Concrete sealer

The main purpose of concrete sealer is to protect the concrete floor from the harshness of the external environment. Also, there has been a striking boost in the usage of concrete sealing for decorative purposes. They not only help in increasing the longevity of your floor, but also in enhancing the aesthetic value of the same. A sealer therefore, an essential ingredient of your recipe for a strong, protected and appealing concrete floor or wall. However, it is important to know and understand the problems that are most commonly faced by people while using the concrete sealer.

Striking a Balance between the Temperature

As the extreme of anything is harmful, same applies for the application process as well. Too high or too low temperature can cause various kinds of problems and hence, may ruin the whole purpose of the concrete sealer.

A very low temperature leads to a very high possibility of the failure of the concrete sealers. It can cause the following damages to the concrete sealer:

·         It might not get completely dried,

·         This will lead to the weakening of the concrete sealer coating, 

·          The sealer will be, hence, unable to form a strong protective coating.

On the other hand, a very high temperature poses the problem of the sealant drying up too early which leads to the formation of the blisters on the surface of the concrete wall. This happens because the air and gas get entrapped between the constituents. Also, the high temperature hinders the process of flattening the sealant since it causes the sealant to stick to the roller. Therefore the sealant does not get evenly applied to the surface.

The optimum temperature for applying the concrete sealer is 50 - 90 degree Fahrenheit.

Preventing the Blushing Effect

Blushing is another common problem faced by people while applying coatings to their walls or floors. It refers to the fuzzy blotches that appear below the surface where it has been applied. This reason behind the blushing effect is the trapping of moisture between the concrete and the sealer. Therefore, in order to avoid blushing, the concrete must be dried up completely before applying the sealant. Also, the concrete sealer should be applied as per the specialist's advice who recommends it to be applied in even manner.

Possible Damage from the Salts

The salts can destroy the protective coating as well as the concrete by penetrating into it. The salts get across the concrete in form of the salt water. Prolonged exposure to such environment can lead to the sealant wearing off from the concrete. As a preventive measure to this problem, the following procedure should be followed:

A penetrating sealant, which can permeate into the pores of concrete should be applied as the first coating on the concrete wall. Following this, the surface sealer should be applied on the concrete.

Once you have taken all the above mentioned measures while applying the concrete sealer to your walls and/or floors, just stay assured about its long life.

Read an interesting article about Patio sealer

Products for Damp Proofing

Implementation Of Flood Defense Strategies 

Proactive flood defense strategies are now essential for protecting vulnerable towns and cities throughout the UK. A number of different methods can help, including damp proofing products and full waterproofing systems. Councils are using these to protect structures from flood damage. In the last few weeks the towns which have implemented flood defense have benefited by giving emergency services time to evacuate townships prior to the floods arriving. 

Some properties, however, were prepared for the unprecedented conditions, and have been able to weather the effects of flood by using damp proofing products as flood defense measures 

Damp proofing products provide permanent protection from flood damage 

A number of methods are available including: 

=> installing flood gates across the door and windows 
=> the application of damp proofing membranes to the internal walls 
=>external sump pump stations to capture the water prior to coming against the property (especially in below ground properties) 
=>damp injection method 
=>diy damp solutions 
=>damp tanking strategies 
=>dpc damp course treatments 

Below Ground Areas Require Full Waterproofing Systems 

A full waterproofing membrane system would be recommended in below ground areas like basements or cellars to combat the risk of flooding. This would comprise 

=>damp proofing membranes 
=>pumping systems 
=>drainage provision 

working together to redirect the water, rather than hold the water back 

Above Ground 

When dealing with damp problems above ground, damp proofing membranes would usually be the only requirement. A damp specialist would usually recommend typically include a damp proofing membrane with dimples and a mesh thermal welded to it. The membrane is fixed to the structure internally and the air gap provided by the dimples allows for ventilation. The dimples enable the 'air gap technology' - meaning that the air space allows dampness to dry out behind the wall. This simple approach means that if your property has been flood damaged before then the saturated walls can dry out behind the membrane and allow for a permanent finish to be applied to the mesh on the membrane usually the same day, getting people back into their homes quicker. This is a good alternative to drying out the property with blow heaters and dehumidifiers as flood damaged walls will be drying out over a period of years not weeks. 

If paint or plaster is applied to a damp wall there is a danger that any contaminates in the damp walls will come through and you will have a recurring and unsightly problem - peeling paint, visible damp patches etc. The internal membrane installation approach should also take into consideration the ability to remove any water that is to come near the structure. This would typically involve placing a base drain gutter internally into the wall to floor junction to channel the water to a sump and pump. 

Penetrating damp can cause many problems, but damp proofing products provide the permanent solution for damp walls, as well as treating other problems like condensation damp, rising damp and associated side effects such as damp plaster. 

Damp Proofing Products can be installed quickly and efficiently, and are a cost effective solution 

Read an interesting article about Damp proof course