Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ Best Practices

ROADWARE 10 MINUTE CONCRETE MENDER™

Buildings marked for demolition in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Recently, our Roadware distributor in New Zealand requested a list of best practices for using Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™.  Contractors in Christchurch are using Concrete Mender to repair many meters of cracks following recent earthquakes.   

Best Practices

Storage and Transportation

1.     Keep cartridges in original foil bag and store in an upright position.  

2.     Store on a cool dry place between 10-28 degrees C (50 - 80 F). If cartridges are allowed to freeze below – 10 C (14 F) some material separation can occur.  Return material to 25 C (75 F) and shake or mix to re-blend before use.

3.     Handle with care. Punctures to the bag can cause moisture contamination. Rough handling can cause cartridge cracking and leakage.

4.     Ship in upright orientation in original shipping containers.

Usage

1.     Read and follow illustrated instructions.

2.     Use gloves and safety glasses.  Concrete Mender is very thin and can splash back if applied erratically. 

3.     Make sure the flow-restrictor and mixer seat properly.

4.     Use a new flow-restrictor and mixer every time.

5.     Small cracks less than 2mm should be cut open to 5mm for best results.  The 5mm cut will form a, “well” for the product to accumulate as it soaks down into the crack and will reduce material spreading on the surface away from the repair area.

6.     Once material is flowing from the mixer, keep the tip pointed down.  Use the thumb release on the gun to stop the flow.

7.     Discharge the material from the cartridge firmly.  Working too slowly can cause poor mixing.

8.     Always apply a coating of Concrete Mender into the crack or spall before adding sand.  This will give you better penetration and bonding.

9.     When applying with sand, make sure the sand and repair area are completely saturated with Concrete Mender.

10.  Use a shop vacuum or compressed air to remove as much dust and contaminates from the repair area. 

11.  If you suspect there is water on the bottom of the crack that you cannot remove, repair the bottom half first and allow it to cure (turn grey) before repairing the top half.

12.  When working at below 0 degrees C, use a propane torch or similar method to remove any surface frost from the concrete before applying the material. Keep Concrete Mender and sand at room temperature before use.

13.  Needle tip mixers are great for better control and pinpoint application. They also can easily clog up when left filled with mixed product. Do not try and force a mixer or tip to clear by adding more force to the gun. You can blow out the rear seals and cause a mess.  Get a new mixer or tip and start over.

Concrete Mender™ is injected into cracked walls in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ten things about Concrete Mender

Ten things you probably didn't know about Concrete Mender.

1. A little Concrete Mender goes a long way.  A gallon of polyurea or epoxy makes a gallon of repair material. A gallon of Concrete Mender mixed with 2 gallons of manufactured sand makes 2.2 gallons of repair material. That makes polyurea and epoxy more expensive to use even at half the price.
2. All Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender is manufactured and packaged in South St Paul, Minnesota, USA.  We do not private label the product to other companies. The, "patent" did not run out allowing other companies to make Concrete Mender.  That was a just an amusing rumor we heard at the World of Concrete put out by an unscrupulous exhibitor.
3. Microdoweling is more than a funny word.  Microdoweling is the process of using very low surface tension materials that penetrate the surface of damaged concrete and bonding to the aggregate within the concrete mix.  It is an exclusive Roadware technology. You can see the scanning electron microscope photos in our website by clicking here.
4. Concrete Mender is a structural repair. Concrete Mender is the flagship product for a new class of materials called structural polyurethanes. It is tough enough to be a structural repair, but never brittle like epoxy.
5. The color of a finished Concrete Mender repair is more influenced by the sand color than anything else.  White silica sand will make a light grey repair. Brown sand will make a darker and warmer tone.  We do offer Concrete Mender in Grey, Off-white, Safety Yellow, Target Red,  Ikea Black and WalMart red/brown.
6. Concrete Mender is sold all over the world and most overseas exported product is shipped via air.  When your concrete needs to be fixed in ten minutes, you don't want to wait eight weeks for ocean freight.
7. When repairing polished concrete floors, you can use polishing dust from the floor, sand and aggregate to give your repairs the same,  "texture," and look of the surrounding concrete.
8. Contractors in New Zealand developed simple techniques to repair hairline cracks in walls damaged by earthquakes near Christchurch.
9. In Japan Concrete Mender is known as, "Crack Bond."
10. Every cartridge of Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender is packaged by hand and inspected by Amanda.

Microdoweling™ and Concrete Mender™ are trademarks of Roadware Incorporated © 2012.

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Hoover Dam Demonstration Project

Roadware Hoover Dam Demonstration Project

Use Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender and MatchCrete Clear to make decorative and color matching repairs.

 

 1) Top of dam shows various cracks.

 2) Damage is built up with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender.

 3) A top layer of MatchCrete™ and matching brown silica sand is applied.

 4) Structurally bonded and blended well with surrounding concrete.

Special thanks to Randy Sisson and Minitman Supply Colorado for sending this in.

World of Concrete 2012 in Las Vegas

Hello Concrete Professional,

Are you attending the World of Concrete 2012 in Las Vegas?

Please accept my personal invitation to visit Roadware booth S11447 at the World of Concrete 2012. We have new Roadware concrete repair products to show and more opportunities to grow your business than ever.

New in 2012:

Roadware MatchCrete Clear has an improved formula that is easier to use and will not bubble or swell under high moisture conditions. Perfect for repairing polished concrete and exposed aggregate. We will be demonstrating this new formula through out the day. Use MatchCrete Clear indoors or out with confidence.

