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Densifier Interview

Two pros share their views on using densifiers

I asked seasoned polished concrete pros Chris Swanson of Colour, Sacramento, Calif., and Robert Chaney of Antex Western Ltd., British Colombia, their opinions on using densifiers. Both men have been in the business for many years and are located in different geographical regions. Some of their work is pictured here.

During your polishing career, have you always used the same type of densifiers or have you changed and, if so, why?

Chaney: No. I've tried almost all of them, but I'm sure there are a few that I haven't tried. When installed properly with care, any of the sodium or lithium silicate densifiers on the market will do the job; however, we need to make money too. The newer hybrid and nano-particulate technology has helped to save money on labor. How the new densifiers are applied and the coverage varies. I just did 30,000-square-foot floor at a university using a nano-particulate densifier, and though it locked the color in and saved me thousands on labor and material, the apparent added durability that the 20-minute method gives me has me reconsidering or at least doing further testing. There is much debate among myself and a couple of my installers on what gives us the best floor. Is it really saving us money on labor if we have to come back in a year because the sheen is gone in the heavily walked areas? The proof is in the longevity. I know maintenance is also a factor, but the objective is ultimately durability.

Chaney: At Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., 222,000 square feet of classrooms and offices. At 200 grit, we applied densifier with a 17-inch swing machine using a nylo-grit brush and push brooms. After about 20 minutes, we sprinkled water and agitated some more. Then we vacuumed up the residue and water after another 15 minutes, immediately double mopping behind the freshly vacuumed surface. Fresh water, a good vacuum, foam squeegees, and a guy who knows how to mop corners and edges are absolutely crucial. The ambient temperature and slab temperature play a role in how long I keep densifier on the floor too. If it's 32 degrees Celsius in the day (90 F), we sometimes black-paper the windows and, if possible, apply at night.

Swanson:Ten-thousand square feet.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest score), how important is using densifiers on your projects to produce the beautiful work you do?

Chaney: About a nine.

Swanson: Eight. It's not the most important, but it plays an important role.

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