Tim,
We recently had the lower section of our concrete driveway replaced due to the widening of our road. After the new concrete was poured and set, we ended up with a bluish color spotted throughout the new section. I have been watering trying to get rid of the bluish spotting, but it still exists. Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to solve this problem?
Ralph Thieleman
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Ralph,
If the concrete was recently poured and you are in a cold climate, the spots may be traced to a calcium chloride accelerator added to the concrete mix. This chemical speeds up the hydration reaction so the concrete gets harder faster.
Under certain conditions, this chemical can cause these visual problems. I would wait six more months and see if the sun doesn't help bleach them out. If it doesn't, you can always install a thin concrete overlay to solve the problem.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB