White Paper. Understanding Joint Repair Extend the Life of Concrete Flooring Using Minimally-Invasive Repair Applications

Transcription

1 White Paper Understanding Joint Repair Extend the Life of Concrete Flooring Using Minimally-Invasive Repair Applications

2 Executive Summary / Introduction I. Executive Summary Achieve seamless and durable concrete flooring with Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings joint repair applications. Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings, Inc. is a premier applicator of high-performance coatings and resurfacers for concrete floors. Along with our URETEK ICR Northeast Division, we provide joint repair service for problems commonly experienced in industrial and commercial markets. Visit our website to see our photo gallery of finished projects in a wide range of industries. Overview: Joints play a critical function in determining the longterm durability of a concrete floor Joint repair is commonly needed to address cracked concrete flooring problems Cracked concrete can be the result of many direct and indirect factors Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings joint repair applications utilize a minimally-invasive process that repairs damaged joints, fills voids and repairs cracked areas beyond the joints The end result is a seamless, stabilized concrete floor that provides easier cleanup, improved light reflectivity, overall extended life of the floor and cost savings. Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings, Inc. 430 Oak Lane, Lititz, PA Phone: (800) 220-COAT (2628) info@hitech-coatings.com II. Introduction Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings understands how to care for and repair concrete floors. Challenges involving joints and cracks should be repaired before they become major problems that affect productivity. Problems such as these should also be repaired before any floor coating or polishing application is executed. This white paper will: Discuss how and why the issues of joint problems, voids and cracked concrete occur Examine the joint repair applications offered by Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings and our URETEK ICR Northeast Division Provide an understanding of how the repair applications are executed Highlight the many benefits that are realized as a result of using Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings joint repair processes 1

3 Examining the Challenges III. Examining the Challenges: Damaged Joints, Voids and Cracked Concrete Flooring is a critical element of most any building its function, especially for many industrial and commercial operations, is to serve as a work platform that supports the movement of material handling vehicles or the heavy load of stationary equipment. Floors that are smooth and interruption-free allow optimum movement and productivity. When problems have the potential to negatively affect productivity, they should be addressed immediately. Common problems affecting concrete flooring are: Damaged Joint Edges Concrete floors are segmented by construction and control joints. As material handling vehicles cross over these joints, their hard wheels can wear or break off these edges. This is called spalling. Spalled joint edges deteriorate rapidly under hard-wheeled traffic. Voids Along Sides of Joints Voids occur as concrete slabs become misaligned, resulting in a floor that has unstable areas under and around the joints. Random Cracks There are two types of concrete: the kind that is cracked, and the kind which will eventually crack. In many situations, it s an inevitable occurrence. The floor joints induce the cracks to follow a straight line. The following factors are often responsible for the abovementioned problems: Continuous pressure exerted on the floor surface from vehicles such as forklifts or other heavy machinery Temperature changes that cause concrete to expand and contract The natural occurrence of foundation settlement Regardless of which problem is affecting the concrete floor, it is important to minimize additional damage by repairing the joints and cracks, and restoring the floor and joints to its original load-carrying capacity. The joint repair applications from Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings and its URETEK ICR Northeast Division will accomplish all this in a minimallyinvasive manner, and with excellent long-term results. 2

4 Presenting The Solution Understanding Our Process IV. Presenting the Solution: Joint Repair from Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings Joint and crack repair is a major component of concrete floor maintenance. Every situation is unique, and the joint repair applications offered by Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings handle each customer challenge with impressive results that are: Fast The repair is often performed while maintaining normal business operations with minimal downtime. Effective The materials used in the joint repair process are lightweight and expansive, with the ability to fill voids with a minimal amount of additional overburden weight. Economical The repair process is priced consistently below alternative repair methods, and implementing the repair significantly reduces the chance for additional repair costs down the road. In addition, machinery and other assets do not need to be moved or relocated to conduct the repair process; this allows for uninterrupted production and an ongoing revenue stream. Durable The material used is guaranteed for years against loss of dimensional stability or deterioration, and extends the overall life of the concrete floor. Safe Liability risk is greatly reduced by the repair process, as a result of a safer environment. The repair process also exceeds environmental requirements. The end benefits of Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings joint repair process are many: Smoother ride for material handling vehicles, as a result of reduced vibration transmission Easier floor cleanup and maintenance Enhanced light reflectivity Improved floor performance and extended durability Long-term cost savings V. Understanding Our Joint Repair Process The goal of any joint repair is to restore the joint to its original load-bearing capacity without restricting movement that may come with continued concrete shrinkage. Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings follows simple yet highly effective processes for joint repair: Initial analysis determines what problems need to be addressed, and what materials are most suitable to use in the repair process. The repair can include any or all of the following repair applications: Void repair To address the problem of voids under joints or in other areas of the floor, Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings utilizes their URETEK ICR Northeast Division. The division specializes in stabilization applications, with the use of the URETEK polymer. The URETEK polymer technology was developed through a partnership with leading chemists at Bayer Material Science. The polymer material is formulated to be lightweight yet have powerful lifting and stabilization features, and maintains impressive compressive strength under the heaviest of loads. The polymer is also proven effective and environmentally safe in over 125,000 projects worldwide over the past 20 years. How the process works > The URETEK polymer is injected into void areas through small penny-sized holes, where it quickly expands and densifies to fill the voids and keep joints in place. The application process creates stabilization that will help prevent additional cracking or further joint damage. 3

