“It’s designed to cope with the conditions”… we hear this all the time, and what we want to get across is that it’s not stunting your design to add extra protection. Concrete is a natural material and, therefore, will degrade like all other natural materials.
Protection Always Recommended for New Concrete
For new concrete, on any construction project, MARKHAM recommends that protection measures be put in place at the construction phase. These significantly improve hydration, reducing shrinkage and resulting in a higher-quality finish and a maximised service life.
SO what is the best protection?
Stop moisture from moving. Yes, it is really that simple. How do we do that?
What you need to do is stop moisture from moving around the reinforcing steel through the concrete. There are many ways to try this – the most common is to coat or paint the surface, which provides some protection but does nothing for moisture inside the concrete, which still moves around. The fact is, conventional coatings deteriorate over time, lose effectiveness, and should be recoated regularly. Often, a re-coating program would be inconvenient, disruptive and costly.
So, how do we stop moisture movement through the matrix?
No, not that matrix.
You have to block the pores inside the concrete. The most effective way to do this is with a hydrogel treatment, as they are relatively low-cost and protect where it matters. Either added from day one or sprayed after concrete installation, penetrating hydrogels provide internal protection against moisture movement.
Hydrogel treatments are permanent! NO repair maintenance.
AQURON penetrating hydrogels permanently protect concrete against environmental challenges and enhance its natural durability. The hydrogel treatment helps maintain prime quality for longer, controlling water and moisture, which contribute to the concrete’s ageing process. There is nothing on the surface to degrade or wear. The treatment goes deep, about 150mm, and will not be affected by traffic over time.
 |
Hydrogel treatment can help protect concrete from environmental challenges and enhance its natural resilience, extending its service life.
Penetrating hydrogels – seriously cost-effective over time
Think about the implications of the cost over time. A single dose at the concrete plant eliminates the need to maintain a coating system over time and to repair spalled concrete.
Sounds good? Get in touch!
Spare a little time for our on-demand webinar, “Risk Reduction in Concrete Construction“.
