No Efflorescence

ef•flo•res•cence (ef-luh-res-uhns) n. 1. Chemistry. a) an efflorescing b) the resulting powder or crust.

Efflorescence.

Efflorescence is an unsightly encrustation of soluble salts, commonly white, deposited on the surface of stone, brick, plaster, concrete, cement stone or mortar, and is usually caused by free alkalies leaching from these materials. As water passes through these permeable materials and is hydrated through heat, it leaves behind a white salt encrustation on the surface. This is also referred to as ‘salt-petering.’

While efflorescence can be readily cleaned off the surfaces, it can never be completely eliminated – and will continue to re-occur.

No Efflorescence!

Fortunately, if you want a white building, such as the Data Center in Springfield, Massachusetts (left), NeaCera® offers a supreme Matte White panel among its many other color options. You do not have to wait for efflorescence to take effect on your building surface in order to get a “white” building!

NeaCera® Terra-cotta panels are produced using very finely milled and ground clay, which is pressure extruded and fired at 2200o F. The engobe applied to the panels prior to firing fuses into the surface of the NeaCera® Terra-cotta panels. The combination of the production process and application of the engobe makes NeaCera® an impervious cladding material. As a result, no efflorescence will occur on a NeaCera® Terra-cotta cladding installation.