Welcome to SolvingConcreteProblem's web site. Because you are concerned with application of materials to concrete, I want to share something that can give you a huge competitive advantage.

Everyone wants to have confidence and belief in the products they use in their business, or spec on jobs. We all are concerned about maximum performance from what we end up putting our name on.

If you are also concerned with selling products in addition to applying them, you want your customer to get the very best result they can... because then you get referrals and repeat business.

Most all of us use the products we believe are the best. Many of us, myself included, have field tested innumerable choices. We try to assure ourselves that the claims being made are legitimate, and what we know about what we are staking our reputations on are as represented.

Every day, for many years, I have talked with people from all across the country who deal with concrete and coatings for all purposes. The one thing that they all have in common is this: They are all convinced that their particular choice is the best thing going.

I hope that you feel that way about what you use or spec. You should.

But here's the secret!

Coatings, overlays, epoxies, paints, even the new polyurea/urethane materials, or anything applied to any concrete substrate all have their performance determined to a significant degree by the condition of the substrate.

Everyone knows that coating performance is determined by these four factors:

• Condition and Preparation of substrate
• Application Techniques/Skill
• Quality of the product applied
• Conditions of use and environment

Consider for a minute what most people in the trades or sellers of products talk about and give the most attention. Be honest and evaluate how you present your products and services too.

Usually it goes something like this:

Most emphasis is placed on quality of product. The features and benefits are explained in detail. The goal is to convince the prospect/customer that this is the very best product for them.

Next, mention is made of preparing the surface -- cleaning, maybe shot blasting, or whatever means is required to get the surface ready for application of the quality product.

Thirdly, explanations of how the job will be accomplished are covered, including techniques, attention to detail etc.

When the customer wants to know how long it will last, references are made to product quality as well as some talk about the conditions of use.

In most cases, that is roughly how it goes. At least that is what I have seen for many years in all kinds of settings, everywhere in the country.

So What's the Problem with That?

The problem is that concrete is an active, living, changing, chemically active organism--not a piece of rock.

We all know that re-bar corrodes, that coatings have a hard time sticking for long on concrete, but we tend to go about our business as if we did not know that.

Somehow, maybe we hope because of the "high quality" of the product we are applying that the chemical processes INSIDE of concrete will somehow magically cease because WE did the job.

Or maybe we think that our product can overcome alkali activated reaction and saponification that occurs in the chemical and moisture environment deep inside that piece of concrete.

Maybe we think if we apply a material over concrete that the excess moisture that is trapped inside will miraculously not cause a problem?

The point is this. No matter how good the coating is. No matter what the adhesion test results are. No matter how durable the coating is. The condition of the substrate still significantly determines performance and long term lasting ability. NO PRODUCT is immune to the effects of what happens IN the substrate.

So Here's the Secret to Competitive Advantage

Concrete that is stabilized with Concrete Remedy's Internal Deep Seal is an exceedingly better substrate on which to apply any coating or covering. The reaction of alkali and moisture is STOPPED INSIDE the concrete. The surfaces pores are clean, similar to etching, but without the deleterious effects of using acids which dissolve lime and leave aggregates loosely bound.

In other words, stabilizing concrete as a standard preparation method provides a superior substrate for application of your product or system. I guarantee you that no matter what you put on concrete, it will perform exceedingly better on a stabilized substrate than it does on concrete that is only surface cleaned.

Please understand, all this is NOT a commentary on what products or processes you are using now. The focus should be on enhancing your material product or process performance by neutralizing the culprit.

Now You Can . . .

• Effectively remove one of the major factors which contribute to how successful your application turns out to be, by including this simple and easy step in your preparation.
• Eliminate the main underlying factor that works to lessen the effectiveness and performance of whatever you apply to the surface.
• Notice a substantial increase in the performance of your product, which is very good for your business and product's reputation.
• Increase the warranty or guarantee you now provide because your product or application will perform significantly better.

Take the time to E-mail or call me to find out how you can do away with the problems caused by the very nature of concrete.

I will share some specific examples of companies who have tested and proven the importance of this approach, and how it has improved the use and performance of their own products.

Best regards, and best wishes for your success

Mike

P.S. If you're not convinced of all this, or maybe think I am just trying to sell you something you don't need ... just do yourself a favor.

Pay close attention to what is said about products, and what you say about your products. Take special note of this: Very little attention is given to the root cause or source of coating or patch failure -- which is deep inside the concrete.

When you see spalled concrete, scaled concrete, or rusted, exposed re-bar in the structure of bridges and overpasses -- stop and consider this fact:

What you are seeing is not caused by coating failures...it is caused by the effects of moisture and alkali intrinsic to the nature of concrete.

The concrete is the source of the problem. If you eliminate the cause of the deterioration you are observing...THEN you will have a solid, stabilized substrate on which your product can achieve increased maximum performance.

What benefit is gained by "covering up" the source of the problem, and creating a situation that your product and your work is going to be continually assaulted by the decaying nature of concrete?

Seriously, act today. Pick up the phone and call 636-299-0601, or e-mail me today by clicking right here, right now! We can help you enhance your business, your work and your products' performance...which adds up to a better bottom line for you! More money in YOUR pocket, greater piece of mind and confidence in what you do.

Final Note: In many applications, Concrete Remedy is the only material needed to solve concrete problems. However, in many circumstances, there is a desire for a surface coating for many reasons. It depends on what the owner/customer needs or desires.

If a coating is specified, then Concrete Remedy Deep Seal should be used in the preparation phase to ensure that maximum performance is achieved. In most all cases, use of Concrete Remedy to stabilize the concrete removes the need to apply primers.

If you do restoration or decorative overlays using polymer assisted systems then investigating substrate stabilizing and improvement will definitely be to your advantage. By maximizing the substrate, you also will maximize the performance of the system you are using. The result will be even better results than you have been getting already and added peace of mind for the long term exceptional performance of your work.