OREANDA-NEWS. High summer temperatures can cause cracks during the drying stage of industrial flooring concrete. MasterKure 111WB from BASF prevents this and takes effect a step earlier than conventional curing compounds.

Summertime construction can be treacherous: With regard to concrete floors, this is particularly true for the phase between pouring and subsequent surface smoothing, known as floating or power troweling. Even at environmental temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius, 50% relative humidity and wind velocities of 20 kilometers per hour, fresh concrete loses about 0.6 kilogram water per square meter and hour during that stage. This can lead to drying cracks, known as early-age shrinkage cracks. Further consequences may include additional costs for repairs or even customer complaints.

MasterKure 111WB from BASF can prevent all this: A highly effective, non-solvent-based, sprayable evaporation inhibitor, the product is used during the intermediate curing stage of industrial flooring concrete. This means that it takes effect a step earlier than conventional curing compounds - usually, these can only be applied onto the matt-dry concrete surface some five hours after placing.

The principle is simple: MasterKure 111WB prevents the water film, created when the concrete has initially settled after placement, from evaporating. Experts call this the "bleeding" of the concrete. MasterKure 111WB forms a barrier of active-component molecules which strongly inhibits the evaporation of the water film. This is particularly relevant with regard to modern concretes and their lower water-cement ratios and finer cements. The use of MasterKure 111WB results in an about 80% reduction of water evaporation during the first four hours compared to untreated concrete, largely preventing the occurrence of early-age shrinkage cracks.

The extremely thin layer of MasterKure 111WB on the surface also has another benefit as it works extremely well as a troweling aid: When the concrete is treated with the power trowel later on, MasterKure 111WB acts like a lubricant, thereby facilitating the entire troweling process. Thus, the product is not only an outstanding evaporation inhibitor but also an effective troweling aid. In this way, MasterKure 111WB optimally supports the typical finishing process of concrete floors.