 

Roadware Off-white Concrete Mender (formally known as MatchCrete Concrete Mender), is our color matching base material for repairing and matching stained and polished concrete floors.

Roadware Safety Yellow Concrete Mender is a great solution for installing permanent yellow safety floor markings.

Roadware 50ml Mini Cartridges. These easy to use cartridges are great for precise application and repairing hairline cracks.

Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender– The gold standard in high-performance concrete repair for almost 20 years now. "It's thin, it gets in, and it won't pop out!" is not just a slogan, we stake our reputation on it.  Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender is the mission critical concrete repair product you have been looking for. With a surface tension one third of water, this product gets deep into concrete surfaces and structurally bonds slabs back together.   2010 MIP Winner.

I hope we can work with you and do more business in 2012. 

See you at the show!

Kelton Glewwe
Vice President
Roadware Inc.
Office: 651-457-6122
Cell: 612-801-9200

P.S.

We tend to get swamped with the crowds at the show. Feel free to send me a text message at 612-801-9200 before or during the show to schedule a quick meeting.



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Looking forward to building on our success in 2012.

As 2011 comes to a close I want to extend a warm Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of our great customers and friends around the world.   Below are some tips in doing more great business in 2012.

I really like Bob Parsons (CEO of GoDaddy.com) outlook on business and I try to incorporate his methods into Roadware's day to day operations.

You can check out his Video Blog here: 

http://www.bobparsons.me

Bob Parsons^® 16 Rules for Success in Business and Life in General

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.

   I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."
   

2. Never give up.

   Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.
   

3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think.

   There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."
   

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.

   Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."
   

5. Focus on what you want to have happen.

   Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."
   

6. Take things a day at a time.

   No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.
   

7. Always be moving forward.

   Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.
   

8. Be quick to decide.

   Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."
   

9. Measure everything of significance.

   I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.
   

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.

    If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.
    

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing.

    When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.
    

12. Never let anybody push you around.

    In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.
    

13. Never expect life to be fair.

    Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).
    

14. Solve your own problems.

    You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."
    

15. Don't take yourself too seriously.

    Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.
    

16. There's always a reason to smile.

    Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!"
    

Terms of Reproduction of Bob Parsons^® 16 Rules for Success in Business and Life in General
Thank you for your interest in sharing/reproducing Bob Parsons' 16 Rules. You may reproduce these rules under the following terms and conditions:

• You must reproduce the Rules in their entirety, with no changes or alterations.
• You may not reproduce the Rules for profit or other commercial gain.
• You may not reproduce the Rules in connection with any illegal activity.
• You must include the following language in connection with the Rules:

"Copyright © 2004 Bob Parsons. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission."

Roadware Safety Dots

Roadware distributor Bill Bacha of Precision Devices in Connecticut has developed an innovative way to create yellow safety markings in warehouse and cold storage floors. By simply using a 4' core drill and Roadware Concrete Mender in Safety Yellow, Bill can mark safety areas that are permanent and can be applied at temperatures well below freezing.

 Use a core drill to make 3" circle impressions about 1/4" inch deep.

 

 Fill the circles with Roadware Concrete Mender in Safety Yellow color.

The safety circles will cure yellow in about 15 minutes at 70 degrees F or in an hour at 0 degrees F.

Roadware Concrete Mender in Safety Yellow permanently bonds with the concrete using Roadware's Microdoweling™ technology.

• Integral color will not peel or chip-off.
• Apply in temperatures as low as -20°F.
• Cures forklift traffic ready in 15 minutes at 70°F.
• Easy to clean and maintain.
• High chemical resistance.
• Based on Roadware's proven Microdoweling™ technology.



Ordering:

Call Roadware at 800-522-7623

Item 70300-y (300x300ml cartridge) MatchCtete™ Concrete Mender in Safety Yellow

Item 70020-y (2 gallon kit) MatchCtete™ Concrete Mender in Safety Yellow

Hairline Crack Repair with 10 Minute Concrete Mender™.

Repairing Hairline Cracks with Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™.

Here are some techniques for repairing hairline cracks in hard toweled concrete floors.

Random cracks greater than 2mm in width. 

Cut open the top of the crack with a thin diamond blade to ¼” deep and one blade width. This will form a small, “well” for the material to rest as it Microdowels into the surrounding concrete. Remove dust with a shop-type vacuum. Add 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ and manufactured silica or quartz sand as directed.

Random cracks 1 -2mm in width.

If the cracks are relatively clean with no deflection, prepare by removing dust and dirt with a powerful shop-type vacuum. A small wire brush may be used to dislodge any loose particles.  Apply Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ with needle tip mixer 1006-14, 15, or 18.  Have fine mesh silica or quartz sand available to add to the repair as necessary to keep the material from flowing beneath the slab.

Random cracks less than 1 mm in width.

Remove dust and loose particles with a wire brush.  Work carefully to not damage the concrete surface. Working as a team, apply a small bead of Concrete Mender over the crack and have another person add a small amount of fine silica or quartz over the material. The purpose of the sand is to briefly hold the 10 Minute Concrete Mender™ in place as it soaks into the fine hairline cracks. It may take a few passes to get the crack fully filled. Remove excess sand and material before it sets. After the Concrete Mender cures, remove excess with a sharp razor scrapper or finishing stone. See video technique at the link below.

Request more information here: