At Stone Edge Surfaces we strive to keep our products user-friendly and at the top of their industry categories as we contend with worldwide chemical regulation changes as well as the occasional ingredient that experiences functional obsolescence when paired with more modern technologies. To keep pace with this ever changing ingredient landscape, we have 2 laboratories that work hand-in-hand with our technical team to constantly test and implement advancements in ingredient technology. We also rely on our technical team and our customers to keep us abreast of market trends, issues they see in the field, and new products or improved application techniques and procedures they use.
Using the above methodology, we were able to successfully launch our incredible commercial product lines in 2019 and 2020 and our new primerless Smooth Coat, CPR, and enhanced Pro Bond mixes. We also improved our Stamp mix and created what we believe is the absolute best Stamp mix on the market. With the launch of all our new and updated overlay mix technology, we also took a look at our Primer 100 and 110 products, which have been the backbone of many of our overlays for over 20+ years and a staple in the Stone Edge Surfaces product line.
Technology had changed so much in our product lines that Primer 110 suffered from functional obsolescence and no longer performed as it should with the newer ingredient technologies, so we pulled it off the market to reformulate it in late 2019. Primer 100 has remained unchanged for 20+ years and is well known worldwide for its adhesive capabilities…but even the best products need to be evaluated and updated to keep pace with technology.
We started with the evaluation of our application process that we’ve always used and teach in our classes. We then put the R&D team on researching and testing our existing Primer 100 against new technologies in the Primer industry. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least as we found that even though we’ve been using our Primer 100 the same way for the past 20 years, there are better application techniques that help our Primer work better with the new ingredient technologies in our overlays.
We’ve always taught our users to apply a thin layer of Primer 100 and let it dry. Then apply the wet concrete overlay mix over the dry Primer 100 and the Primer will re-emulsify (pull water out of the overlay to become liquid again) and combine with the overlay to create the chemical bond. We found that some of our users prefer to use the SSD (Saturated Surface-Dry) method, while others apply the Primer 100, let it dry, then spray a thin mist of water over the dried primer area to wet it while simultaneously applying the concrete overlay material over the now re-wetted primer.
We found that with all the recent ingredient technology updates we’ve made to our overlays, the natural obsolescence to the ingredient properties of our Primer, and using our old tried and true application methods, were potentially causing some spider cracking. Based on this, we took a look at the varied application methods and started testing new primers as well until we found the application technique and primer that works best with all of our new and existing overlays.
NEW RECOMMENDED APPLICATION METHOD: We found that if you cut our Primer 100 – 50/50 with water and apply it thinly, and while the Primer is still wet, apply the overlay mix…it actually works better with our current overlay mix technology. This recommendation is for our existing Primer 100 and our new and about to be released and improved Primer 100. Our new Primer 100 looks, feels, and applies the same as what you are already used to with our current Primer 100, it just has updated ingredient technology to keep pace with our new products. Also, cutting the primer 50/50 with water, still provides 100% adhesion to the substrate and the chances of Spider cracking is greatly reduced or eliminated.
There are even side benefits of utilizing the newly recommended Primer 100 cut 50/50 and applying the overlay while the primer is still wet application process. This process reduces the likelihood of outgassing of the underlying substrate. Outgassing is sometimes caused when thicker viscosity materials are applied to porous concrete and air is trapped or encapsulated in the pin holes and voids in the concrete and turn into little blisters/bubbles that come to the surface of the mix. You can usually stamp out the blisters and bubbles, but they can be exacerbated by over troweling as well. The new cut Primer 100 and apply while wet application process allows the moisture to fill the pin holes and void pockets in the substrate surface before applying the overlay mix, which reduces or eliminates the root cause of the outgassing.
The added moisture when cutting the Primer 50/50 also allows the overlay to dry more uniformly and slower, and reduces top down drying and shrinkage that is a major contributor to craze cracking.
I’ve been teaching my old method for over 20 years and was a little skeptical that application method could make as much difference as it does. But, as I worked in the field with the crews and tried these new methods myself, and saw the difference they make…I’m a believer and extremely excited to share our new recommended technique and our new Primer 100 with you.
Contact me directly if you have questions: Gregg@stoneedgesurfaces.com or call my office at 844-786-6333.
Sincerely
Gregg Hensley
Vice President, Technical and Training
Stone Edge Surfaces
