It's no secret that it is recommended to strengthen the surface during or after pouring concrete. This prolongs the service life of the concrete surface, prevents its destruction, protects it from the effects of aggressive factors, etc. Particular attention should be paid to concrete surfaces that will be subject to high-intensity operation.
Today there are many types of hardeners for concrete floors:
dry toppings- impregnation
- various additives in concrete that are used during pouring
- membrane formers
- lucky
- epoxy coatings
In this article we propose to consider the characteristics of one of the most popular materials for strengthening industrial floors – topping.
What are toppings for concrete?
Toppings for concrete surfaces are dry and liquid (they are also called impregnations).
If we talk about dry, then they are divided into:
Corundum topping is considered more wear–resistant and strengthens the concrete surface by 2 times, while quartz topping strengthens the surface by 1.5 times. And in terms of strength, they are almost the same: the strength of quartz is 55 N / mm2, and corundum is 75 N/ mm2. Recently, Teknoser toppings have been very popular in the Ukrainian market. After all, in terms of price and quality, they surpass most European and Ukrainian analogues.
What are the features of corundum topping?
Let's analyze the features of topping based on corundum crumbs using the example of Teknoser 300 material.
- In addition to corundum crumbs, the composition of the topping includes: special chemical and polymer additives, hydraulic binder and coloring pigment (the material is presented in three colors: gray, green and red).
- Topping increases the strength properties of concrete by 2 times and increases the wear resistance of the surface up to 75 MPa.
- The material creates a strong, even frost-resistant surface, resistant to mechanical damage.
- Corundum topping makes the surface waterproof and eliminates the formation of dust from the coated surfaces.
- The material protects the surface from the effects of chemicals.
How to apply topping to concrete?
To work with topping, you need a special grout machine. You can only work manually on small areas.
Topping is applied to the surface by the "dry-on-wet" method. According to TS EN 206 standards, the minimum strength of the concrete screed should be C20-C25. It is recommended to apply the material in 2 layers (the average consumption of one is 2-4 km / m2). Some craftsmen apply the material in 1 layer and this is also quite enough to harden the concrete floor, since the topping consumption may vary depending on the expected load force on the surface.
Attention: it is recommended to pay special attention to the corners.
After applying the topping, it is recommended to protect the surface from moisture loss and prevent the formation of cracks on the surface. To do this, you can use the Teknokur 100 membrane-forming device.
You can find detailed instructions for applying topping in the article "Step-by-step instructions for strengthening the concrete floor with topping".
