Tag Archives: concrete repair

Stamped Concrete Crack Repair with MatchCrete™ Clear.

Repair Cracks and Spalls in stamped concrete with MatchCrete™ Clear.
You can use MatchCrete™ Clear Concrete Repair Polyurethane to repair intregal color or stamped concrete.
MatchCrete Clear stamped concrete crack repair.
Remove dirt, loose concrete, repair materials or failed caulk.
Prepare crack for MatchCrete Clear application
Use a diamond blade to slightly cut open the crack and clean out loose concrete and debris.
Stamped concrete repair with Roadware MatchCrete Clear.
Use tape to mask off the crack.
Materials need to repair stamped concrete with MatchCrete Clear.
Gather materials needed to make the repair. From left to right we have some brown concrete pigment, silica sand (43-30 grit), black unsanded tile grout for color, and a mixing cup.
Materials need to repair a crack in stamped concrete with MatchCrete Clear.
Dispence the MatchCrete™ Clear into a cup.
Adding silica sand to Roadware MatchCrete Clear for repairing stamped concrete.
Add a littlt silica sand to give the MatchCrete™ Clear some base color.
To create your color, add a small amount of powdered concrete pigment and blend with a mixing stick.
Mixing pigment into MatchCrete Clear.
Concrete pigments are strong. It just takes a small amount to color the product.
Here we are adding some black un-sanded tile grout to the mix to make a closely matching color to the stamped concrete. You can use many types of sand and dry pigments to create the desired color and texture.
Blending color into MatcCrete Clear.
Blend well by hand for about 30 seconds. You will have about 10 – 15 minutes of working time before the product starts to gel. Work in small batches.
Pour MatchCrete Clear into the crack.
Pour the blended MatchCrete™ Clear into the crack. The material will start to gel and can be troweled into place before setting.
Reapiring Stamped concrete with MatchCrete Clear.
Allow to set for about 30 minutes and pull the tape.
MatchCrete Clear Stamped concrete repair.
The repair can will be ready for traffic in about an hour. Roadware MtchCrete™ Clear repairs are tough and will not crack apart like cement based materials. The repair is UV color stable and will not become brittle like epoxy. Please click here for a MatchCrete™ Clear data sheet.

Cracked floor in data center repaired with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™.

When permanent repairs are needed for a data center that will operate 24/7/365, the contractor turns to Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™. Concrete Mender’s Microdowling™ action penetrates deep into concrete cracks and can re-bond slabs back together to form a structural repair. The repairs can be polished flush in about 15 minutes leaving a smooth high performing surface.
Cracked concrete in a space to be converted to a data center in Omaha, Nebraska.
The cracked topping span at this data center needs to be repaired so a dust free environment can be maintained.
Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ is used to repair the cracks and spalls prior to concrete polishing.

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™is mixed with sand and applied with a margin trowel.  Unlike polyureas, Concrete Mender™ will not gum-up and will remain trowel-able for several minutes before setting.

Concrete crack repairs with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ can be most any length, width or depth.

After about 10 minutes, repairs can be polished smooth using standard concrete polishing equipment. Concrete Mender™ will not smear into the surrounding surface under  the heat if the diamond polishing.

The polished floor is now smooth, dust free and ready for the data center.

 

The polished floor is now smooth, dust free and ready for the data center.

 

World of Concrete 2014 is next week.

The World of Concrete in Las Vegas is next week! Come see us in booth S11249.
I’m adding lots of new video to the booth this year.
Here is the Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ Top 5!

 

Matching repairs to exterior concrete with a broom finish.

Use Roadware MatchCrete™ Clear, quartz sand, and portland cement to repair cracks in exterior concrete sidewalks and decks with a broom finish. MatchCrete™ Clear is a non-yellowing polyurethane bland that sets fast, bonds very well and can accommodate exterior conditions.

Click here to see the video:

New videos showing MatchCrete™ Clear.

