Trade Journals for the Concrete Industry

Small and irregular surface voids in concrete commonly referred to as bug holes. They can occur in surfaces of any concrete which includes precast, tilt-up or poured in place concrete. They are more prone to occur on vertical concrete surfaces and can make the surface unsightly depending on their size and frequency. Bug holes are caused when entrapped air in concrete fabrication migrates to the form surface and more often found on the upper portions of a vertical formed surface. They are irregular in shape and typically under ½ in depth. They are an aesthetic issue for exposed structural concrete and should be considered a surface effect and not a defect. Despite being unsightly these voids are not a structural defect that would impact the concrete surface life.