Efflorescence

Definition

White, crusty or chalky mineral salts that appear on the face of stucco, block, brick or concrete. They are carried out of the wall by water moving through it and left behind when the water evaporates.

Why It Matters

Efflorescence is a water problem before it is a paint problem. Painting over it without finding the water source, usually a sprinkler head aimed at the wall, a bad flashing detail or wet ground against the foundation, means it comes straight back through the new coat.

Simple Example

A stucco wall in Fallon beside an irrigated lawn shows white streaks a foot up from the ground each spring. The fix starts with moving the sprinkler, then a masonry primer, then paint.

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