Last week I posed two new videos on the Roadware YouTube Channel showing Roadware MatchCrete™ Clear in action repairing cracks in an exposed aggregate concrete sidewalk and patio. I also posed a video on how to repair a hairline crack in a driveway or sidewalk.How to repair a crack in an exposed aggregate concrete patio using Roadware MatchCrete™ Clear in a 600ml cartridge.

How to repair an exposed aggregate concrete sidewalk using Roadware MatchCrete™ Clear in the 50 ml cartridge.

How to repair a hairline crack in a driveway, sidewalk, patio, or pool deck with Roadware MatchCrete™ Clear.

 

All about Roadware Flexible Cement II™.

Roadware Flexible Cement II™ Explained

Roadware Flexible Cement II™ is semi-ridged polyurethane for creating flexible bonds between concrete surfaces and other materials.  This versatile material may also be used to protect contraction joints from traffic deterioration.

 

  • What is Flexible Cement II? Proprietary Polyurethane Blend
  • Formulation: Classified
  • Manufacturing: South Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
  • Origin: Designed for creating flexible bonds between concrete surfaces and dis-similur materials.
  • Function: To flow into concrete cracks and joints. Filling the void with a semi-flexible polyurethane the will accommodate heavy traffic.
  • Military Use: Classified
  • Civilian Use: Fill cracks, joints and spalls in commercial, industrial and civil applications.
  • Service Life: Indefinite
  • Cure Time: 10 Minutes at 70°F (21°C)
  • Distribution: Worldwide Distributor Network

 

Exterior Repairs
Use Flexible Cement II™to repair cracks and protect control joints in parking structures, bridge decks, loading docks, and many types of structural concrete.
Control Joints
Use on industrial floors to protect saw-cut control joints from wheel traffic damage.
Cove joints
Use Flexible Cement II™ to seal cove joints where the floor meets a structural wall.
Electrical Podding
Seal electrical loops and embedded lighting systems.
Thresholds
Repair concrete thresholds with high thermal differentials.
Moisture
Flexible Cement II™ is tolerant of surface moisture when applied. Concrete should be as dry as practical to insure a good bond.
Concrete Bonding
Flexible Cement II™ is an excellent flexible adhesive for bonding metal, wood, and synthetic materials to concrete. Use to bond moldings and tack strips to concrete floors.
Bond asphalt to concrete.
Bond wood to concrete.
Bond metal to concrete.
Bond carpet nail strips to concrete.
Bond carpet molding to concrete.
High Traffic
Repairs are tough and can handle heavy industrial traffic.

 

Use Flexible Cement II™ to protect joints and cracks in concrete bridge decks and pavement where heavy traffic is anticipated.  This polyurethane is about as hard as a roller blade wheel and will prevent debris from filling cracks and causing further deterioration of the concrete.

 

Flexible Cement II™ is recommended for low movement crack repair. This tough material will hold up to forklift and industrial traffic while allowing for some movement.  For high movement areas and expansion joints, we recommend a softer caulk type material.

 

Roadware Flexible Cement II used to repair a parking lot.
Flexible Cement II™ repairs are ready for traffic in just 10 minute at 75 degrees F (24C).
Bulk mixing Flexible Cement II™:
Detroit Airport tram repairs
The passenger tram at this airport gilds on pillows of air. Flexible Cement II is used to prevent the expansion joints from damaging the air pillows.
One of the 12 air pillows that support each car. Flexible Cement II™ prevents metal expansion joints from lifting up and cutting the air pillow as the car passes.
Flexible Cement II™ is used to protect the interface between the metal expansion joint and the concrete. This allows for a smooth surface for the air lift cars to glide over.

 

Use Flexible Cement II™ to repair sawn contraction joints and cracks
Packaging:
Roadware Flexible Cement II™ 91050 10-Gallon Kit
91020 2-Gallon Kit (not shown)
Roadware Flexible Cement II™ 91105 50-ml Kit

 

Roadware Flexible Cement II™ 91300 600-ml Kit

All about Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender

Download your One Page Pitch and follow along.

