Concrete floors can give a space a very modern, industrial appearance, but if they are dirty, it can significantly impact their visual appearance. As these concrete floors age, they may begin to look much dirtier as the appearance of concrete floor dusting becomes more frequent. If you’ve begun to experience concrete floor dusting, you might wonder why this is occurring and what you can do to prevent it.

At Solid Garage Floor Coatings of Colorado, our team wants you to understand why this concrete floor dust is appearing, the risks associated with exposure to this dust, and how you can protect your concrete floors. 

What Is Concrete Floor Dusting? 

Concrete floor dusting refers to the dust and debris particles that accumulate across the surface of concrete floors over time. This dust is made up of materials found in the concrete mix, aggregates, and concrete fines, which is sand that is made up of 100% concrete. It may also contain some dirt, dust, and debris from your surrounding environment. 

It is most commonly found on worn-down and deteriorated concrete floors. If your concrete floors are left untreated, everyday friction from activities such as walking, heavy appliance use, and environmental factors can cause this deterioration. This dust is made of tiny particles that may become airborne as you walk through the space. 

What Causes Concrete Floor Dusting? 

While we mentioned above that concrete floor dusting is often found on worn-down and deteriorated concrete floors, this isn’t the only cause. If you are experiencing concrete floor dusting in your home, it may be caused by one of the following factors:

• Inexpensive concrete mix: The quality of your concrete mix plays a major role in the formation or prevention of concrete floor dust. When you use a mix with an insufficient amount of cement or don’t ensure this concrete has adequate time to cure, it can lead to weaker concrete, which is prone to dusting. 
• Environmental factors: Harsh environmental factors may be responsible for the formation of concrete floor dust. If you live in a place with more severe winter weather conditions, experience extreme temperature fluctuations, or the concrete is exposed to excessive moisture, the surface of the concrete may deteriorate more quickly and lead to concrete floor dust. 
• A lack of concrete sealing: While you may think that your concrete floors are impervious to damage, that is not the case. If the floors in your home are not adequately sealed or protected, they are more prone to degradation from everyday friction. As we mentioned above, this prolonged friction can lead to concrete floor dust. 
• Inadequate maintenance: While concrete is relatively strong, it does still require some amount of maintenance. If you aren’t regularly sweeping and mopping or are using improper cleaning agents to care for your concrete floors, the surface may begin to wear down, and you’ll start to experience floor dusting. 

To prevent concrete floor dusting, you must be vigilant from the start of the construction project. But the maintenance doesn’t end there. If you want to protect your concrete floors from dusting, you should maintain regular cleaning routines and find the best sealing materials for your floors. 

The Health Risks Of Concrete Floor Dust

While you might not immediately think of concrete floor dusting as a significant problem, it can pose some pretty serious health risks after prolonged exposure. One serious problem associated with this exposure is the increased chance of developing respiratory problems. Inhaling concrete dust can cause irritation to your respiratory system and may lead to the development of many respiratory conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

In addition to these more treatable respiratory illnesses, there are much more severe risks. Concrete floor dust contains crystalline silica, which is present in sand, quartz, and granite. If you are exposed to this over prolonged periods, you may develop silicosis. Silicosis is an irreversible lung disease that causes scarring and may result in persistent coughing and breathing problems. 

If you have any preexisting respiratory conditions, exposure to concrete floor dust can exacerbate these problems. It may also lead you to develop difficult-to-tackle allergy problems. These allergies, as a result of exposure to concrete floor dust, include sneezing, coughing, skin rashes, and a runny nose. 

Preventing Concrete Floor Dusting

If you have dealt with concrete floor dusting in the past and made repairs to the floor or are currently dealing with concrete floor dust, you need to work quickly to protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of exposure. To protect yourself from this dust, you should consider investing in a garage floor coating.

Garage floor coatings come in a variety of materials that act as a sealant, protecting your garage floors from the damage of everyday wear and tear while protecting you from exposure to concrete floor dust. One of the most popular floor coating products on the market is Polyaspartic floor coatings.

Polyaspartic floor coatings are fast-curing highly durable floor coatings. They have recently become a popular option for protecting your home and business’s floors from the wear and tear that leads to concrete floor dust. In addition to the protection against exposure to concrete floor dust, Polyaspartic floor coatings are a great way to protect your floor from impact damage and chemical exposure. 

Protect Your Home From Concrete Floor Dusting With Solid Garage Floor Coatings Of Colorado

When you install a new concrete floor in your home, you should do everything in your power to keep these floors safe from damage, including investing in a garage floor coating from Solid Garage Floor Coatings of Colorado. Our team of licensed and trained professionals has years of experience, making them the perfect choice for your garage floor coating project.

In addition to garage floor coatings, we provide homes and businesses with basement floor coatings, epoxy floor coatings, commercial floor coatings, and more to homes across the Denver, Colorado, area. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment to install a new garage floor coating or would like to speak with a member of our team, contact us today.