SET IN CONCRETE
How can contractors save time and money when working on subfloor preparation of cementitious floors? Simon Clark, Product Manager at Sika Flooring discusses.
More often than not during concreting works there is a pressure to reduce the total construction period. Whether new build, conversion or refurbishment, the economic concerns of the end clients demand that works are finished, allowing the new floor to be put to commercial use, as quickly as possible.
This pressure can lead to a reduction in the time allocated between various construction phases, something that can have a huge impact on the look and performance of the finished floor.
When coating cementitious substrates with reactive resins, the substrate moisture content must not exceed 4%. The consequence of non-compliance can be a significant coating failure. Initial damages generally appear after a very short time with further successive phases developing the full extent of the damage. This failure is known as osmotic blistering and can result in major delays and costs to resolve post-completion.
One solution to this problem – delivering fast- tracked installation programmes without the risk of osmotic blistering – is Sika EpoCem.
Sika EpoCem is an intermediate temporary moisture barrier that controls the high initial substrate moisture content of concrete, allowing the application of a coating to a green or damp concrete, reducing completion time and eliminating the risk of blistering.
Traditionally, three weeks curing/drying time is required before a resin can be applied to a concrete floor. By adding Sika EpoCem into the installation timetable, total curing/drying time is significantly reduced.
CEMENTITIOUS SAVINGS Sika EpoCem has a resin-enriched mortar surface which contains an integral curing action and prevents excessive drying out or shrinkage. When applied, heat generation caused by accelerated hydration also promotes physical drying of the system. The surface’s increased strength development is caused by continuous cement matrix formation, accompanied by penetration of the epoxy structure by cement hydration/crystallisation.
Sika EpoCem is suitable for all cementitious floors with damaged or missing waterproof membranes. The system is coatable with liquid-proof coatings and can be applied in adjustable site-related thickness layers. With Sika EpoCem there’s much less waiting time on fresh concrete and no
46 | SUBFLOOR PREPARATION
blisters when coating damp concrete, all of which means fewer delays – achieving substantial time and cost savings.
Among the system’s many benefits, Sika EpoCem provides better chemical resistance than a PCC mortar. It also offers superb protection of concrete. Epocem is CE certified in accordance with EN 1504 Part 2 and Part 3. It’s impervious to liquids whilst being permeable to water vapour.
Sika EpoCem can be top-coated with resin-based floors the following day. With an economical, fast and easy application, it can be used internally and contains no solvents. Ultimately, Sika EpoCem is the perfect solution when time pressure means the condition of the concrete substrate is less than ideal.
www.sika.co.uk/flooring www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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