Are Epoxy.com 100% Solids Epoxy Low VOC

June 23, 2016

A user writes: “I have seen a number of your products that are on a list or marked with a tag that says Zero (0) VOCs.  When I look at the data sheet it says that the Epoxy.com product is 100% Solids, but does not say it is Zero (0) VOCs.”

Norm Lambert > Thank you for pointing that out.  You bring up an excellent question.  Epoxy.com Products that are 100% solids (100% active ingredients) do not contain solvent, that means they have no VOCs making them compliant with the toughest Low VOC Standards. I will start updating pages on the Epoxy.com to reflect that in the future.  Until then please rest assured that all Epoxy.com Products that are 100% solids have no VOCs in them.

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Posted by Norm Lambert

Monument Repairs with Epoxy

March 9, 2016

A technician who uses a non-Epoxy.com product to repair tombstones wrote me recently looking for help with problems that he was having. He goes on to say that the epoxy that he uses never fails, but rather the stone fails. When a secondary break occurs, the stone always re-breaks about 2 mm (about ¾ inch) above or below the epoxy joint. The epoxy attached to about 2 mm of the stone and holds well.

He asked me if the epoxy shrinks so much that it will ‘ pull away ‘ from the stone it’s attached to, and in his case, it pulls about 2mm of stone with it.

No I doubt it is epoxy shrinkage causing the problem. High quality epoxy has little or no shrinkage. It would have to be a very poor quality epoxy to be shrinking enough to do that.

The reason his epoxy is not working is that it is too rigid. His existing rigid material has a “high modulus of elasticity”. A material with “high modulus of elasticity” is a material that is stiff and/or rigid. A “low modulus of elasticity” material is semi-flexible, and is not rigid or brittle.

T pieces of the stone structure (in this case a tombstone) and pieces not in touch with the ground tend to get hotter and cooler faster than the larger pieces and pieces with ground contact. This is called “differential timing of the event”. For example the top of a tombstone can be heated and cooled on 5 sides, the top and the 4 sides. The base of the tombstone which is buried in the ground has earth or stone on all of its surfaces. This earth and stone tends to keep the temperature of the base more stable by insulating it and slowing the change in temperature. This works much like the insulation in your house slows temperature changes inside your house.

When an object like a piece of stone is heated it expands (gets bigger). When an object cools it contracts (gets smaller). For example 100 feet of concrete will be 1 inch longer once it is heated 100 degrees F. That is why expansion joints are cut into concrete.

In the case of tombstones all the pieces of the same type of stone have very similar if not identical “coefficient of expansion”. Since the pieces are positioned with potentially different timing of heating and cooling there is a “differential timing of the event” (see above). The result is stress areas you are seeing in the closest weakened plane in the stone near the bond line.

Product #2005 was specifically designed for tombstone (monuments) and/or stone bonding, or repair. Epoxy.com Product #2005 is very strong yet it is has a “low modulus of elasticity” (semi-flexible). The low-modulus of elasticity helps to absorb differential movement (two sections of stone heating and cooling at different times), making it much less likely to cause a stress area in adjacent weakened planes.

Camouflage the bond line rubbing stone dust(ground off the original stone or a similar colored stone) into any exposed epoxy material while the epoxy is still “wet”. That way the dust will stick in the wet epoxy making the epoxy difficult to impossible to see.

Please send your additional question and blog ideas to norm@epoxy.com

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Posted by Norm Lambert

Basement Waterproofing with Epoxy Part 2A

September 15, 2014

Poured Concrete Foundation Waterproofing

This is number 2A of a 2 part series on basement repairs. In Part 1, we discussed waterproofing block wall foundations. In Part 2A shows how to identify leaks that need waterproofing in basement walls, and floors that are made out of poured concrete. Part 2B will deal with the actual repairs to poured concrete leaks.

In our last piece we discussed how many homes and businesses experience leaky basements year after year. The worse time is in the spring after winter accumulation of snow. There are a number of prudent things that you can do to improve drainage against your foundation like roof gutters, grading and improvement of drainage. The recommendations here do not replace that conventional wisdom. It is designed to augment and improve upon these conventional methods.

Identifying the Source of the Basement Water Leak

The nice thing about poured concrete is that it holds water back very well. The leak typically happens at a cold joint or in a crack or hole in the concrete.

Concrete Cold Joints

Fresh (plastic) concrete doesn’t bond to hardened concrete. The exception is when a special epoxy bonding agent like Epoxy.com Product #2007 – is used (this bonding agent will be discussed in a future article). When concrete has hardened or has started to harden and you pour more concrete against it (without the right bonding agent) you get what is called a cold joint. These cold joints are a common source of water leaks.

Virtually all basements are built with a giant cold joint – the cold joint between the floor and the wall. Typically there is some sort of water-stops material installed in these joints intended to stop leaking at this cold joint. These water-stops can fail. So the wall to floor joint in a concrete basement is a frequent source of water leaks.

You can also get cold joints in the middle of concrete walls and floors due to multiple pours. You can get cold joints if concrete is setting to fast and fresh concrete is poured against semi cured concrete. Sometimes saw cuts in the floor can be a source of leaks

Form Ties

Then there are the ties that go through the concrete to hold the forms together on either side during the pour. If these form ties are not installed perfectly or if the concrete is not totally vibrated around them, these ties can act as a conduit to let the water in.

