Efflorescence: Cause and Control

Efflorescence. This stubborn problem has caused confusion and trouble for masonry since the first time it appeared thousands of years ago on ancient masonry walls, Efflorescence is the white, powdery scum that sometimes appears on masonry walls after construction. Nobody likes it, nobody wants it on their walls, but sometimes this persistent problem appears. A great deal of time, money and effort have been spent trying to solve the difficulties efflorescence generates. Many test programs have been developed and numerous attempts have been made to eliminate the efflorescence problem. Unfortunately, nothing has proven l00% effective against this very stubborn problem. However, even though no sure­ fire cure has been discovered, a great deal has been learned about how efflorescence works and how to prevent it, and if preventive measures were inadequate, how to remove the efflorescence if it does appear.