5 Understanding Our Process Joint edge repair Damaged joint edges must be repaired quickly in order to avoid rapid deterioration of the joint. To repair the problem, Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings utilizes a polyurea joint filler that is designed to transfer load and protect the edges of the concrete slab. These fillers are designed to separate adhesively from the concrete. This is not a failure it s a practical solution to the inevitable movement of concrete. How the process works > The areas where damaged joints are present are cleaned out of any dirt, dust or residue buildup using upright diamond grinders fitted with dust collection vacuums. Once the joint area is prepped, a high quality, semi-rigid polyurea joint filler is applied. The polyurea filler is formulated to dry quickly, allowing the areas to be ground smooth more quickly, without gumming up. The final steps of the process ensure that all repaired areas are ground smooth as the filler is made flush with the floor, resulting in a uniform finish and continuity of the slab surface. The joint edges are now protected, eliminating further slab deterioration at the joints. Protecting and sealing joints also aid in preventing extraneous water from entering into the foundation and potentially weakening it. with a special polyurea joint filler. This polyurea filler is fast-drying and allows for the repaired surface to be ground smooth quickly. The final result is a uniform surface that is stabilized and capable of holding its original load-bearing weight. Random concrete cracks can also be repaired using the URETEK polymer and Method Injection process. With this process, The URETEK polymer is injected into the cracked areas through small penny-sized holes. Enough polymer is injected so that is expands, densifies and forms a three-foot pancake shaped structure beneath the concrete. This structure provides the stabilization needed to minimize further cracking. Upon completion of any joint repair project, additional services such as the application of a coating or polish are commonly implemented. Many companies within the industrial and commercial sector have benefited from the joint repair applications offered by Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings and our URETEK ICR Northeast Division: Aviation Customers of all sizes, from small local airports to large aviation corporations such as Lockheed Martin, have utilized the joint repair process for the floors of their airport hangers. Manufacturing Facilities in the automotive, steel, food & beverage and pharmaceutical industries have used the joint repair process to repair and stabilize their flooring. Crack repair Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings can repair cracks that extend beyond the joint. This can be a major component of floor maintenance, and without remediation, random cracks will worsen. The material and process used by Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings provides the best protection for cracks. Commercial Shopping center facilities, moving/ storage facilities, shopping center plazas and big box stores have successfully used joint repair services. Visit our website to see our photo gallery of finished projects in a wide range of industries. How the process works > An area affected by cracked concrete can be repaired by first chipping out the bad concrete. Using a designated epoxy mortar sand, the area is rebuilt, and expansion joints are recut and filled 4

6 Summary VI. Summary The joint repair process offered by Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings is multi-faceted and can go beyond just joint repair. Using various materials and applications, we are also able to repair random cracks and even stabilize voids in joint areas or other areas of the floor, which can be caused by continuous pressure, temperature changes or naturally-occurring foundation settlement. Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings, along with our URETEK ICR Northeast Division, provides repair options for the following challenges: Damaged joint edges Voids along sides of joints and in other areas of floor Random cracks in concrete The unique joint repair application processes are fast, effective, economical, durable and safe and they provide many benefits: Reduced vibration transmission Smoother ride for material handling vehicles Easier floor cleanup and maintenance Enhanced light reflectivity Safer working environment Long-term cost savings The final result is improved floor performance and extended durability. To learn more about our joint repair applications and how they can resolve your concrete flooring challenges, contact Hi- Tech Concrete Coatings and our URETEK ICR Northeast Division. 5

7 Hi-Tech Concrete Coatings, Inc. 430 Oak Lane, Lititz, PA Phone: (800) 220-COAT (2628) (717) Web: 6