# Black Holes on surface of new patio



## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

Had a concrete with integral color patio poured on Saturday. On Monday morning we noticed small (1/8" - 1/4") black holes with oiling substance in middle. They are at the surface and and when the oily substance is removed the depth is about an 1'8" deep with a light brown ring around the hole and the black stuff feels gritty. The cement company said it was the sand base and the concrete company the we hired to install the patio said that it was something in the mixture or inside the truck was contaminated. Any ideas anyone, we need some help!!


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

Is it a shade of black? I wonder if the contractor had the driver add a powdered color on site (instead of at the plant, like you're supposed to), and it didn't mix for long enough.


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

*Black holes on surface of new patio*

It was mixed on site! But the color added is a light brown


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Grits said:


> Had a concrete with integral color patio poured on Saturday. On Monday morning we noticed small (1/8" - 1/4") black holes with oiling substance in middle. They are at the surface and and when the oily substance is removed the depth is about an 1'8" deep with a light brown ring around the hole and the black stuff feels gritty. The cement company said it was the sand base and the concrete company the we hired to install the patio said that it was something in the mixture or inside the truck was contaminated. Any ideas anyone, we need some help!!


Best thing to do is collect a sample and take it to a lab to have it analyzed,it's the only way to find out what's really going on,and i have never heard of a sand base rising to the surface overnight.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

The color powder is always darker than the finished product, because it lightens as the concrete cures. 

The truck needs to have a bit of water added and the drum spun all the way up for 5-10 minutes for that stuff to mix in properly. I wonder if it didn't, and some pockets of color powder remained.


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

*Black holes on Patio*

Thank you so much for your reply. Since yesterday the entire surface of the 18' x 18' patio is covered with these holes and something that looks like a larvae size about 1.5" in length. I swear!! I will try to attach pictures.


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

I will contact the parish (county) extension service for help.
Thanks


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

What about rust from that metal mesh that was between sand and concrete coming to surface?


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

think mort's on the right path - not enough mixing time, wet powder rather than liquid color, contaminated drum, OR dirty stockpiles,,, the other pic shows why 1 should NEVER allow the driver to spit his chewing tobaccy into the drum  either way get the conc co's rep out to look at it :yes:

doubt its rust from mesh


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

The concrete company's rep did come out to the house and said that it was not the cement mixture but "bad sand". Whatever that means. I think we will have a fight on our hads in the next few days. But it is going to be fixed! The patio installer pressure washed it and told us that he would apply a color stained sealer that would fix it. I am beginning not to believe him. But he has not been able to apply it since it rained yesterday. Now we have hundreds of holes on the 18' x 18' patio.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

cement is an ingredient as is sand ( fine aggregate ),,, a color'd sealer will NOT seal the holes IF they're as large as you described,,, if someone's pees on your leg & sez its raining, what does that tell you  ' bad sand ' = bad concrete


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

Makes sense to me. The company rep probably thinks we are dumb and can tell us BS and we will believe him. It is time to pay the company a personal visit.

Thanks


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Grits...that first pic looks like what is left of something that 'was' alive at one point.....you might want to start scanning for missing persons in the news. If someone is missing....call the police....you found 'part' of him.


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## Grits (Apr 30, 2013)

Funny! It does look like the thing has an arm and maybe tail. What started out as a great home improvement has turned into a horror story. The black spots are the worse but this "thing" is over the top.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Grits said:


> I will contact the parish (county) extension service for help.
> Thanks


 
I doubt an extension service is going to help,you need a concrete testing lab,because they are going to throw a ton of BS at you,both the contractor and supplier.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Have you seen what blood looks like when it's dry? Gets almost black.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

OMG ! who placed your driveway - tony soprano ? ? ?


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

Rust from the metal mesh can show through, but it doesn't look like that. It'll be the same shape as the mesh. 

That first pic looks like it used to be alive.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

ddawg16 said:


> Have you seen what blood looks like when it's dry? Gets almost black.


That one pic looks like ground up human parts.


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