There’s No Time Like the Present to Maintain Your Loading Dock!
May 28, 2025
Loading docks take a beating, not only from the physical impact of trucks and foot traffic, but also from all kinds of weather and (in wintry environments) deicing salts that attack the concrete and metal. While deterioration is inevitable, simple preventative maintenance and repair strategies can help slow the process down for a longer service life. With warm weather in the air, now is a great time to take action!
Loading Dock Preventative Maintenance
Reinforced concrete loading docks are susceptible to cracking and moisture / deicing salt ingress. Applying a water repellent every 7-10 years is a great idea to reduce the infiltration of these corrosives. For added protection, a two-in-one application of MCI®-2018 introduces a 100% silane water repellent plus Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors to slow down corrosion from corrosives that have entered the pore structure. Metal surfaces, if not yet corroded, can be coated with an extra layer of protection such as VpCI®-395 top-coated with VpCI®-384 or VpCI®-396.
Loading Dock Repair
Often, loading docks have already started to rust and crack before the maintenance team has time to address them. In this case, workers can remove loose rust and clean the surface before applying CorrVerter® MCI® Rust Primer, which turns black as it dries and passivates the rust. This can be followed by a topcoat of VpCI®-396 or VpCI®-384 or another anticorrosion coating. If deeper repair is needed, CorrVerter® MCI® Rust Primer can also be used for surface prep on rusty rebar before applying a repair mortar such as MCI®-2039, a fast-setting, high-strength cement-based repair mortar enhanced with Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors. To even out corrosion potential and reduce the risk of the ring anode effect, the entire concrete loading dock area (not just the repair) should be treated with a surface applied corrosion inhibitor (SACI) plus a water repellent. This could be a combination of MCI®-2020 (highest concentration of MCI®) followed by MCI®-2021, a concrete densifier and corrosion inhibitor that will make the concrete surface more resistant to abrasion and impact.
Act Now for Longer Service Life
As with many facility issues, deteriorating loading docks are something that are easy to bemoan without getting around to fixing them. Simple MCI® maintenance or repair is a great way to delay future problems and help the docks last longer. Contact Cortec® for specific advice on your loading dock repair or maintenance.
Keywords: loading dock maintenance, rusty loading docks, Migrating Corrosion Inhibitors, MCI, water repellent, concrete repair, loading dock repair, Cortec, preventative maintenance, facility maintenance
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