Joint Caulking
If you are installing an epoxy coating or polishing your concrete, you better make sure that joint caulking is included in you pricing. Even if you are not installing any flooring, joint caulking should be a high priority for your concrete floors.
Floor joints are magnets for:
- dirt
- debris
- liquids
Why do concrete floors have saw cuts and joints?
Saw cuts in your concrete serve 2 vital purposes:
- the expansion joints allow for concrete movement and
- the control joints help determine where your concrete will crack.
Concrete is always going to do three things: get hard, move and crack. Your concrete floor joints allow that to happen properly. By filling them and joint caulking correctly, you help protect the side walls of the joints from breaking and you close off areas that debris can get trapped. But what about if your concrete floor joints are already caulked? When joints are caulked, they need to be cleaned out.
Cleaning Caulked Joints
When cleaning caulked joints, you need to make sure that it is done properly. You need the sidewalls of the joint to be clean so the joint material can bond properly.
We recommend using a dustless saw.
Once the joints are cleaned, prefill them with sand or backer rod. There are varying opinions on which is better, that is a whole different discussion.
No matter what you chose you want to make sure that the depth of the joint caulking is 1 and a half time the width of the saw cut. The next thing you need is the right product.
Depth of Joint Caulking = 1.5 x width of cut
What Type of Product to Use for Joint Caulking?
You need a product that is rigid enough to protect the sidewalls of the joints but has enough elongation to move with the joints. That is why we only use poly urea joint compound; it offers the best of both worlds. If you need help with your facility floors call Liquid Floors, Inc. at 704-543-7565 or email us at info@liquidfloors.com.
Contact Us
Liquid Floors, Inc. offers epoxy coating installation, wet and dry polishing and will help you find the solution that is best for you and your industrial needs. Just give us a call at 704-543-7565 or email us at info@liquidfloors.com and we can set up a free consultation to go over price ranges and enhance your concrete surface and floors.