Surface Preparation is the most important part of installing any Super-Krete System. If the surface is not properly prepared, Super-Krete may not be able to co-adhesively bond with the concrete to ensure long term success. Surface preparation consists of testing the surface for moisture vapor and pH levels, surface profiling and cleaning, and treatment of the concrete with Pene-Krete. It is imperative that any coating installer review, understand and practice Super-Krete Specification No. S-1 prior to installing any coating system. Download Specification No. S-1 by clicking "CSI Specifications" to the left.

Before you begin your concrete overlay project, an installer must consider the following:

GETTING STARTED

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

SUPER-KRETE surface preparation application specification S-1 is a guide for designers, specifiers and contractors for the preparing of concrete surfaces prior to the application of SUPER-KRETE coatings, sealers and polymer overlay systems.  For the purposes of this specification, surface preparation is the process by which sound, clean and suitably roughened surfaces are produced on concrete or Portland cement-based substrates.  This specification includes the removal of bond-inhibiting films, strength verifications, opening the pore structure and establishing profiles suitable for the application of specified systems. 

Tedious work reaps the best results and happiest customers.  It is important to NOT cut corners, to keep your working area clean at all times, wash your tools after you use them, property estimate the amount of material you will need on your job, and always allow for errors by bringing extra material (in a checklist format).  Not cutting corners will save you time and labor in the future by ensuring that every necessary step was performed with caution. 

General Information

The majority of coating or sealing projects will have distinctive conditions and special requirements that must be assessed to determine which method(s) will best meet the engineers’, architects’ and owner’s objectives.  Factors to be measured when considering methods of surface preparation are:

1. Substrate condition-Strength, presence of bond-inhibiting materials.

2. Owner requirements-The owner’s need for uninterrupted use of the property, concerns about operating surroundings or potential property damage will limit the options. 

3. Material requirements-Product requirements will differ with the coating system selected. 

4. Application conditions- Certain factors pertaining to the conditions of the area to be coated and other factors such as weather and climate will affect the selection of the products needed and the application.  It is important to take several measures to evaluate a substrate to be coated. Sometimes, surfaces may have defects that will allow for coating failure if they are not identified prior to coating application.  Always take these very important steps to ensure that the surface is able to effectively receive coatings.

BEFORE APPLYING SUPER-KRETE PRODUCTS OF ANY COATING, HERE ARE SEVERAL QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF:

IS THE CONCRETE SUBSTRATE STRUCTURALLY SOUND?

First, note if the surface to be coated is STRUCTURALLY SOUND.  No coating will stabilize structures.  Certain cracks can be repaired by using SUPER-KRETE Crack Treatment Procedure S-9900.  Depending on the type of crack and the cause for the crack, a coating may not be able to restore the damaged surface, as you may need it to.  Moving cracks will cause crack reflection.

IS THE CONCRETE SUBSTRATE ALREADY COATED? 

Next, determine if the concrete surface already has a coating on it.  If it does, ALL COATINGS such as paints, sealers, greases, oils, waxes or other bond inhibiting contaminants must be completely removed from the surface.  This can be done by a variety of methods; you must determine the most appropriate method for your job.  Available options include methods of mechanical removal such as shot blasting, water blasting, or sand blasting. 

WAS A CURING AGENT USED IN THE INITIAL POUR OF THE CONCRETE SLAB?

Often times it is difficult to determine if a curing compound was used in the initial pour of the concrete slab.  If you have the means to determine this, it will benefit you greatly in the long run.  Curing compounds typically contain chemicals and agents that may later cause coating failures, no matter what type of surface preparation was used.  Suspects would include certain concrete curing compounds, chemical hardeners, bond/ form release agents or admixtures to reduce or improve air entrainment or cement workability.  There is no telling what the long term effects could be if curing compound was indeed used in the initial pour. 

DOES EFFLORESCENCE EXIST?

It is important to especially note if efflorescence exists on the concrete surface or surrounding areas.  Efflorescence is the powdery salt residue on the surface that is created when the water-soluble salts are carried from below by water and evaporates.  Efflorescence is an indication of a definite moisture problem and the area must be treated. 

TEST FOR MOISTURE VAPOR TRANSMISSION AND PH LEVELS

As any flooring company would do, always test the ph and moisture vapor transmissions levels in the concrete prior to coating.  The results of these tests will indicate the structural stability and integrity of the concrete to be treated or coated.  It is important to know that any substrate containing alkalinity levels higher than a 9 on a ph scale is detrimental and should not be coated.  The substrate will most likely corrode, despite the durability of the coating that overlays it.  There is no procedure that can correct the corrosion caused by a high ph.  Additionally, moisture levels should not exceed 3 psi.

IS THE SURFACE TO RECEIVE COATINGS POROUS?

Finally, determine if the concrete substrate is POROUS.  All surfaces to be coated with SUPER-KRETE products must be profiled to ensure proper bonding between the overlay and the concrete substrate.  Hard troweled or steel troweled surfaces are NOT porous and must be profiled.  To determine if a concrete surface is porous, spray water onto the area to be coated.  If the water is absorbed by the concrete, the concrete is porous.  If the water beads on the surface, the surface must be profiled.  A profiled surface can be achieved by several methods including high pressure water blast, shot blasting, sandblasting, or grinding.

The recommended means of surface profiling is shot blasting.  Shot blasting will clean and profile concrete surfaces by removing dirt, laitance, curing compounds, sealers and other superficial contaminants.  Steel shot is propelled at high velocity onto the surface.  This process is confined in an enclosed blast chamber, which recovers and separates dust and reusable shot.  This means is the safest and has the easiest cleanup.