Polished Concrete an in Depth Design to Understanding the Process for Better Design and Implementation 1

Polished Concrete An In Depth Design to Understanding the Process for Better Design and Implementation 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Copyright Material

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Concrete Polishing Association of America 2012 ©

Friday, December 7, 12 ConcreteConcrete PolishingPolishing AssociationAssociation - IntroductionIntroduction

Friday, December 7, 12 Board of Directors Chemical Manufacturers

 Greg Schweitz L&M Chemical Company

 Scott Metzger Metzger / McGuire

 Joe Reardon Prosoco

Equipment Manufacturers

 Eric Gallup Substrate Technology

 Marcus Turek SASE Company

 Stephen Spengler Aztec Products

Friday, December 7, 12 Dye / Stain Manufacturers • Carl Cabot American Decorative Concrete

Abrasive Manufacturer • Jeff Tchakarov Diamond Tool Supply, Inc.

Architectural Representative • Walter Scarborough Hall / Building Information President-CSI Dallas Chapter

Friday, December 7, 12 Board of Directors- Contractor Members

• Roy Bowman Concrete Visions Inc. (Chairman) • Leonard Hartford Carolina Concrete Floor Polishing (Co-Chair) • Shawn Halverson Surfacing Solutions (Secretary) • Shawn Weaver Concrete Floor Systems (Treasurer) • Scott Truax Middle Georgia Concrete • John Jones Budget Maintenance • Mike Payne Mike Payne & Associates • Leonard Hartford Carolina Concrete Floor Polishing • John Wucinich Finial Finish • Tim Burgess Burgess Concrete

Friday, December 7, 12 Over 400 contractors throughout

• Alberta • Saudi Arabia • USA

• Trinidad • Russia • Ontario

• Virgin Islands • Portugal

• Colombia • Puerto Rico

• Singapore • Thailand

• Saskatchewan • Mexico

• British Columbia • Australia

Friday, December 7, 12 • Developing Industry Standards for Polished Concrete

• Defining Procedures and Standards for Contractors

• Defining Industry Terminology and Definitions

• Assisting General Contractors, Architects, and Owners in the selection of quality applicators

• Bringing Craftsmanship and Professionalism to the Industry through contractor training, evaluations, and accreditations

Friday, December 7, 12 BBenefitsenefits of PPolishedolished CConcreteoncrete

Friday, December 7, 12 Permanent Flooring Solution

Performance and appearance will retain greater consistency throughout the life of the surface because, unlike other finishes that rely on topical coatings (surface coated concrete), the concrete polishing process exposes and enhances the strength and durability inherent to the concrete. The result is a beautiful, durable, and efficient surface which eliminated the need for carpet, tile, or coatings that require expensive replacement, maintenance and harsh cleaning chemicals. Low Maintenance

Without superficial coatings, concrete polishing leaves you with a product that does not peel, chip or flake over time, making regular maintenance simple while saving time and money. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Energy Reduction

Polishing Concrete to a high gloss (Level 3-4) increases the efficiency of installed lighting due to extremely high DOI (distinction of image).

Polished Concrete has the advantage of being able to utilize the natural thermal mass of concrete, allowing for more efficient heating and cooling leading to a smaller carbon footprint.

Polished Concrete has the advantage of low maintenance, eliminating the cost of Energy to power cleaning equipment • Chemicals • Labor • Downtime • Periodic replacement / restoration 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Abrasion Resistant

Polishing Concrete has an increased abrasion resistance due to:

Refinement - the bonded abrasive polishing process refines the concrete surface on a microscopic level to minimize the peaks and valleys which decreases the chances of scratches, wear patterns, and trapping debris. This increases the abrasion resistance by approximately 6%.

Densifier - Silicate densifiers (lithium, potassium, sodium, magnesium) react with the calcium hydroxide within the concrete to create a crystalline structure known as calcium silicate hydrate. This chemical reaction increases the abrasion resistance of the wear surface by approximately 20%. Introduction of pozzolans, such as fly ash or fumed silica (amorphous / colloidal), also increase the density and abrasion resistance of concrete. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Life Cycle Cost

Polished Concrete often is less expensive than other flooring options. Long term value is realized in long term replacement / restoration, maintenance and energy savings.

Polished Concrete is not maintenance free as some have promoted. However, the routine maintenance is significantly lower and easier than other flooring options.

Maintenance generally requires routine cleaning (auto-scrubber with mild PC cleaning solution) and occasionally buffing with diamond impregnated maintenance pads. Associated costs with stripping, top scrubbing, refinishing, re-coating, and deep cleaning are eliminated.

