What Is TF Structural Concrete Overlay?
What Is TF Structural Concrete Overlay?
TF Structural is a two-component interior/exterior concrete coating and structural repair mortar with a matte finish. It is often laid as a stand-alone overlay for concrete substrates, providing an affordable option with good abrasion resistance and mechanical endurance.
TF Structural has incredible compression strength that is rapidly created, reaching concrete strengths in 4 hours while giving the user 15 – 40 minutes of working time.
TF Structural can be used in thick applications, with up to 60% aggregates added if required, or as a thin overlay. When utilizing TF Structural, there are no crucial mix ratios, allowing the user to mix it in a variety of consistencies according on the application.
TF Structural is used for spall repairs, full resurfacing, big structural rebuilds, and other repairs to damaged concrete.
How Do You Make A Terrazzo Countertop With Concrete Overlay?
If you are looking to update the look of your kitchen or bathroom with a new Terrazzo countertop, you might be wondering how to make one yourself.
Terrazzo is a countertop made of various types of stone, glass, or both, covered in a layer of concrete. You can buy a pre-made Terrazzo countertop or make your own using a concrete overlay.
To make your own Terrazzo countertop, you will need to decide on the type of stone or glass you would like to use. You can either use natural stone or recycled glass aggregates.
Once you have chosen your substrate, you will need to prepare the surface by applying a ¼ inch overlay coat and pressing the aggregates into place. Allow the overlay to dry for a minimum of 14 hours.
After the overlay has dried, it is time to mix water and the overlay to the consistency of a thin pancake batter to form what is known as “slurry.” Apply the “slurry” to the surface of the substrate and let it dry.
After 24 hours, you will want to polish the countertop to reveal the aggregates. If you use small aggregates, less than 10mm in size, they may be mixed directly into the overlay and then polished to be revealed.
How Do I Prepare Concrete Overlay?
For mixing concrete, a five-gallon general-purpose construction bucket is suggested. To ensure uniformity, use the same amount of water for each round of mixing when working in batches.
Pour one gallon of water into your bucket to begin. Then, gently pour the contents of a 50-pound package of concrete overlay into the bucket while mixing with a drill mixer.
When bucket-mixing, use a “birdcage” high-shear paddle for the greatest results. This ensures that the water hydrates the dry polymer cement mixture and disperses all required ingredients effectively.
Reduce the amount of water used for a thicker consistency, or thin the overlay during application by adding water “as needed” up to a maximum of one gallon.
To eliminate color variations while using colored concrete pigment, keep the water amount the same with each box of the overlay.
The overlay has a “pot life” of around 45 minutes. The overlay will not operate to its full capacity after this timeframe, but it can be prolonged by using ice-cold water throughout the mixing procedure for a further 15 minutes.
Pot life is also affected by the ambient temperature, with cooler temperatures prolonging it somewhat and hotter ones reducing it.
