Glossary of Decorative Concrete Terms

Provided by The Concrete Network

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S

sacrificial coating - A final floor finish or wax designed to protect the sealer or topcoat from wear. Usually applied by mop or floor buffer in several coats to act as a shock absorber to scuffs, scratches, and grime.

salt finish - A textured, decorative finish obtained by broadcasting rock salt onto fresh concrete and then using a roller or float to press the salt particles into the surface. After the concrete sets, the salt is washed away to reveal a speckled pattern of shallow indentations.

sample (or sample board) - A small (generally 2x2-foot) representation of a decorative concreteinstallation, used as a selling tool or to experiment with various decorative treatments and techniques for applying materials.

sandblast stenciling - A technique for patterning existing concrete surfaces by applying resilient adhesive stencils followed by sandblasting to lightly remove concrete in only the exposed areas. (Also see stenciled concrete.)

sandblasting - A method of abrading or profiling a surface with a stream of sand ejected from a nozzle at high speed by compressed air. (Also see abrasive blasting.)

saturated surface dry (SSD) - Condition of concrete when the permeable voids are filled with water but no water is on the exposed surface.

sawcutting - Using a concrete saw with abrasive blades or disks to cut joints or score patterns into hardened concrete.

scaling - The flaking or breaking away of a hardened concrete surface, often due to exposure to freezing and thawing.

scarifier - Milling equipment used to clean and profile concrete surfaces or to remove existing coatings. Uses rotary impact cutters held at a right angle to the surface.

sealer - Solvent- or liquid-based material used to protect and enhance the appearance of decorative concrete. (Also see film-forming sealer and penetrating sealer.)

seeding - Broadcasting decorative aggregates on the surface of freshly placed concrete or toppings.

segregation - The separation of the components of wet concrete caused by excessive handling or vibration.

self-leveling overlay - A flowable, polymer-modified cementitious topping with the ability to self level without troweling. Used to smooth and level existing concrete surfaces. Can also be enhanced by staining, dying, or sawcutting.

set - The condition reached by concrete when plasticity is lost, usually measured in terms of resistance to penetration or deformation. Initial set refers to concrete that has reached first stiffening. Final set occurs when concrete attains full rigidity.

setting - The chemical reaction that occurs after the addition of water to a cementitiousmixture, resulting in a gradual development of rigidity.

scratch coat - A base coat used to improve the rigidity and/or bonding of subsequent topcoats. A scratch coat is often required for vertical stamped concrete.

screed box - A walk-behind applicator, similar in appearance to a lawn fertilizer spreader, designed to put down epoxy coating systems at a specific depth.

shotblasting - An abrasive blasting method using round iron shot to clean and profile concrete surfaces.

skim coat - An overlay layer applied very thinly with a squeegee or trowel. (Also see microtopping.)

Solvent - Liquid typically used as a carrier for sealers and curing compounds.

spalling - A breaking away of concrete at joints in floors or slabs. Typically occurs at joints that are installed improperly or dont adequately support the loads applied to them. (Also see raveling.)

spray-down system - A decorative overlay applied as a splatter coat or a knock-down finish to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Often used in conjunction with paper or adhesive stencils. Available precolored or can be integrally colored during mixing.

slump - A measure of consistency of freshly mixed concrete, as determined by the distance the concrete slumps after a molded specimen is removed from an inverted funnel-shaped cone.

spiked kneeboards - Kneeboards with spikes on the bottom that elevate finishers off floor surfaces to permit easier finishing of toppings and overlays.

spiked roller - A cylindrical tool similar in appearance to a paint roller, but with rows of polypropylene spikes. Used to roll across the surface of freshly applied epoxy coatings to release trapped gas bubbles and to assist in leveling.

splatter coat - A coating or topping applied by splattering it onto the surface, typically by dipping a brush into the material and then flicking it.

stamped concrete - Concrete flatwork that is patterned with platform tools, stamping mats, or seamless texturing skins to resemble materials such as brick, slate, stone, tile, and wood planking. (Also see vertical stamped concrete.)