Friday, December 7, 12 Life Cycle Cost

Factors that influence routine maintenance schedules and costs are:

• Amount and type of traffic • Amount and type of contaminant (soil) • Entrance matting • Maintenance procedures • Guard / Stain protectants

Friday, December 7, 12 Life Cycle Cost Vinyl Tile $375,000 $375,000 30 Year Cost $251,667 Coangs $128,333 $275,000 30 Year Cost $5,000 20 years 30 years 10 years 5 years Polished Concrete Less than $150,00 30 Year Cost

Polished Concrete Coatings VCT

Figures taken from American Terrazzo Associaon and Concrete Construcon MAgazine. Doe not include inial installaon. Includes re-installaon at 10 year intervals for VCT and 5 year intervals for coangs. Polished Concrete periodically maintained and refreshed for $0.50 /square foot or lower, annually. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Life Cycle Cost

Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete that has been properly installed is more durable and has a longer life cycle before restoration than any other floor covering available.

Various flooring materials will look great with first installed. As they begin to wear with service, the appearance slowly degrades even with frequent maintenance.

Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete does not go through this frequent cycle. Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete is permanent, long lasting, and durable. After a significant duration (often 10-15 years of service) a one to three step Hybrid Polishing Process is all that is required to restore the original appearance.

Friday, December 7, 12 Functionality

Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete:

• Allows for vapor transmission (dyes are MVE sensitive) • Concrete dusting is eliminated 100% • Increased impact resistance • Resist tire marks (forklift and vehicular traffic) • Refined surface that reduces vibration (less equipment repair) • Little or no down time during installation

Friday, December 7, 12 Sustainable Design

Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete:

• Has no VOCs • Eliminates the use of harsh cleaning processes-thereby eliminating other high VOC chemicals • Better indoor environmental air quality • Reduces heating and cooling loads • Reduces lighting requirements • Reduces disposal of refuse (carpet, vct, linoleum, etc in landfills)

• Overall reduces Environmental Footprint of building construction

Friday, December 7, 12 IntroductionIntroduction andand OverviewOverview

Friday, December 7, 12 POLISHED CONCRETE

The act of changing a concrete floor surface, with or without aggregate exposure, until the desired level of finished gloss is achieved by using one of the listed classifications;

Classifications of Polished Concrete Include: • Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete

• Burnished Polished Concrete

• Hybrid Polished Concrete

Friday, December 7, 12 POLISHED CONCRETE

Bonded abrasive polished concrete - The multi-step operation of mechanically grinding, honing, and polishing a concrete floor surface with bonded abrasives to cut a concrete floor surface and to refine each cut to the maximum potential to achieve a specified level of finished gloss as defined by the CPAA. This yields the most durable finish and requires the least maintenance.

Friday, December 7, 12 POLISHED CONCRETE

Burnished polished concrete - The multi-step operation of mechanical friction-rubbing a concrete floor surface with or without waxes or resins to achieve a specified level of finished gloss as defined by the CPAA. This operation yields a less durable finish and requires more maintenance than bonded abrasive polished concrete.

Friday, December 7, 12 POLISHED CONCRETE

Hybrid polished concrete - A multi-step operation, using either standard grinding / polishing equipment, lightweight equipment, high speed burnishing equipment, or a combination of, to combine the mechanical grinding, honing, and polishing process with the friction rubbing process by utilizing bonded abrasives, abrasive pads, or a combination of, to achieve the specified level of finished gloss as defined by the CPAA.

Friday, December 7, 12 POLISHED CONCRETE

Surface coated concrete - Surface coated concrete does not conform to the definition of polished concrete per the CPAA. It is the operation of applying a film forming coating to a concrete floor surface to achieve a specified level of finished gloss. Durability depends on the quality of the chemical coating used, the amount of traffic across the floor, and floor maintenance.

Friday, December 7, 12 Suggested Applicaons: Bonded Abrasive Architectural Hybrid Big Box- New Const. Burnished Ulitarian Surface Coated Small Areas

Gloss DOI DCOF Abrasion Proﬁle Life Cycle 0 25 50 75 100 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Equipment,Equipment, DiamondDiamond Tooling,Tooling, DensifiersDensifiers

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 1-4

Most designs are capable of producing Processed / Polished Concrete- with producon rate being the main diﬀerences.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 1-4

Most designs are capable of producing Processed / Polished Concrete- with producon rate being the main diﬀerences.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 1-4

From one extreme to another

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5 Diamond Tooling

40 grit diamonds under a 10X loop

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5

• Are the most significant tool in polishing concrete

• Require the craftsman to know how to use them in conjunction with the available equipment in order to unlock their full potential

• Come in many forms, shapes and sizes

• Are made out of various materials (bonding) and will vary in hardness

• Can be categorized as coarse, medium, or fine and for soft, medium, or hard concrete

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5

• Grit refers to the particle size of the abrasive that is imbedded into the bonding material.