At Roadware, we encounter many two-component polymer concrete repair products that claim to be similar to Concrete Mender™. One product even refers to itself as “Quick Mender.” However, these products are primarily polyurea-based and are often too thick to effectively penetrate concrete surfaces. Additionally, they are highly reactive, becoming sticky and gooey just one or two minutes after mixing, making them difficult to trowel. When you examine the details, you will notice a significant difference between these alternatives and the genuine Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™.

  • What is Concrete Mender? Proprietary Polyurethane Blend
  • Formulation: Classified
  • Manufacturing: South Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
  • Origin: NATO program for rapid bomb damage repair on runways.
  • Function: To penetrate deep into concrete cracks, joints, and spalls, creating a structural repair in 10 minutes.
  • Military Use: Classified
  • Civilian Use: Repair cracks, joints, and spalls in commercial, industrial, and civil applications.
  • Service Life: Indefinite
  • Cure Time: 10 Minutes at 70°F (21°C)
  • Distribution: Worldwide Distributor Network

Surface Tension:

Surface tension measures a liquid’s ability to overcome its internal friction and penetrate materials such as concrete. Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ has a surface tension that is one-third that of water, allowing it to enter concrete cracks and fissures more quickly and deeply than water. This low surface tension enables Concrete Mender™ to infiltrate standard bond lines and promotes structural bonding with the concrete’s aggregate. For more details, please refer to the electron microscope slide below.

 
 

Low surface tension offers another hidden benefit: it enables Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ to be mixed with more than two parts sand while still remaining workable and easy to trowel. In contrast, if you try that with a polyurea, you’ll end up with a gooey mess.

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender can be bucket mixed and applied like or mortar.
 
Roadware Microdoweling™ Technology:
 
The slab-to-slab micro-doweling action provided by Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender effectively links concrete slabs together, securing them in place while allowing for full traffic and dynamic load transfer within just 10 minutes. This micro-doweling action is more compatible with concrete and less reactive in harsh environments compared to poly-coated rebar. Millions of micro-dowels penetrate the slabs, bridging and bonding broken and jointed surfaces side by side. This remarkable technology is suitable for addressing hairline cracks, wide trench cracks, irregular cracks, cured control joints, and variable depth spalls.
 
Scanning electron microscope image of the interface between Concrete Mender™ and concrete.
 
In just 10 minutes at 70°F (21°C), this micro-doweled bond achieves compressive and shear strengths equivalent to those of poured and fully cured concrete. As a result, bond-line failures are now a thing of the past. Furthermore, parallel re-cracking, which is often seen when epoxies cure, is eliminated thanks to Roadware’s micro-doweling technology.
 

Structural Polyurethane

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ is a polyurethane-based material designed to restore the structural integrity and aggregate interlock of distressed concrete. Its low surface tension and low viscosity allow it to penetrate concrete surfaces effectively. The product utilizes cross-linking polymer chains to bond directly to the concrete-aggregate matrix. This bonding action harnesses capillary forces to self-inject polymer chains into the surrounding concrete.

The material is engineered to have a modulus of elasticity that is lower than that of the surrounding concrete, ensuring it does not become brittle over time. Additionally, it can be mixed with manufactured sand to create a polymer concrete that is compatible with Portland Cement Concrete (PCC), enabling effective structural repairs for concrete cracks and spalls.

Advantages– One of the key benefits of this material is its very low surface tension and viscosity, which allows for effective saturation bonding of cracks without significant effort. This characteristic enables the repair process to be straightforward, requiring only minimal preparation, such as removing loose debris from the area before application.

Once applied, if the material is allowed to flow freely to the full depth of the crack, the repair can be classified as structural. To enhance the durability of the repair and prevent issues such as water pooling underneath the slab, it may be advantageous to incorporate manufactured sand or quartz into the mixture. This addition helps to optimize material usage and improve overall stability.

