The Disappearing Concrete Picnic Tables

Definitely an enigma.

Even the owner of Leko Precast, the manufacturer of the two concrete picnic tables at Highlands Golf, is puzzled by what's happening.  The tables have been on Highlands patio since delivery by the company in mid-2001.

"We're breaking up, we're breaking up" Shakespeare scrapper reminds us.
Not funny.

Back in 2004 or 2005 when the Leko Precast owner was golfing here, I showed him the rough/porous surface of the picnic tables (the damaged two corners were just beginning to crumble then).  He said "oh yes, we had always planned to come back and refinish these...", obviously forgetting until I called again several years later.

After several more complaints, he suggested to me that a golfer may have hit the corners of both tables with a golf club.  I told him I doubted that, as the patio is 100% visible to me at the front desk at all times.  And even IF someone had hit it with a golf club, why would the concrete be crumbling FROM THE INSIDE?

So, then in 2012 (I think), the owner of Leko Precast sent his man out to sand the top of a very rough table, after which he applied a concrete sealant.  He said he would leave the bucket of sealant for my staff to do the other table.  So we did.

Now it's spring 2014 and the photos above were taken last week.
Nothing seems to stop the disintegration--from inside.

The sealant we applied left a bright shiny hard film over the surface.
But again, the bright shiny hard film has cracked and fallen, revealing further disintegration and powdery rocks showing, all of which continue to crumble.

the Concrete Sealant

Leko Precast indicated their concrete picnic tables are located in government campsites and parks, and that "this has never occurred on any of those". 

Yeah, well, it has.
Here.
To the two concrete picnic tables at Highlands Golf.

Photos 2 and 3 (in the set of four above) clearly show the smooth hard sealant, but the little stones inside are surrounded by "powder" and that continues to crumble, year after year.

It's an enigma for sure.

"Shoddy construction is what I call it," says Kia.