 

Wall and Floor Cracks

When concrete cures it shrinks that is called “plastic shrinkage”. That plastic shrinkage can and usually does result in the concrete cracking. These cracks are one of the easiest ways for water to get into your basement. If the water makes it to the fill side of the tank (under the floor or against the wall) it will typically leak out into your basement. You should look carefully for these cracks when looking for potential leaks into your basement. If you are able to investigate into the water infiltration into your basement when it is leaking it will be easy to see. If trying to find the source of leaks when the basement is dry you have to look for water marks on either side of the cracks and beneath the areas that might be leaking.

Repairing the Basement Leaks with Epoxy

In the next installment on this topic, I will deal with how you waterproof the cracks while structurally repairing them with epoxy and similar materials.

For more information please contact me:

Norm Lambert
norm@epoxy.com
352-533-2167
www.epoxy.com

 

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Posted by Norm Lambert

Improved Epoxy Gel Adhesives Added to Epoxy.com

May 29, 2014

What are Epoxy Gel Adhesives

Epoxy Gel Adhesives are thickened 100% solid 2-Component Epoxy Resin and Epoxy Hardener systems. Epoxy Gel Adhesives come in various viscosities from whip cream consistency to clay consistency. Some Epoxy Gel Adhesives have a longer working time, and slow set. Some Epoxy Gel Adhesives have a short working time and fast set.

Epoxy Gel Adhesives can have a “high modulus of elasticity” (rigid), or a “low modulus of elasticity” (flexible to semi-flexible). All the Epoxy Gel Adhesives that we sell are very strong. Our Epoxy Gel Adhesives when applied to most common construction structural material that are properly prepared have a bond strength to the substrate greater than the tensile strength of the material you are bonding to. In other words if you go to pull it off from the substrate that you are bonded to, the substrate will fail before the bond of the Epoxy Gel Adhesive will fail.

Uses for Epoxy Gel Adhesives

Epoxy Gel Adhesives are one of the most versatile tools in the construction industry. Epoxy Gel Adhesives are useful for bonding concrete to concrete, wood to concrete, wood to wood, and for that matter most typical construction structural materials to other construction structural materials. Epoxy Gel Adhesives are also useful in patching and repairing inperfections in concrete, wood and steel. Epoxy Gel Adhesives have also successfully been used to repair wood damaged by termites, wet rot, or dry rot. Epoxy Gel Adhesives are used in setting dowel bars, anchor bolts, and ports for epoxy injection.

Newest Epoxy Gel Adhesives Added to Epoxy.com Product line.

Product #2005 Low Modulus Fast Setting Epoxy Gel is a two component 100% solids designed for shallow repair on either vertical or horizontal surfaces. This product is easy to mix and use and has the consistency of Vaseline petroleum jelly. Additionally, the product, because it is a 100% solids product, can be applied thicker on horizontal surfaces when required.

Product #2006 – Epoxy High-Mod Gel Adhesive and Bonding Resin is a 100% solids high-mod epoxy gel adhesive used for vertical and overhead bonding applications and structural repairs. Epoxy High-Mod Gel Adhesive and Bonding Resin – Product #2006 is also used as a grout for anchor bolts, dowels and rebar. Epoxy High-Mod Gel Adhesive and Bonding Resin – Product #2006 Meets ASTM C881 Requirements for Type I, Type II, Grade 3, Class B, C, D, E.

Product #2007 Epoxy Fresh Concrete to Hardened Concrete Adhesive is a two component, 100% solids epoxy resin system designed to bond new concrete to old and other materials to concrete. It has a convenient 2:1 mix ratio, by ASTM C-881-90, Types I, II, IV and V, Grade 2, Class “B” and “C” volume with a viscosity similar to heavyweight oil. Epoxy Fresh Concrete to Hardened Concrete Adhesive #2007 (adhesive) exceeds the requirements of ASTM C-881 Type II, Grade 2, Class “B” “C” “D” and E.

Product #2011 Low Modulus Fast Set Epoxy Gel is a two component 100% solids polymer system designed for applications where a resilient joint material is needed. The two component material (standard) is supplied with a gray component and a clear component. Product #2011 was developed for plural component pump equipment, and is available in cartridge units.

Product #2704 Epoxy Gel Super Fast Cure is a fast setting, 100% solids epoxy crack gel and filler used to line, patch, or repair floor and wall surfaces. Epoxy Gel Super Fast Cure Product #2704 is the ideal material for repair of surfaces damaged from environmental or chemical attack. Epoxy Gel Super Fast Cure Product #2704 can also be used as a base material beneath coating, slurry, and mortar systems to repair before coating.

Product #2707 Splash Zone Epoxy and Underwater Epoxy Paste is a moisture-insensitive, two-component, 100% solids epoxy-resin system. Splash Zone Epoxy and Underwater Epoxy Paste Product #2707 is mixed at a 2:1 ratio, by volume, this product produces a paste-like material that is ideal for protection or restoration of concrete, steel and timber piles and other structural elements in marine environments.

Limitations

Epoxy.com does not recommend using any epoxy gel adhesive to bond anything to a ceiling without reliable mechanical methods of attachment as well.

More Information on Epoxy Gel Adhesives

Contact Epoxy.com Technical Support by phone 352-533-2167 or email info@epoxy.com for more information.

 

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Posted by Norm Lambert

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