Concrete resurfacing is made possible with the advent of calcium aluminate cement technology in self leveling concrete. It allows installation of concrete directly over ceramic, porcelain and quarry  tiles. This is great news for property owners and architects. Property owners like the fact that by installing a self leveling concrete directly over these surfaces saves them time and money and Architects love this because it allows them to claim LEED points for their projects.

 

Before: Ceramic tiles in a kitchen

After: Ceramic tiles covered with Param 5500

The following steps are recommended for concrete resurfacing ceramic, porcelain or quarry tiles.

1. The substrate shall be clean and free from dust, oil or any contaminants which may contribute to decrease in the bond strength. If the substrate fails to meet the minimum tensile bond strength of 75 psi, it is recommended that these substrates be mechanically removed until a sound and solid base is reached. Remove any loose particles and then vacuum.
2. The substrate temperature should be a minimum 45⁰F during application and air temperature maintained between 50-80⁰F. Adequate ventilation should be provided to ensure uniform drying.
3. The moisture content of the substrate should be RH 90% or less.
4. The Paramol Primer should be thinned with water at 1:1 ratio and Param 5500 powder is mixed to this solution to make loose slurry. This slurry is applied to the substrate with a soft bristled push broom as a primer. Avoid pudding of primer. This slurry primer must be completely dry before pouring the self leveling concrete. Drying time is 2 to 4 hours depending upon climate conditions.
5. The substrate is ready to accept self leveling concrete after the primer is completely dry. Please follow the link for instructions on installing self leveling concrete.
6. The surface of Param 5500 must always be protected from oil, salt, water and surface wear by applying a suitable sealing system. A very popular system is application of water based epoxy primer/sealer, Perdure E32 and then applying a coat of water based polyurethane, Perdure U46 (gloss) or Perdure U45 (matte).

Photo courtesy: Mike Hollohan, Custom Stone Manufacturing, Houma, LA

Please CLICK HERE to watch the installation process of the self-leveling concrete Param 5500. Please contact us to discuss your next concrete resurfacing project.