Concrete Surface Profiles
Concrete Surface Profiles
NOTE: ICRI CSP profiles should reference ICRI Technical Guideline No 310-2
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VALIDATING THE SURFACE PENETRATION
Coating to be applied:
• Sealers
(0-3 mils)
• Thin-film
(4-10 mils)
• High build
(10-40 mils)
• Self-Leveling
(50 mils-⅛ inch)
• Polymer overlay
(⅛-¼ inch)
Preparation methods:
• Detergent scrubbing
• Low-pressure water
• Acid etching
• Grinding
• Steel shotblasting*
• Scarifying
• Scabbing
• Flame blasting
• Milling/rotomilling
* Preferred method
Preparation method
required for resurfacing
materials
NOTE: ICRI CSP profiles should reference ICRI Technical Guideline No 310-2
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Notes
• In addition to having the surface clean, with all chemicals, oil, grease, curing compounds, or other
contaminants removed, the surface profile of the existing concrete needs to be suitable for the selected
overlay. Always consult with the manufacturer for the recommended surface profile.
• Mechanical profiling or acid etching are techniques used to prepare floors for overlays and restorations.
Mechanical profiling should always be the first method of choice for roughening the concrete; it is also the
safest method. Acid etching can provide adequate surface preparation for some coatings, sealers and
toppings, however, acids can be difficult to rinse completely and neutralize, require a well-ventilated area,
and they will not remove petroleum-based products or animal vegetable oils from the existing concrete.
• More aggressive surface preparation techniques (flame blasting, scarifying, scabbling and milling/
rotomilling) risk the introduction of micro-cracking. Additional surface preparation is required when micro-
cracking occurs.
• Repairs for cracking or spalling should be done in the surface preparation process, before the final
overlay.
• It is important to always honor control/construction expansion joints.
• Apply the coating to a mock-up or test area under the same conditions of ambient temperature and
surface moisture as the installation to verify the surface profile is adequately prepared.
Reference the following industry standards for preparation of concrete from the ASTM International (formerly known as
American Society for Testing and Materials-ASTM), NACE International (formerly National Association of Corrosion
Engineers), Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC), and the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI):
ASTM D4258, Standard Practice for Surface Cleaning Concrete for Coating
ASTM D4259, Standard Practice for Abrading Concrete
ASTM D4260, Standard Practice for Liquid and Gelled Acid Etching of Concrete
ASTM D4261, Standard Practice for Surface Cleaning Concrete Unit Masonry for Coating
ASTM D7682, Standard Test Method for Replication and Measurement of Concrete Surface Profiles Using Replica Putty
SSPC-SP13/NACE 6, Surface Preparation of Concrete
ICRI Standard 310.2 Selecting and Specifying Concrete Surface Preparation for Sealers, Coatings, Polymer Overlays,
and Concrete Repair with CSP Chips.
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