Know your concrete surface profiles before you work.
Knowledge is half of the concrete contractor’s battle. When working with concrete, its important to understand the concrete’s condition before you work on it. These CSPs (Concrete Surface Profiles) are visual measurements of the roughness or deterioration of concrete. They can be extremely helpful in deciding how to best install epoxy, polish concrete, and more.
Understanding how far gone your concrete is determines which sealer, or patch & repair, solution you need to apply. It also effects any system installation, such as epoxy or polished concrete, that you intend to apply onto the concrete.
How to Measure Concrete Surface Profiles
There are a few different ways to measure CSP. Whichever method you use, it should inform you how to handle your installation. Here’s a few examples of common methods:
Firstly, the most common method is observation. Using photo diagrams like the one above can be an easy, free way of inspecting the condition of your concrete. Because of the possible inaccuracies in this method, be careful about any further work on the concrete if you’re unsure about the condition.
Another method is using a profilometer, a device that uses sensors to measure the height of concrete surface irregularities. Similarly, you can use a laser scanner, creating a three-dimensional image of the concrete surface.
Patching & Repairing Worn Concrete
Once you have concrete surface profile measurements, you can use them to help you choose the best concrete treatment. For example, if the concrete surface is very rough, you may want to apply a patch & repair treatment.
Patch & repair is a fairly simple process. Even with its simplicity, it’s important to make sure you’re using high quality products for your repair. We recommend the Thixofix line of concrete repairing solution, or our own line of Fast Cure epoxy concrete repair depending on your needs.
You may also need to grind your worn concrete to level it. Accordingly, the Concrete Genie line is an incredibly versatile machine for all of your needs.
Learn to Work With Concrete
From understanding concrete surface profiles to patching and repairing concrete, there are a variety of skills every concrete contractor needs to know. Learning hands-on with professionals is the best way to get that experience. In our Polished Concrete University program, you can do exactly that! During our 5-day program, you’ll learn:
- How to inspect the condition of your concrete
- Grinding & polishing concrete
- How to patch & repair concrete of different levels of wear
Sign up and boost your business today!
Conclusion
Understanding concrete surface profiles can help you work with concrete as efficiently, and with as high quality results, as possible. If you take the time to measure concrete surface profiles and use the information wisely, you’ll be able to install epoxy, polish concrete, and more like a pro!
If you need help assessing the condition of your concrete, or getting patch & repair advice, call our specialists at (954) 228-8856. For any resource, material and tools needs, our EpoxyETC store carries it at competitive prices.