Common Causes of Parking Deck Failure

Parking structures are subjected to extreme environmental stress. Unlike enclosed buildings, they are exposed to rain, sun, freeze-thaw cycles, and dynamic vehicle loads.

1. Water Intrusion

Water is the #1 enemy of concrete. When water penetrates the slab, it rusts the reinforcing steel (rebar) inside. As steel rusts, it expands up to 4 times its original volume, cracking the concrete from the inside out (spalling).

2. Chloride Contamination

In coastal areas (like California) or regions that use de-icing salts, chlorides seep into the concrete. This accelerates corrosion significantly.

3. Lack of Maintenance

Many failures occur because minor cracks were ignored. A simple routed-and-sealed crack repair costing $5 per foot can prevent a structural failure costing $500 per foot.

The Solution: Traffic Coatings

Installing a urethane traffic coating system creates a seamless, waterproof barrier that prevents water and chlorides from ever reaching the concrete slab, extending the life of the structure by decades.