How do we avoid slab moisture problems? Inside any busy medical facility there is a myriad of different tasks taking place, yet all of them have one thing in common. They all are taking place on top of a floor covering material glued down to a concrete slab beneath it.
When it comes to a concrete roof, no one wants to be the person telling everyone the sky is falling. However, when it comes to many commercial roofing installations, contractors and installers become the cause for that kind of alarm by not using the correct (or any) moisture test method for the concrete that forms […]
When looking at an architect’s specifications for moisture testing in concrete, it’s most likely that one of two moisture criteria will be indicated – calcium chloride testing (MVER) or relative humidity (RH) testing. If a contractor is familiar with one and not the other, isn’t it a reasonable question to ask if the results of […]
“Moisture Meters” vs. Relative Humidity Probes As a concrete slab dries, there is a gradual and diffuse process that must take place before it is ready for a flooring or coating application. When concrete is freshly poured, liquid water must evaporate from the surface. As that liquid evaporates, more liquid moves up through the slab […]
Power trowels offer a great option for smoothing large concrete slabs and getting the slab to a hard, level finish. But timing is key, and trying to rush the concrete power trowel process can actually slow the project and add cost by limiting the porous nature of the slab that allows the concrete moisture to […]
How Concrete Relative Humidity Readings Can Save Your Business Money Most major floor covering and adhesive manufacturers in North America and Europe provide concrete relative humidity (RH) specifications in their installation guidelines. Meeting those specifications by accurately measuring the RH of your floor slab is key to avoiding costly warranty or flooring failure expenses. But surface […]
5 Possible Pitfalls of a Repair Job Your business reputation is the foundation of your success. While repair work for any building situation can be costly in terms of time and money, the need to go back and repair any segment of the project can also undermine your reputation. There are hidden potential pitfalls in […]
Concrete moisture is a potential project-killer to installers who do not allow sufficient time for freshly-poured slabs to dry. Contractors have deployed various means of measuring concrete moisture content (MC) since the 1940s. However, relative humidity (RH) assessment has challenged the traditional anhydrous calcium chloride (CaCl) test in the 21st century. The Wagner Meters Rapid RH® system allows […]
When Moisture Means Concrete Floor Covering Can’t Stay Connected There is no more insidious problem in the flooring industry than recurring moisture problems in flooring installed over an improperly dried concrete slab. High moisture levels in the concrete can interfere with the performance of all adhesive-dependent finished flooring products. In recent years, changes to adhesives […]
Best Practices for Monitoring Concrete Moisture Conditions On any building project, communication with the various subcontractors is key. When it comes to installing floor coverings over concrete, the contractor and the flooring installer don’t always have the same understanding of the drying requirements that must be in place in order to apply flooring over a […]
