What Is Concrete Floor Hardener Used For?
What Is Concrete Floor Hardener Used For?
Concrete hardeners and densifiers are used to keep floors from deteriorating too quickly. Through a consistent curing and sealing process, these solutions protect, maintain, and reinforce concrete floors.
A concrete hardener can be applied to both newly poured and old concrete flooring. It will boost the concrete’s fracture resistance and capacity to repel moisture, allowing it to be polished and given a brilliant gloss.
It is crucial to remember, however, that while applying a hardener will not fix a crumbling, poor, or weak surface, it will lengthen the overall lifespan of a decent floor.
To rehabilitate an older floor, damaged and discolored sections can be ground smooth, chips and divots filled in, and the entire surface coated with a concrete hardener. These compounds are also compatible with a variety of ornamental concrete treatments. Hardeners will influence the behavior of the concrete but will not change its appearance.
What Is The Function Of A Concrete Hardener?
A liquid concrete hardener/densifier penetrates the pores of the floor and causes a chemical reaction when properly administered by a specialist.
A concrete hardener operates as follows:
- Although free calcium carbonate, often known as lime, is present in solid concrete flooring, it does not make it stronger or more durable. This is due to the fact that not all of the cement is accessed by the chemical processes that allow it to harden over time. The remaining fragments soften the concrete, making it more prone to flaking, cracking, and chipping.
- Concrete floors contain pores as a result of evaporating water seeping through the top of the concrete. This evaporation weakens the surface, causing open pitting and tiny, virtually microscopic holes, allowing it to absorb liquids and soil and eventually destroy the floor surface.
- When free calcium carbonate is dissolved in water, some compounds react with it. It is essential to the chemical reaction and the hardening process because it produces C-S-H gel with silicate ions.
- The gel fills the holes on the surface of the floor. This leaves a hard shell on the concrete, making it considerably stronger and more resistant to wear.
Concrete is porous by nature because water evaporation forms a pore in the material during the curing and drying process. This disrupts the surface’s homogeneity and makes the concrete more susceptible to stains and filth. A hardener added to the floor tightens the pores and seals them off from potential stains.
Hardeners can be applied two hours after the cement has been set; the setting will take a day or two, depending on the size of the floor and the air temperature.
The chemical reaction with free calcium carbonate will continue to function on the surface of the concrete for up to two months after it has been applied.
How Do You Use Concrete Hardener?
Concrete hardeners are permanent, clear sealant that protects the underlying concrete against chemical and pollutant degradation. When liquid concrete hardeners are added to concrete, they cause a chemical reaction that penetrates the pores.
Hardeners serve as an effective adhesive for various floor coverings and surface treatments. They also keep freshly poured concrete from curling, which is a deformation of a slab into a curved shape caused by upward or downward bending of the edges. Hardeners are used to harden new or old slabs.
Here’s how to use concrete hardeners;
- New surfaces must be 14 days old and free of curing chemicals, dirt, dust, and other pollutants. Dirt, dust, wax, oil, and other pollutants must be removed from existing surfaces.
- Remove pollutants by carefully cleaning the floor and allowing it to dry completely.
- Apply two applications of Concrete Hardener, 1 litre per 4m2 each coat, allowing the first coat to cure for 4-6 hours before applying the second. Use a mop, hair broom, or squeegee to apply. Water should be used to clean the device.
