As concrete chemistry science has evolved, the appreciation of requirements necessary to achieve an outstanding outcome have been refined. There are a number of moisture control or Type S admixtures on the market that will result in a variety of final slab properties. In most instances those final properties include compromises. Cracking, curling, floor flatness and floor levelness considerations are some of the challenges inherent to concrete chemistry. Many concrete moisture control admixtures are struggling with those challenges.
Concrete curling is a challenge for concrete slabs and, later, for the placement of resilient flooring systems. Concrete slabs crack. Expansion and control joints are intended to manage concrete slab cracking in a specific manner. Concrete cracking that evades expansion/control joints can be a significant issue, creating a host of problems that may persist for years for the subsequent resilient floor covering system. Moisture control admixtures should reduce the moisture levels in the concrete slab to acceptable levels for flooring placement in compliance with flooring manufacturer requirements. However, what commonly occurs in the marketplace are wild promises about placing flooring within days of placing the concrete slab, with blatant disregard for industry standards and common field moisture tests utilized to verify the slab moisture condition. OBEX has remediated existing admixture-treated slabs that have failed to comply with project and flooring manufacturer requirements. Failed moisture tests should NOT result in a letter assuring product performance radically outside the product’s own specified performance standards. Presently there are manufacturers making big claims about the efficacy of their concrete moisture control admixtures, but the testing reflects otherwise.
To learn more about Concrete Moisture control considerations, click here to read more facts about Concrete Moisture Control admixtures or call us at 844-265-3535 to talk to our Technical Services team. OBEX maintains an up-to-date library of Technical Bulletins intended to provide briefs on topics germane to concrete moisture control making you, our client, the informed decision-maker you want to be for all of your projects. Good Price, Better Service.