When the casting of reinforced concrete structures was still gaining momentum, builders put up with the fact that this material is porous. Today the situation has changed, because impregnating compositions have appeared on the building materials market, with the help of which the technical and operational properties of the described products can be significantly improved.
The need for impregnation
Impregnation for a concrete floor is a liquid hardener, among the ingredients of which there are adhesives that strengthen the top layer. The concrete surface is loose and porous, the structure has many micropores, which leads to two main disadvantages of reinforced concrete products - low hydrophobicity and insufficient strength.
Modern concrete processing technologies make it possible to turn a porous surface into a waterproof stone. This is relevant for the construction of concrete foundations, monolithic walls and load-bearing structures, which during operation are constantly in contact with moisture. Thus, the impregnation for the concrete floor allows you to protect the surface from negative factors, increase the strength of the material, increase the wear resistance, dedust the structure, strengthen the aged products, extend the life of the structures and improve their appearance.
Overview of impregnations with different chemical composition and their purpose
Concrete impregnations can be classified by chemical composition. They are inorganic and organic and are represented by modifiers. Organic impregnations are compositions that are made on the basis of polyurethane, acrylic and epoxy resins. The mixture has a liquid consistency and binds the elements, giving the surface the ability to repel water, and fills the pores, providing resistance to aggressive media.
Such impregnations remove dust from concrete and make the structure more durable. Polyurethane impregnation for a concrete floor is a universal composition, because it copes with all the tasks that are set before the primer. When choosing formulations based on other ingredients, you will use highly specialized mixtures. As for inorganic modifiers, they are still known to the consumer as silicate impregnations. The principle of their action is different. The material is not used to fill micropores, it reacts with external compounds that dissolve and become inert to reactions. Concrete after treatment with inorganic modifiers gains additional qualities, among them:
- dustiness;
- strength;
- water resistance.
Functional impregnation classification: hardening compounds
Hardening impregnations for concrete floors are usually made on the basis of inorganic compounds - primers silicate compositions. A protective layer does not form on the surface, because the impregnation penetrates inside and changes the structure of the material. The primer does not exfoliate during operation and ensures the durability of the product with its dust removal.
Reinforcing primer can be applied to supports, walls, ceilings, floors and other structures. Deep impregnation allows you to increase the strength of the layer up to 3 times. Traditional sodium and potassium impregnations are being replaced today with lithium-silicate based hardeners. After treating concrete with such a primer, it gains resistance to moisture and mechanical and washing effects. Concrete is not dusty. Using lithium impregnation for deep penetration concrete , you exclude efflorescence on the surface. 2 hours after processing, the base can be operated.
Overview of Water Repellent Impregnation
Water repellent compounds penetrate into cracks and pores. This treatment protects the surface from moisture penetration and a number of negative factors:
- ultraviolet rays;
- microorganisms;
- emergence of efflorescences and cracks;
- the occurrence of fungi and mold;
- salt and acid precipitation.
Water-repellent impregnation for deep penetration concrete is used for outdoor work, they improve the thermal insulation properties of structures and increase frost resistance. If we use water-repellent impregnation from the inside, this will not exclude the penetration of groundwater into the foundation, but the problem can be solved by comprehensive measures for waterproofing. These mixtures are presented in a wide assortment. The most expensive and effective are two-component compositions that are used for the construction of hydraulic structures by the type of pools.
Impregnation overview, their characteristics and purpose: “Tread-primer”
If you decide to use the method of reinforcing concrete by applying impregnation, then first you need to familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the mixture. When considering reinforcing impregnations for concrete floors, you should pay attention to the “Protector-soil”. This composition is a one-component primer that is easy to apply, dries quickly and retains vapor permeability. You can buy the mixture for 186 rubles. per kilogram.
Soil is an ideal base for applying a protective coating. The base is hardened, it gains adhesion to paints and varnishes and ensures high quality polymer coating. Application can be carried out on industrial floors, surfaces in residential premises, in parking lots, pedestrian walkways and sidewalks. Before use, the composition is mixed.
The film has a uniform matte surface, it should not have extraneous inclusions. Hiding power when applied to the surface is 120 g / m 2 . It is important to pay attention to the mass fraction of non-volatiles, it reaches 52%. With a viscometer, the nominal viscosity is 70 seconds. Drying time to the third degree is 1 hour. Upon impact, the film strength is equivalent to 40 cm. When bent, the strength reaches 3 mm.
XTREME-HARD primer review
This composition is waterproofing. It is represented by concentrate and contains silica dust. The material penetrates into the concrete and interacts with its components. A chemical reaction promotes the formation of crystallization substance, it forms a septum, which will be in microcracks. Such protection of the concrete floor from moisture is an inorganic composition and interacts after application with cement minerals, creating a coagulation-crystallization mass. This increases the strength of the material and resistance to wear.
Waterproofing is safe for human health and the environment, because the mixture is non-toxic. It is odorless and colorless, non-flammable, has a low hydrogen index, which improves the strength of the material. This hydrophobic impregnation for concrete does not peel off and is not covered with a crust, reduces the level of contamination of the coating, provides resistance to mechanical stress and abrasion, as well as ultraviolet. One application will be enough for the entire period of operation.
Coloring mixtures
In order to give concrete a specific color, you can use ordinary paint or color impregnation. The surface will gain longevity and will sustainably carry traffic and passing loads. Concrete floor painting with special impregnation ensures penetration of the material up to 3 mm in depth, due to this the coating remains unchanged for a long time, which does not depend on the intensity of the load. Additionally, the concrete surface, which is coated with a coloring composition, is treated with water-repellent protective impregnation.
Dust removal by impregnation
Quite often, dedusting impregnations have been used recently. Impregnation of concrete floors must be considered before purchasing. As an excellent example, the hydrophobizing composition “Aquasol”, which is made on a water basis, acts. It has water-repellent characteristics and is used to protect surfaces from weathering.
Another option for dust removal is Epoxol. This soil is a two-component composition and is used for hardening and dust removal of screeds, magnesia floors, concrete and asphalt concrete surfaces. Application is carried out on old or fresh concrete, which allows to increase the compressive strength of the base three times. The material acquires a higher hardness, which eliminates the formation of new cracks.
If you want to equip the right concrete floor, then it can be covered with this mixture, and the foundation at this moment can even be wet. Impregnation can be used in industrial, public and warehouse facilities, as well as in pharmaceutical and food industry enterprises.
Concrete protection by painting
The concrete floor can be painted using the Unikom material, which is a moisture-resistant alkyd compound for interior use. You can use the mixture when applied to the facade. The material is wear-resistant, protects the surface and eliminates its destruction. Operation can be carried out over a wide temperature range ranging from -60 to + 60 ° C.
This alkyd composition is a one-component enamel - a suspension of pigments, special additives and functional fillers. The paint has a special purpose and protects concrete from the effects of loads, has a high hiding power and resistance to water, as well as lubricants and fuel materials.
Alternative solution
If you want to close up the joints in the concrete floor, then you can use "Aquastone." This impregnation is represented by a solution of inorganic compounds and target additives. The mixture protects not only concrete and cement-sand screeds, but also mosaic floors. Impregnation penetrates and adheres to concrete, hardening surface with high hardness.
Finally
Concrete is a rather porous material, and its durability and strength depend on how correctly the technology will be observed during installation. In the course of work, not one of the stages can be neglected, because the coating will soon become worthless from exposure to air and moisture. Microcracks may appear in it and it will begin to dust. Impregnation, hardening old substrates, protects them from damage and improves the appearance of the material.