregates and in the cement used for grip. To definitively eradicate this type of problem, it is essential to detect the origin of the humidity that has caused the crystallization of the salts and to take into account the environmental conditions of the place where the work is carried out. Saltpeter in mud soils: prevention, repair and protection The elimination of saltpeter on clay soils can be carried out either by repairing the causes that caused them in the first instance, or by acting on the effects caused. Repair of causes It is about acting, through interruption, on the direct causes that produce saltpeter. That is, about the humidity. Regarding indirect causes (the existence of soluble salts in the materials), however, it is almost impossible to act. However, some clay floor producers offer their tiles with a pre-treatment that minimizes the salts inherent in the composition of the clay tile.