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Will acid etching effect my blacktop driveway?

910belmont

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
20
Hi everyone? new to the forum been wanting to epoxy coat my garage for sometime now! But I'e been affraid of the effects it might ahve on the Blacktop driveway with all the chemicals and acid etching. will it hurt the blacktop? or will all the water stop any damage or staining? thanks
 
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rjspitz

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Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
181
Location
Northern VA
That's a good question.
The only reason the acid solution should touch the driveway is when you are rinsing. And by then, the solution should be extremly watered down. Just make sure to spray the rinse away from the asphalt initially, then spray out of the garage when soaked.

When I did mine, it didn't affect the asphalt street, with the exception of concrete dust that was washed away at the next reain.
 

boiler7904

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Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
3,414
Location
NW IN
I did mine last week and haven't seen any effects...yet. Like rjspitz said, by the time the acid is going down the driveway, it is extremely watered down. I made a point of wetting the driveway and the grass along the edges. No burning of the grass.

I also made a point of parking my truck on the street in a place where the water and acid wouldn't touch the tires and I wouldn't get any splashing. It was an easy thing to do to avoid any possible problems.
 
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910belmont

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
20
Thanks! that helpes ease my mind since my driveway is 80ft long I don't want any problems.
 

showroomgarage

Active member
Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Messages
35
Location
Portland, Oregon
The larger question pertains to the concrete slab within your garage. If you flush with water, but do not neutralize the acid on your concrete slab, you run the risk of having residual acid remain in the concrete pores which will continue to etch. This can cause your concrete to break down (become brittle). Water has a neutral pH so it does not neutralize the acid, it only dilutes it. This is a common occurrence with DIY applicators that only rinse their floors with water and question why years later the slab underneath their coating is breaking apart into pieces or becoming dusty.

To neutralize, you will want to spray the surface with a solution of either soda ash (one pound of sodium carbonate per five gallons of water) or ammonia (one cup of household ammonia per gallon of water). Amonia is easier to work with and will usually neutralize the concrete in one application. Spread the ammonia uniformly over the concrete in the manner that was done with the etching acid and keep the surface wet. Basically you are repeating the same process by which you etched the floor, except with ammonia.
 

Hammerdown

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Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
596
Location
The Motor City
Concrete is alkaline-acid is acidic. When they come into contact with one another they will typically neutralize each other. When muriatic acid stops sizzling it is inert and neutral. The acid lowers the ph levels of the concrete so a coating will get good adhesion. Use baking soda to neutralize any acid as you wash it away.
 
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