• Grit particles are measured in Microns.

• Hard concrete will require a softer bonding.

• Soft concrete will require a harder bonding.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5

Coarse Abrasives

• Abrasive is bonded together in a metal bonding material

• Metal abrasives are made of a blend of micro-graded granulated metal oxides and/or powders

• Cobalt is the main ferrous material • Some copper may be used for the softer/medium bond diamonds, giving the copper-like “goldish” color • The harder diamonds are made from cobalt, brass and titanium

• Grit ranges from 6 grit (low) to 3000 grit (high)

• Depending on the concrete, a contractor typically will not need to go higher than 120 or 220 grit metal 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5

Fine Abrasives

• Abrasive is bonded together in a resin bonding material

• Resins abrasives are made of • poly-phenolic and ester-phenolic resin (resinoid) for wet & dry use • thermoplastic-phenolic resins for dry use only • resins vary in hardness and thermal properties compared to others of the same kind

• Just like metals, resins undergo different processes • i.e. 'old time' injection-molding, pre-sintering, cold and/or hot pressing

• Grit ranges from 50 grit (low) to 3000 grit (high)

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5

400 grit diamond matrix under a 10X power loop

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 5

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 6

• Diamond abrasives are designed to mechanically abrade the surface

• There are three levels of abrasion:

• Grinding • Includes abrasives up to 100 grit (metals or resins)

• Honing • Includes abrasives 100, 200, and 400 grit

• Polishing • Includes abrasive 800 grit and above

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 6

• All grits create peaks and valleys.

• As you move up in grits, these peaks and valleys just get smaller and finer.

• The higher the grit, the smaller the peaks and valleys are, and the easier they are to remove.

• When diamond abrasives are used properly, you will achieve a surface that, on a microscopic level, will reflect light in a perfectly organized manner

• This is where you obtain clarity of reflection and depth

• Any remaining abrasions, scratches or imperfections will cause the light to refract back in an obscured, unorganized manner

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 6

• Each grit is designed to not only replace the abrasion/scratch pattern of the previous grit, but to continue on and fully refine its own abrasion/scratch pattern.

• Consequently, skipping a grit will leave abrasion/scratch patterns that never get removed from the surface.

• More refined = more abrasion resistant

• The more refined a floor is, the more abrasion resistant the floor becomes

• The fewer valleys left on a microscopic level, the less peaks there are for an object to catch on and create a scratch

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19 Maximum Refinement

• The processes of polishing concrete is very technical in nature and requires real craftsmanship. • Refinement goes beyond replacing the scratch pattern from one grit to the next. Some contractors reduce refinement to the process of replacing the scratch pattern from one grit to the next. This is a misconception. Once the scratch pattern has been replaced from the previous grit, further refinement of the concrete should take place. • Contractors need to understand and be able to explain what maximum refinement of the surface means.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19 Maximum Refinement

• Just because two contractors have the same grit sequence specified the significant factor to take into consideration is that maximum refinement of each grit as it is performed. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19

Project Info: Family Dollar Florida

Contractor: Polished Soluon 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Project Info: Grocery Store Arkansas

Contractor: Concrete Visions, Inc 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19

Project Info: Ewing Irrigaon Texas

Contractor: First American Floor Co. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19

Project Info: Residenal Garage Texas

Contractor: First American Floor Co. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19 Recognizing Maximum Refinement

• If you are cutting wet you will notice the slurry becoming transparent. It will appear to be watery and not as thick. The machine at times will at times feel as if it is sliding across the surface.

• If you are cutting dry you will notice less concrete dust and the machine seems to glide over the surface.

• In both situations you will learn to feel when the diamonds are biting the surface.

• Note: Your results are largely dependent on the concrete surface you are given to work with even if you fully refine each step.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 19 Factors Eﬀecng Maximum Reﬁnement: • The RPM of the machine.

• The Weight of the machine.

• The Speed of the forward liner motion the machine is moving as dictated by the operator.

• The face/tread style of the abrasive.

• Hardness of diamond bonding.

• Planetary Movement – Active/Passive.

• Direction of planetary movement.

• The saturation of diamond grit in the bonding. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 How Densifiers Work

Most densifiers are composed of:

• Colloidal Silicate • Lithium Silicate • Potassium Silicate • Sodium Silicate • Magnesium Silicate or • Amorphous Silica • Colloidal Silica

Note* Silicate and Silicanate are similar yet yield diﬀerent results. Silicanate reacon takes longer and becomes hydrophobic when complete.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 How Densifiers Work

When cement hydrates, calcium hydroxide is produced. When concrete cures, the water reacts with cement to form calcium hydroxide and silica. The Calcium Hydroxide and the Silica react and forms calcium silicate hydrate (CSH.) Calcium silicate hydrate then bonds the cement with the aggregate and forms concrete.

