In the context of construction, there is sometimes a tension or conflict between the short-term cost or time constraints, and the long-term durability of the structure. ‘Cutting corners’ may achieve the immediate requirements of the contractor and the client, but compromise the service life of some part of the finished building.
Concrete Sealer – Only for Decoration?
One example of this is concrete floors which will be under load, or vehicular traffic. It is surprisingly common to leave this concrete unsealed, to save money or time. Even where a sealer has been called for by the designer, it may be culled towards the end of the project when the contractor is looking for ways of saving costs. In one sense this may appear pragmatic and sensible, particularly if the sealer is seen as a decorative finish only.
Sometimes a dust control treatment may be used, but this is generally only intended to be effective for the construction period. In actual fact, concrete sealer plays an important part in helping preserve the long-term service life of the floor, by alleviating wear and dusting caused by traffic.
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Other scenarios
- Concrete ceilings or soffits also require protection. Concrete dust from deteriorating ceilings is actually a health hazard to the users of the space beneath.
- Precast concrete walls need protection from weather exposure, and the resulting discolouration.
Help is at hand!
What makes a good concrete sealer?
For exposed floor slabs, MARKHAM can offer a penetrating three-in-one treatment which is applied at the time of pour. By replacing three other treatments, our penetrating hydrogel will significantly reduce costs. And by being a single-application treatment, trafficable within an hour after application, we can dramatically reduce the impact on construction time.
- Replace the curing compound or water curing process, with a single-pass treatment!
- Replace the dust control and surface hardener, with a treatment that works to a depth of 150mm and lasts the life of the concrete!
- Replace the surface sealer, with a penetrating porosity sealer that never wears off and never needs to be reapplied!
Of course, we’re talking about AQURON 1000.
For vertical faces, MARKHAM supplies a remarkable water repellent treatment. This fends off water at the surface and preserves the natural appearance of the concrete. Meet AQURON 1200!
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Sounds good? It’s a WIN for the construction team and a WIN for the client. If you’re involved in the design or construction of factories, warehouses, exposed retail concrete floors, or data centres, you need to talk to our team today about improving the process!
STOP PRESS! Meet the new SLAB-TECT system for comprehensive protection of exposed commercial floors!
