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 meet the immediate requirements of the contractor and the client, but may compromise the service life of some parts of the finished building.
Concrete Sealer – Only for Decoration?
One example of this is exposed 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 cut back towards the end of the project when the contractor is looking for ways to save 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 it is generally intended to be effective only during the construction period. In fact, concrete sealer plays an important role in preserving the long-term service life of the floor by reducing wear and dusting caused by traffic.
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Other Exposed Concrete Scenarios
- Concrete ceilings or soffits also require protection. Concrete dust from deteriorating ceilings poses a health hazard to 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 because it is a single-application treatment, trafficable 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 offers a remarkable water-repellent treatment. This helps repel water at the surface and preserves the concrete’s natural appearance. 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!
These treatments are options from our SLAB-TECT® approach for comprehensive protection of exposed commercial floors, and INFRA-TECT® for exposed commercial concrete!
On-demand webinar available: “New Warehouse Floors and Other Naked Concrete“.