The hydration process produces more calcium hydroxide than is used up in this chemical reaction, resulting in excess calcium hydroxide.

Densifiers introduce additional silicate carried by sodium, potassium or lithium that reacts with the excess calcium hydroxide and forms more CSH. The hard concrete does not react and the chemical reaction takes place in the capillaries left by water that migrated out of the concrete during the curing process. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Benefits of Densifiers

• Densifiers are a major component contributing to the significant durability of polished concrete. The denser the concrete, the better the concrete can be refined to achieve higher gloss, better clarity and more abrasion resistance.

• Densifiers are commonly overlooked by the contractor as a contributing factor to the end results. Too often they are watered down or skipped in an effort to safe time/money which leads to poor results and additional labor.

• On average, Bonded Abrasive Polished Concrete can increase the abrasion resistance of regular concrete substrates by 26%. 20% of this is contributed by the proper application of densifier (until rejection) with the remaining 6% being contributed to the proper mechanical refinement of the concrete surface. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Densifier

The applicaon of a densiﬁer will be dictated by the concrete. There are situaons that may require densiﬁcaon before grinding starts. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Densifiers

• Over time you will hear it is best to densify at any specific grit. Everyone has their own opinion. The fact of the matter is the concrete you are working with will determine when you densify.

• A very soft concrete may require you to densify before you even make the first cut.

• A good rule is to densify in-between your metal and resin grits.

• Remember that the denser the surface, the better result you will get. Also remember that your abrasives still need to be able to cut and refine the surface to its fullest potential.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Guard / Stain Protectors • Most are comprised of semi-impregnating chemistry derived from acrylics and/or latex.

• If applied correctly, will provide a small window of protection from surface stains and etching.

• If applied correctly, are not considered film-forming-but will increase the required routine maintenance.

• If applied incorrectly, they become film forming and create major maintenance headache.

• If applied incorrectly, they cover poor craftsmanship for a short period of time until the product is worn away.....then reveal the true craftsmanship of the contractor. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Guard / Stain Protectors

• Some are comprised of penetrating products such as:

• Silane • Siloxane • Silicanate

These don’t offer as much surface protection, but offer better stain protection due to the hydrophobic nature. These can also require less frequent re-application and routine maintenance.

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Testing / Quantifying

Gloss Abrasion • DOI (Clarity) ASTM D5767 • Revolutionary Cycles • Haze • Scale 1-100 • Specular Gloss ASTM D4039 • Scale 0-100 Slip Coefficient Profile • ANSI B101.1 • Profilagraph • ANSI B101.3 • Scale 0-50 • SCOF Scale .47 • DCOF Scale .35-.45

Friday, December 7, 12 Processing concrete to a polish is like sanding wood or buffing your fingernails. A course grit abrasive is used to start the process and progressive finer abrasives are used until the desired appearance is achieved. During this process, a densifier is applied that makes the concrete extremely dense. The process may be done wet or dry.

There are two types of abrasives – metal and resin.

A basic grit sequence would be:

METAL – 70 and 120 - then transition to - RESIN 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500

NOTE: Switching from a three segment to a six segment abrasive allows the concrete surface to be refined as quickly as possible to obtain the best clarity of reflecon. The more surface area a diamond abrasive has, the faster the surface of the concrete will be refined and the beer the end result will be. 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 HealthHealth andand SafetySafety ConcernsConcerns

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Health / Safety Concerns Indoor Air Quality

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Health / Safety Concerns Slurry Disposal

Friday, December 7, 12 UNIT 4 Objecves 12 Health / Safety Concerns

Friday, December 7, 12 LongLong TermTerm BenefitsBenefits ofof PolishedPolished ConcreteConcrete

Friday, December 7, 12 Esmated Service Cycle 30

Bonded PC Hybrid PC Burnished PC Surface Coated 1-

Friday, December 7, 12 Decorative

Friday, December 7, 12 Durable and Versatile

Friday, December 7, 12 Cost Effective

Friday, December 7, 12 SpecifyingSpecifying PolishedPolished ConcreteConcrete

Friday, December 7, 12 Suggested Applicaons: Bonded Abrasive Architectural Hybrid Big Box- New Const. Burnished Ulitarian Surface Coated Small Areas

Gloss DOI DCOF Abrasion Proﬁle Life Cycle 0 25 50 75 100 1-