Topping for concrete - what is it?
A special reinforcing mixture, which is added to the upper layers of the concrete floor to enhance its resistance to abrasion and impact loads, is called topping for concrete. These compounds are different, depending on the type of room, or rather, the loads that will have to withstand the upper layer. The basis is cement, but fillers are different:
- quartz;
- corundum;
- metal.
Quartz fillers are used for medium activity, grade corundum additives will help the concrete to withstand high loads, while with metal fillers strengthen industrial floors, topping in this case must change the surface so that critical loads do not become fatal for it.
Concrete floors with topping - what advantages do we get?
The main task of topping is hardening of surface layer in relation to impacts and abrasion. With it, he handles remarkably, concrete really lasts longer and does not acquire cracks, chips and potholes with the slightest carelessness.
Further it is worth noting the wear resistance of concrete floors, both in the mechanical plan, and in the chemical .Vintage strength of the top layer is usually 5 times higher than the main coating, so it is inert to reactive substances and practically does not dust throughout the service life.
It is easy to guess that when adding toppings to floors, creates an insulating layer, and, like any surface layer, it can be given a certain structure, which also gives decorative functions.
The only thing that is undesirable in the operation of topping is strong aggressive acids and alkalis, or rather, their abundant spill in the room, then the components of the strengthening mixture can begin to react, and the destruction of the floor will go more actively than without additives.
In any other cases, topping only improves the performance of concrete, therefore this technique is actively used for industrial premises with large traffic capacity of people and large vehicles, for example, in warehouses, parking lots, in workshops.
Dedusting a concrete floor -
stacking technology Stacking technology has no special nuances and is intuitive. Concrete floors with topping should be a single whole, so you can guess that they need to be stacked simultaneously, while the concrete is not yet frozen. The general layer of topping should be about 1 cm, it is done in several approaches.
The first stage on the surface of the leveled concrete is poured 2/3 of the topping and the grouting is carried out. Do it from the edges of the room to the center. The dry mix is impregnated with moisture from cement completely, it is not desirable to wet it additionally. All that you poured out, should lie evenly.
As soon as you saw that the entire surface is saturated with moisture and has become approximately the same thickness, pour out the remaining dry mixture and also level it so that it is well impregnated with moisture from the concrete. All this must be done in time so that the water from the main cement layer does not evaporate, and it would be enough for the entire topping.
The last stage - smoothing. A special technique with trowelling knives will allow to compact the obtained top layer and make it practically without pores. After it is advised to cover it with curing and dry well, before covering it with a film so that the surface does not catch dust and dirt.