efflorescence

In chemistry, efflorescence (which means "to flower out" in French) is the migration of a salt to the surface of a porous material, where it forms a coating. The essential process involves the dissolving of an internally held salt in water, or occasionally in another solvent. The water, with the salt now held in solution, migrates to the surface, then evaporates, leaving a coating of the salt.
In what has been described as "primary efflorescence", the water is the invader and the salt was already present internally, and a reverse process, where the salt is originally present externally and is then carried inside in solution, is referred to as "secondary efflorescence".
Efflorescences can occur in natural and built environments. On porous construction materials it may present a cosmetic outer problem only (primary efflorescence causing staining), but can sometimes indicate internal structural weakness (migration/degradation of component materials). Efflorescence may clog the pores of porous materials, resulting in the destruction of those materials by internal water pressure, as seen in the spalling of brick.

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  1. L

    How do i avoid grout shade variation

    HELP......Used limestone grout on Porcelain. A week later its still looking patchy as if its still drying out. It looks awful.I am certain that it is dry. What caused this,what is the remedy, and how do i avoid it in future. I suspect over washing .
  2. A

    Grout Efflorescence problem - Bal limestone

    Tried Gaz's Fila Residue Remover. Great for removing residue grout on tiles but useless on white efflorescence deposit on grout. I reckon that if any water from polishing the tiles goes near this grout, before a good number of days passes after grouting, it results in these white deposits on...
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