Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

Boveda ceiling and silitre; waterproofing floor tiles


Recommended Posts

We have boveda ceilings which have begun to show small spots of white (silitre) in several places.  Part of the problem is likely due to leaks from our tiled second floor veranda, about 80 percent of which is covered with a roof and 20 percent exposed to the elements.  I need recommendations of someone locally with expertise in dealing with silitre on boveda ceilings and who can also suggest waterproofing solutions for the exposed floor tiles on the veranda.  We have had handymen try to "fix" the problem with "anti-silitre" chemicals but the siiitre often returns.  Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Syver117 said:

I was told by someone that fixes silitre that nothing will fix it.  It will keep coming back.  Anybody have silitre repair last for more then a couple of years?

My situation is perhaps somewhat different in as much as it is in the ceiling rather than walls or floors.  It is not leaching moisture from the ground, rather the source of the water is above the ceiling (the floor tiles on the veranda).   It might be helpful to know who your expert is so I might contact him.  Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

to remove the salitre on the boveda use muriatic acid.. that is the easy part. The salitre will come back unless you fix the leaky roof.. cracks on the roof will let the water in that will meander and reappear on the other side so the leak maybe faraway from where the salitre is showing up but believe me it is there.. Fix the roof.

In San francisco we had water coming down from the light fixture on the ceiling and we lived on the 5th floor of a 7 floor building.. the water came from the roof via sime crack... 2 floors up Water is amazing that way..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That areas in youre brick ceiling if because you have some problems in youre roof, first you need to fix youre roof or terraze area, them all the are was humidity start to dry and going to youre brick area, so them you need to clean all youre brick ceiling whit acido muriatico, and you will be ok fot a couple years, thats a guarranty work, thats what they doing in my brick ceiling and in 2 cupulas to. If you need more tips or info send me a PM. Saludos

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Along with the muriatic acid treatment, my workman then painted clear sellador onto the boveda bricks. While it may seem counter-intuitive to seal the brick from the opposite side from which the moisture is coming from, the "hongos" or the white fungus that appears on the bricks seems to have nowhere to grow, or continue to grow, or air to grow. So far anyway. Obviously, if you have a known leak from above, that needs to be fixed for more reasons than salitre. Water streaming down inside lower interior or exterior walls creates a saturation that makes paint not stick, and may lead to other issues with concrete or cal deterioration (huecos or holes in the interior of the wall). After a 4-year restoration of the walls inside and outside of my hundred year old home, I have come across a multiplicity of factors in moisture, and depending on the workman, a multiplicity of solutions. Some work, some don't. Keeping my fingers crossed on the clear sellador, that it keeps the boveda bricks from showing any white fungus. The sellador also holds the bricks' good fresh look right after the muriatic acid cleaned them. IDEA: Try a small patch with the acid and sellador. In a year if that patch looks great, no sign of return of the white fuzzies, continue the application.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salitre is not a fungus; it's crystals like salt leaching (effervescence) from the cement or mortar in the presence of water.  Get rid of the water and the salitre will disappear.  However, bricks and mortar suck up the water easily.  And finding the source of the water can be very difficult--that's why many times efforts to eradicate the salitre fail over the long haul.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"How Does Efflorescence Happen?

For efflorescence to happen, you need water and salt. The salt comes from a range of sources. First, it may already be present inside the brick, stone or concrete. Or, the source may be the grout or Portland cement holding surfaces together. Finally, it could be present in the water itself in areas with hard water." (Though presumably not from 'hard rain', which is a metaphor AFAIK.)

Briefly, for completely new construction Lakeside, could one take extra precautions (and strict control of project materials) to insure that a structure would never suffer the blight of salitre?  Is groundwater a major culprit Lakeside?  Thanks. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's helpful to use premix concrete as in the US.  The crap here they use as mortar for holding the bricks together is inferior to mortar in the US and is most of the problem.  Also not sealing the foundation from the first couple of courses of bricks with impermeable compound to keep ground water from sucking up into the bricks and mortar.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have frienda who when they built their house, they went to the expense of buying premix in a bag and not using the "mix" that the Mexican masons use.  And the black barrier stuff on the foundation before the walls were put up.  It was expensive but no salitre.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...