Liquid Membrane Curing Compounds

T
he objective in curing concrete is relatively simple. . .to retain as much of the water inherent in the concrete mass as possible. The greater the amount of water retained, the greater the ultimate strength of the concrete. There are any number of methods commonly used to retain water. A good curing system must be able to provide, in a single application, the maximum degree of water retention in as economical and as foolproof a method as possible. No product or system has ever been developed that is capable of doing a better concrete curing job than water ponding. This method of keeping concrete continuously under water assures maximum water retention and the technique is unexcelled in its ability to cure concrete properly. Regrettably, the water ponding method does not possess the required prerequisites of simplicity and low cost of application. The water ponding method requires the contractor to watch the progress of the curing continuously. Most authorities agree that the most feasible and economical means of curing concrete properly is the spray application of a liquid membrane curing compound. These materials are sprayed onto the finished concrete as soon as the final troweling has been completed. A suitable liquid membrane curing compound is capable of maintaining a minimum of 95 percent of the original moisture content in a concrete mix. It is also economical and easy to apply. The liquid membrane method of concrete curing inhibits the loss of mix water by forming a protective membrane on the surface of the slab as soon as it is applied. This membrane is seldom more than 2/1000th of an inch thick and it is capable of maintaining a minimum of 95 percent of the mix water present in the concrete mass at the time of application. The curing compound is effective up to 28 days and will then gradually dissipate without leaving a stain or discoloring the concrete surface. Other curing methods such as polyethylene film, reinforced paper, and burlap coverings are also effective but all of the mat-type curing media require labor for initial covering, weighting and subsequent removal. Wet-covering curing systems require almost constant labor and inspection to ensure that they are continuously wetted. If allowed to dry even temporarily, wet-covering curing systems will not only permit evaporation of mix water but they will accelerate water loss by capillary action. There are, primarily, two basic types of non-pigmented liquid membrane concrete curing compounds: wax-resin and all-resin types. The wax-resin type is suitable for use on concrete that will not subsequently be painted, tiled or treated in any manner. The wax contained in the material remains on the concrete surface and hampers the adhesion of future paint or mastic. The all-resin type is ideally suited for the curing of those areas where there will be a subsequent treatment applied to the concrete, since it leaves no adverse residue on the concrete surface. In fact, the residual film of the all-resin type is harder than the wax-resin and provides more resistance to abrasion. It also prepares the concrete surface for future treatment. Both types are void of pigmentation and are available with a dissipating fugitive dye to aid in easy application. A white pigmented curing compound will reflect more ultraviolet rays than a non-pigmented curing compound. A white pigmentation in the curing compound will also keep the temperature of the concrete slab low because more of the heat waves are reflected. This is particularly important during the initial curing, which is the critical period when the strength of the concrete is not sufficient to resist thermal stresses produced by extreme temperatures. White-pigmented curing compounds are used on highways, airport runways and aprons, and they are ideally suited for areas where concrete is subject to sunlight and where no further treatment of the concrete is anticipated. Although the white-pigmented, wax-resin and all-resin types constitute the great majority of all concrete curing compounds and fulfill over 90 percent of the curing requirements, there are other materials that partially fit into this category. These are more expensive materials, capable of doing a similar curing job but which offer other advantages. In recent years, chlorinated rubber has become a popular curing medium through its ability to maintain a high degree of moisture content and the resultant hardening to the concrete mass. Sodium silicate-based materials are chemical

curing and hardening compounds which offer advantages through reaction with the free lime in the concrete mass. While there is a definite difference in the chemical makeup of each of these types of materials, each offers a similar end result in the hardening and sealing of the concrete surface. For economy curing where it is anticipated that an asphaltic tile or resilient tile using an asphalt-based mastic will subsequently be applied, a black asphalt curing compound may fulfill the job requirement. In this instance the curing compound may also function as a primer for the subsequent application of the asphalt mastic. Some liquid membrane curing compounds also incorporate hard-

ening and sealing agents. These perform important functions but it is most important to realize that liquid membrane-forming curing compounds are designed specifically for one purposethe retention of the initial mix water. Other advantages, such as hardening and sealing, are desirable but should not be misconstrued as the major reason for incorporation in the specification requirements. The importance of curing concrete properly cannot be over-emphasized . . . in fact, many believe that proper curing of the concrete is the most important single factor in achieving high strength, durability, watertightness and surface hardness.

Publication #C660473
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