Installing Tuff Industrial Products During Colder Temperatures
Tuff Industrial Products, LLC, manufactures a complete line of high-performance polymer concrete coatings. In most parts of the U.S., temperatures drop in late October/November.
Most polymer coatings are formulated to best cure at 70 degrees. So, what happens when my project temperatures drop?
Let’s start in the beginning of producing Tuff’s products. Polymer is another form of plastic, so the base materials begin as solids. After cooking and mixing to ensure all solid particles are thoroughly turned to liquid this process could take 24 hours. Various additives such as flow agents, adhesion promoters, and U.V. and chemical resistant agents are added, and mixed, then packaged for use.
When a project temperature is down in the 40’s and 50’ s some additional procedures need to be taken to create the proper installation temperature for our high-performance concrete coatings.
Cold Weather Installation Tips
- Keep materials warm for at least 24-48 hours before applying. Materials that were stored for longer periods in colder temperatures may need an additional 24 hours. We recommend keeping a digital thermometer with you. You can “shoot” the entire floor surface and get readings to let you know the temperature of the concrete substrate.
- If the concrete is below 50 degrees F, we recommend bringing proper heat sources before the application to warm the slab, Tuff Industrial recommends propane or electric heaters. If you utilize propane or kerosene, these flammables will create emissions that will need to be completely removed during the prep phase of the project. (If you see “fish-eyeing” or separation blisters is a sign emission are still present.
- Mix your materials and allow them to remain in the mix vessel for approximately 5 minutes. This will allow the curing to begin. The curing of most polymers is an exothermic reaction of the resin and hardener. This is heat that will help offset colder slabs. Use your digital thermometer to see when the mixed product is increasing by 2-5 degrees F, then apply.
- Use products in Tuff’s’ line of products such as #710-Fast Cure & Tuff Patch Turbo #620 which are designed for a faster cure.
By taking just a few adjustments, installing Tuff Industrial Products’s line of polymer coatings has the correct solution for all your projects.
The problem of “outgassing”
The photo shows outgassing blisters from the use of kerosene heater during installation.
(Kerosene heater was used between coats)
