Saturday, March 27, 2010

Lowest cost concrete densifier is the best value

Concrete densifiers are hot topic in the world of concrete today. Polishing is now the # 1 treatment to new and existing concrete slabs replacing coatings and other concrete surface toppings. One of the key wet ingredients in any polishing system is densifier. Densifier reacts with elements of the concrete surface, strenghthening the surface, making it less likely to fail under heavy traffic and impact.

There are many concrete densifiers available on the market. Lithium based densifier has replaced sodium and potassium formulas as the lithium formulas limit salt residue from congregating at the surface. Surprisingly, most studies show that there is little difference among the top 4 or 5 products supplied. These leading manufacturers lay claim to having the most lithium or the deepest penetration. Most of these claims are marketing hype, designed to grab your attention.

Experts agree, when choosing densifier use these filters:
  1. Choose brands that make technical data readily available
  2. Buy direct from the manufacturer vs. a distribution company
  3. Compare the claims of the top suppliers (CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTORY)
  4. When in doubt, test the product yourself

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Concrete polishing wet materials


Concrete polishing is largely a function of a diamond grind machine. However, wet materials are used to support/enhance the effectiveness and extend the life of the finished product.
We are taking about concrete densifier, and conditioner.

Concrete densifier:

A one component water based lithium based solution designed to densify cement and concrete substrates. The lithium based densifier reacts with the cementitious ingredients to densify while allowing deep penetration to chemically harden and fortify the substrate. This product is also available with the added benefit of a waterproofing agent.

Concrete conditioner:

A one component water based ultra small particle size self-crosslinking hydrophobic organic polymer and silane/siloxane designed specifically for use in the grind and polish of concrete/cement as a surface conditioner and stain guard.

Diamond polishing without these "wets" will result in a concrete surface lacking excellent surface strength, resistance to stains and sheen longevity.