stamped overlay - Similar to conventional stamped concrete, but can be applied to existing concrete. A cementitious topping is applied at a thickness of 1/4 to 3/4 inch and then stamped to mimic brick, slate, and natural stone. Color options include dry-shake color hardeners, colored liquid or powdered release agents, acid stains, dyes, and tinted sealers.

stamping mats - Rigid or semi-flexible polyurethane tools for imprinting stone, slate, brick, and other patterns in stamped concrete surfaces. Stamping mats usually imprint a shallower pattern than platform tools.

static cracks - Random, non-moving hairline cracks that only affect the concrete surface (also see craze cracks and plastic shrinkage cracks).

stenciled concrete - A decorative surface treatment using heavy-duty paper stencils with stone, tile, or brick patterns that are lightly pressed into fresh concrete, followed by the application of dry-shake color hardeners. When the stencils are removed, the uncolored concrete mimics mortar joints. Another technique, for use on existing concrete, is to apply adhesive stencilsand then color, etch, or sandblast the surface. (Also see sandblast stenciling.)

straightedge - A rigid, straight piece of wood or metal used to strike off a concrete surface to proper grade before the floating operation.

strike off - To level off freshly placed concrete to the correct elevation.

substrate - An existing concrete surface that receives an overlay, decorative or protective coating, repair procedure, or other resurfacing treatment.

surface preparation - Preparing concrete surfaces prior to resurfacing or application of a decorative coating to remove contaminants and minor defects or to obtain the necessary degree of roughness for adequate bonding. (Also see abrasive blasting, acid etching, and grinding.)

surface retarder - A chemical applied to the surface of newly placed concrete to delay setting of the cement paste so it can be removed easily later by scrubbing or power washing to produce an exposed aggregatefinish.

T

tack - The stickiness or adhesiveness of a material.

tamper (or pounder) - A handheld impact tool used to firmly press stamping mats or texturing skins into fresh concrete to ensure a complete imprint.

technical data sheet - Contains important specifications and manufacturer guidelines for product usage. Includes such data as coverage rates, recommended applications, product limitations, surface preparation guidelines, mix ratios and required mixing times, pot life, application procedures, cure times, performance data, and precautions.

texture roller - A cylindrical tool similar in appearance to a paint roller used to impart a stonelike texture to stenciled concrete. It is rolled over the stencil and the fresh concrete to texture only the exposed surfaces.

texturing - Giving concrete or overlay surfaces a texture without leaving deep pattern lines.

texturing skins - Flexible skins for adding seamless textures to concrete surfaces. Generally thinner and more pliable than stamping mats. Often used to texture slab perimeters and vertical faces, such as stair risers. Can also be used to fix blemishes from nonuniform stamping.

tint - A diluted color wash used to add hints of color to decorative concrete.

trowel - A flat, broad-bladed steel hand tool used to compact the paste layer at the surface and provide a smooth, flat finish. Also useful for applying topping or repair materials. Available in different shapes (with rounded or square edges) and lengths (ranging from 8 to 24 inches). Smaller trowels are useful for borders, work in restricted areas, or to work in flashing accents of dry-shake color hardener. (Also see margin trowel, fresno).

trowel finish - The smooth or lightly textured surface finish obtained by troweling.

Translucent - A type of finish were the coating has some level of transparency.

V

vapor barrier - A moisture-impervious material, such as plastic sheeting, placed on the subbase under a concrete slab to help prevent moisture vapor transmission.

vertical stamped concrete - A decorative finish for walls and other vertical surfaces using a lightweight cementitious overlay formulated to be applied at thicknesses of up to 3 inches without sagging. While the overlay is still plastic, it can be stamped or hand carved to produce deep-relief stone or masonry wall textures. After the material dries, acid stains or dyes can be sprayed or sponged onto the surface to give it the multi-toned look of natural stone.

viscosity - A measure of the fluidity of a liquid material. The more viscosity a material such as a sealer or coating has, the less it flows.

volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - Organic chemicals that readily vaporize at normal room temperatures. Concrete coatings, sealers, or cleaning materials that are solvent-based generally have higher VOC contents than water-based materials. Some VOCs can be hazardous when inhaled.

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