For cracks measuring greater than 0.125 inches in depth, it is recommended to mix the polyurethane with sand at a ratio of two parts sand to one part polyurethane. This not only extends the volume of the repair material but also significantly increases its strength. The inclusion of sand provides the added benefit of aligning the thermal coefficient of expansion of the repair material more closely with that of the surrounding concrete, thereby minimizing the risk of future cracking due to temperature fluctuations.

Another notable advantage of these polyurethanes is their versatility in application temperatures. They can be effectively applied in a wide range of substrate temperatures, making them particularly useful for repairs in freezing conditions and cold storage environments. These materials can even be applied in extremely low temperatures, as low as -20°F (-23°C), ensuring that repairs can be conducted year-round, regardless of weather conditions.

Finally, one of the practical benefits of this repair material is its quick curing time. Typically, repairs will be fully ready to accommodate traffic in approximately 10 minutes when applied at a temperature of 72°F (22°C). This rapid turnaround time minimizes downtime and allows for efficient maintenance of surfaces in both commercial and industrial settings.

 

Toughness:

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ mixed with sand gets about as hard as concrete, yet it’s modulus of elasticity is slightly less than concrete so it will move with the slab, not work against it.

 
 
Common uses for 10 Minute Concrete Mender™
 
Spalled control joints and cracks.
 
 
 
Spalls and holes.
 
 
Delamination Repair
Uneven slabs and thresholds.
 
 
Crack Injection using gravity:
 
Typical crack injection repair techniques involve epoxy, ports, pumps, and pressure to force thick epoxies into a crack.  Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ with its low surface tension can do same job in less time, less mess, and better performance.
 
 
 

Easy Floor Crack Injection using cartridges:

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender can be injected into a wide range cracks and delaminations using a simple cartridge and special Soft-tip injection mixers.  Successful full-depth repairs have been made in 24″ of concrete.

Concrete Mender crack injection into 24 inches of concrete.
Slowly injecting Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender into 24″ of concrete using 600ml cartridge and soft-tip injection mixers.

Diagram showing Concrete Mender Soft-tip mixer injection into a concrete slab.

The core sample shows full depth repair down 24 inches.
The core sample shows full depth repair down 24 inches.
Hairline cracks repaired using Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender and Easy Injection application.

Vertical Crack injection

For fast and easy vertical crack injection on walls and structures, we recommend the Gebbie Tech System 

THE GEBBIE TECH SYSTEM TRANSFORMS VERTICAL CONCRETE WALL REPAIR

  • Comprehensive testing by Opus International Consultants – repairs have consistently achieved results higher than the manufactured panel.
  • Full training in the system – a step by step training video and instructional booklet is included within each kit.
  • Save time and money! Conventional repair methods with epoxy have longer repair times, additional downtime and are more expensive.
  • Use a hand gun – no need for expensive pumps! The Gebbie Tech System uses the cost effective Roadware 10-Minute Concrete Mender™ hand gun to repair walls.
  • Complete penetration. Due to the composition of the Roadware 10-Minute Concrete Mender™ the resin travels easily from the injection point.
  • The approved vertical wall repair system. The Gebbie Tech System is listed in Roadware’s 10 Minute Mender Concrete Data Sheet as the approved method of vertical concrete wall repair.
  • Repairs cracks from a hairline through to quarter inch. Walls are repaired within 2 – 12 hours depending on the temperature, and the length of the cracks.

Polishable:

Polishing your floor to a mirror like finish? Repairs made with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ will not smear into the surrounding surface or gum-up diamond polishing pads.  You can even add natural sand to match the grain and color of the surrounding concrete.

 
Polished concrete repair with Concrete Mender™ Off-white.
 
The repair pictured above shows  Roadware Concrete Mender™ Off-white blended with plain concrete sand and a small amount of portland cement. This water-thin polyurethane is almost translucent. When we add nearly any type of dry sand or aggregate, we get a fast-curing polishable repair that blends beautifully with the surrounding concrete. Since this material is almost translucent, it resists shadowing effects due to over-banding when applied.
 
