How concrete densifiers work

Concrete is one of the most common building materials on earth. It’s been used since before the time of the ancient Romans, and though we’ve come up with newer materials since, nothing has replace concrete in over 2,000 years.

But just because we still use concrete doesn’t mean we can’t improve upon it. Densifiers are powerful enhancers to traditional concrete.

Concrete structure

Concrete at its base is made up of three components: aggregate (usually small rocks), a cement that acts as a binding agent, and water. It’s mixed together until those elements blend and become a workable mass.

When concrete dries, the water slowly evaporates out of the mixture, leaving small voids and pockets behind. Concrete is much more porous than it appears. When it dries, it becomes a solid mass, but it’s not solid all the way through. That’s where a densifier comes in.

Regular concrete is fairly porous, allowing liquids to easily settle into the surface and stain or leach into its interior. This can be a big problem for places like parking garages, which tend to have a lot of stains that can be become a problem. Cars can leak fluids over time, and most parking garages can become badly stained in very little time. Commercial buildings are very susceptible to this too, particularly on floors.

The benefits of densifiers

When you use a densifier, you get several benefits. One is that when you polish the concrete it gets a better shine. Densifier and lime work together to tighten up the pores of the concrete and make a shinier, smoother, denser surface.

When the concrete is initially poured waste water will come up to the surface. This water will bring the finest elements of the concrete up with itself, weakening the overall slab. The more of that aggregate stays in the concrete, the better the final product will be.

Densifiers replace some of that water and keep those extra elements in the slab, allowing them to settle into the spaces and gaps of the concrete to fill in. With this extra strength concrete will be denser, harder and easier to keep clean.

With a little help, concrete can be even more durable than it is naturally. Densifiers will keep your concrete clean, shiny and strong when it’s poured. If you need some consulting help with your commercial buildings, call JK Industries and we’ll help you make the right decisions for your situation.