The document discusses why coatings fail on concrete surfaces. The main reasons for failure are poor surface preparation or insufficient bond profile (73% of failures), and excessive moisture or water vapor transmission through the concrete (16% of failures). Proper surface preparation through methods like grinding, shot-blasting or scarifying is critical to ensure proper bonding between the coating and concrete substrate. The document also discusses testing and solutions for eliminating issues caused by moisture vapor transmission through the concrete.

1. WHY
COATINGS
FAIL

2. WHY COATINGS FAIL
73%
16%
5%
4% 2%
Poor Surface Preparation /
Insufficient Bond Profile -
73%
Excessive Moisture /
Containment
Transmission - 16%
Poor Installation
Contractor Error - 5%
Job Site Conditions - 4%
Unexplained or Untestable
Failures - 2%

3. Surface Prep is the most critical component of any
coating project, and when done properly, will increase
the probability of long-term bond and system integrity.
Things to consider when deciding prep method:
• Substrate condition
• How stable is the concrete?
• How clean in the concrete?
• Job Owner Requirements and Limitations
• i.e. noise, vibration, electrical needs, etc
• System or Products to be Installed
SURFACE PREPARATION

4. METHODS OF PREPARATION
METHOD DESCRIPTION PROs CONs
Shot-
Blasting
Roughens horizontal surfaces for the
application of sealers, coatings and
polymer overlays; also used to
remove some existing coatings and
adhesives
-Uniform profile
-Large projects complete quickly
-Virtually dustless
-Removes sealers and profiles
-Costly equipment
-Larger electrical need
-Can leave "corn rows"
Grinding
Using various types of stones and
composites, applied under pressure
to achieve the desired profile
-Equipment advances allows
options
-Equipment less costly
-Can usually run off limited power
-Can be very dusty
-Can produce uneven profile
-Less output than shot-
blaster
Scarifying
Used mostly for removal of existing
coatings and/or contaminated
substrates, rotary action of toothed
cutters leave a deep profile
-Deep profiling
-Flattens high spots
-Removes contamination
-Very aggressive profile
-Can cause micro-cracking
-Not easy to locate equipment
Less Common Methods…
1) Acid Etching
2) Hydro-blasting
3) Flame-blasting
4) Scabbling-Milling

5. ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute) has identified nine
(9) distinct profile ranges for concrete surfaces*
SURFACE PROFILES
Concrete Surface
Profile
(CSP)
Mils
(+/- 5)
Recommended Prep Installation Examples
1 27 light grind/acid etch sealers/thin-film
2 32 grind sealers/thin-film
3 38 grind/light blast thin-film/light-medium duty
4 50 heavy grind/shot-blast high-build/heavy duty
5 66 shot-blast heavy duty/self-levelers
6 124 heavy shot-blast/light scarification self-levelers/overlays
7 175 heavy shot-blast/light scarification overlays
8 210 scarification overlays
9 214 heavy scarification overlays
*ICRI Guideline No. 03732/Most Common
Profiles

6. WHY COATINGS FAIL
73%
16%
5% 4% 2%
Poor Surface Preparation /
Insufficient Bond Profile - 73%
Excessive Moisture /
Containment Transmission -
16%
Poor Installation Contractor
Error - 5%
Job Site Conditions - 4%
Unexplained or Untestable
Failures - 2%

7.  It isn’t hydrostatic pressure
 It isn’t water on the surface of concrete.
WHAT IT ISN’T

8. • Moisture Vapor Transmission (MVT) is the natural movement of
water in its gaseous state through pores of concrete.
• Differences in Relative Humidity (RH) and concrete permeability
affect the rate of Moisture Vapor Transmission.
WHAT IT IS

9.  Lack of a functioning subslab vapor barrier (greater than six-mil poly
and puncture resistant).
 Often concrete finishers use rebar to punch whole in the vapor retarder so
concrete will drain and can be finished faster.
 Use of high water to cement ratios in the concrete mix. Concrete
cures quickly but dries slowly.
 Sub-slab Soil moisture effected by High water tables, drainage,
irrigation, plumbing, trenching
 Moisture in blotter course placed in sand/rock by rain or for
compaction.
 Increasingly stringent VOC laws
WHAT CAUSES IT

10. INCREASING VOC REGULATIONS

11.  Highly Alkaline Moisture pools under non-breathable topcoats cause
bond failures.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF MVT?

12. MVT IN ACTION

13. How To Test For It
 Three ASTM Approved Tests
 Plastic Sheet Test (Qualitative)
 Calcium Chloride (Quantitative)
 RH Tester (moisture meter). (Quantitative)
HOW TO TEST FOR IT

14. HOW TO USE A WAGNER RH TEST

15.  When we talked to Donnelly the leading expert on MVT he listed three
things:
 As an industry professional it is your responsibility to inform and educate
customers on the possibility of MVT and its effects.
 Offer to test for MVT
 If you test do the test correctly!
WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY

16.  Epoxies?
 Proper Prep
 Permaflex
HOW TO FIX IT
Eliminate MVT With SANI-TRED
• NO CRACK BACKS!
• 590% Permanent Elongation
• 2600 PSI Tensile Strength

17. Described as a unit of dynamic of viscosity, centipoise is the amount of force
necessary to move a layer of liquid in relation to another liquid. Centipoise is
considered the standard unit of measurement for fluids of all types. It is one
hundredth of a poise. The symbol for centipoise is cP or cps, depending on
the source.
Though centipoise may seem a very technical and difficult to understand
term, understanding it is simple once you have a firm grasp of viscosity.
Viscosity is the measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. An easy way of
understanding it is to think of viscosity as fluid friction. Thinner liquids, such
as water, have lower viscosities, while thicker liquids like oil have higher
viscosities.
Liquid Approximate cps
Water 1 cps
Human Blood 10 cps
Olive Oil 80 cps
Motor Oil 40W 320 cps
Molasses 5,000 cps
WHAT IS CPS?