Gabriel First - Concrete Floors & Walls Catalog

Free Technical Assistance... 800-873-2000 © 2011 2 Gabriel First Corp. • East Rochester, NY 14445-0191 • www.gabrielfirst.com Clean—Remove Soil To best define Clean , the surface to which a product is to be applied must be in a condition that will allow a fully-connected bond between the primer and concrete. A100% bond must be from the final top coat all the way down into the concrete voids. That said, there are conditions that can weaken a bond—general soil, excess oil, grease, and/or fat impregnation, excess concrete dust, paint or high-build epoxy, silicone residue, etc. Moisture Testing & Corrective Actions ( Optional ) As moisture vapors move up in the concrete, soluble alkaline materials such as sodium, potassiumand calciumhydroxides alsomove. As corrosive materials become concentrated in the upper portions of the concrete, they can damage the flooring systems or the concrete itself. The damage may be evidenced by coating separation, surface crumbling, moisture vapor bubbles, adhesive breakdown (e.g. black oozing around floor covering seams), and mold or staining. The goal of moisture vapor remediation is to keep excessive moisture and soluble corrosive alkalinity isolated from the flooring system by creating a strong moisture barrier on the concrete surface. A barrier sealer must not allow moisture vapor to push primers and coatings away from the concrete surface. To determine the extent of any moisture vapor pressure, you will need to perform the Anhydrous CalciumChlorideMoisture Test . The test kits are available from flooring supply wholesalers and Internet vendors. If testing shows moisture pressure greater than 3 lbs., check with a Gabriel Concrete Specialist for remediation options. If the floor has had problems that cause suspicion or you will be doing a sizable area, it is well worth the time and effort to perform the testing. Concrete... Preparation Is Key to Success The best concrete coating may temporarily hide a substrate’s physical defects, but it cannot correct them... And, they will return! Damaged substrates must be prepared correctly to ensure success. Always begin with a perfectly clean and profiled (e.g. etched) surface. Following the preparation, a primer must be applied to the bare concrete. The following steps are listed in the order of normal performance. Not all of the steps listed below are required for every job. 2 1 Filling Expansion or Control Joints Expansion Joint board is erected before the pouring to form smaller slabs, provide space for slab expansion, and help prevent cracking. Control Joints get cut into set concrete to help route future cracking to the cut. Control Joint cutting depth should be 25%of the depth of the slab. Cuts need to be made a few hours after concrete placement. Patch Cracks and/or Replace Missing Concrete to Restore Floor Integrity Gabriel Con-Patch Epoxy Mortar enables no-breakaway patching by permanently locking to the old concrete. Cracks less than ½” wide and/or 2” deep need to be opened more by using a crack chaser, hammer drill, etc. Clean-out and vacuum the cavity well. If on-grade floor slabs have dropped or moved, call Gabriel for advice on how to correct the problem. Joint Board Extends the Full Depth of the Concrete Control Joints Fill cuts with Flexible Joint Compound. Expansion Joint 1. Crack chaser opens a perfect seam. 2. Seams are filled with Con-Patch . Board may be pulled and the space filled with Flexible Joint Compound. Cutting Finished