 
 

Lower Cost:

By adding two parts silica or quartz sand to a gallon of Concrete Mender™ you will yield about 2.2 gallons of repair material.

 

A gallon of polyurea or epoxy will yield a gallon of repair material.  That makes polyurea more expensive to use even at half the material cost! This does not even factor in the hidden costs of short repair life, damage to the surrounding concrete caused by pre-mature failure, or the cost of redoing the repairs when they fail.

4030 Grit manufactured quartz sand is the standard sand used with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender.
4030 Grit manufactured quartz sand is the standard sand used with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender.

Packaging:

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ hand packed with state-of-the-art packaging materials.  They have to be good. The very low viscosity and surface tension require it.

 
Bulk Application:
 
Due to the the extended working time formula, bulk mixing of Concrete Mender™ is easy.  Unlike polyureas that start to gel up instantly, Concrete Mender will remain workable and flowable for several minutes before curing begins.  Much less wasted product setting up in buckets.
 
Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender can be easily mixed in a bucket with sand or used neat. No pumps of special equipment needed.
 
 
Pin-point Application:
 
With a Roadware needle tip mixer, you can apply Concrete Mender™ within-point accuracy delivering product to where it is needed most. Our needles come as small as 1.2mm in diameter.  If you can get a finger nail in the crack, we can get some Concrete Mender in there as well.
 
 
Use Roadware needle tip injection to repair hairline cracks in concrete floors.
 
 
 
 

Freezers:

Working in the cold?  We’re from Minnesota. We know first hand what it takes to work in freezing temperatures. Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ can be applied at temperatures below -30 F ( -34C).  That is really cold.  Exposed flesh will freeze in seconds.  That is almost too cold to go ice fishing. Most repair products would freeze solid before curing and quickly fail.  Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ generates its own heat. Curing will take several hours, but you will still get the same great performance.

Colors:
 
Roadware Concrete Mender™ comes in two standard colors.  Concrete Grey and natural off-white. Since a typical repair is made up of two parts sand to one part liquid, the color of the sand will determine the color of the finished repair.  By adding colored quartz sand to off-white Concrete Mender, you can make custom colors as needed.
 
Use Concrete Mender Off-white to make your own colored repair by adding different colored sand at the time of application.
Use Concrete Mender Off-white to make your own colored repair by adding different colored sand at the time of application.
 
 
Specialty Applications:
 
We also custom make Concrete Mender in Safety Yellow, Red, Blue, and Black.  Use Concrete Mender Yellow to create permanent safety lines and marks in difficult areas like cooler and freezer floors.
 
 
 
Safety:
 
Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ is completely self-reacting and does not out-gas solvents or VOC’s when curing.  This material meets FSIS guidelines for work is federally inspected meat and poultry plants.
 

History:

For over twenty years, Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ has performed without fail in thousands of applications. Many times outliving the facility itself.

Supervalue warehouse cold storage floor
repairs with Concrete Mender™.
Concrete Mender repair in a cold storage warehouse after 15 years of heavy forklift traffic.

Utilizing technology developed to repair bomb damaged runways for NATO, Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ was reformulated and brought to commercial markets in the early 1990’s.  You can find us in nearly every industry that has concrete floors, decks, slabs or surfaces.

Links:
Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™

Availability:

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender is made in the USA and is available from Roadware authorized distributors and dealers worldwide. Call 1-800-522-7623 or 1-651-457-6122 to find a dealer near you.

Specifications:

Concrete Mender™ Data Sheet

Extreme Concrete Repair and Polish

How do polish a floor when your concrete is like this?

Deep cracks and surface spalling can make polishing jobs costly and difficult.  A lot of the top surface has to be removed to get to a smooth finish.

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ is a great choice for filling out all the cracks, spalls and holes before polishing.

This floor was repaired by troweling down a thin layer of Concrete Mender and sand, then ground smooth. A liquid hardener completed the restoration and the floor was polished.

 

The floor shows zero failure shown here 3 years later in 2007.  The floor continues to perform today.