CIM Industries Blog

To Prime or Not to Prime… That Is the Question

Have you ever found yourself on a job site with one or more of the following conditions? 

Congratulations! You have finished installing a two-component, high-build elastomeric coating on the interior of a water detention tank. The next task is to perform a final walk-through inspection. Before we get started, it is important to know what to look for prior to the inspection. Consult the specific job specification as well as any manufacturers literature:

1. Instruction guides
2. Application checklists
3. Specifications
4. Technical data sheets

It’s common knowledge that colder temperatures can impact the curing of coatings. To achieve the optimum performance properties of the coating, special attention to the manufacturer’s application guidelines is needed.

Applications at colder temperatures, or below the manufacturer’s recommendations, require experienced contractors who are familiar with CIM products. 

Coatings fail to bond to concrete for two reasons:   

1. Lack of sufficient surface profile.
2. Moisture in the concrete

Today, most coating manufacturers require concrete substrates to be dry (<5% moisture content) with low vapor transmission (< 3-5lbs per 1000 sq. ft./24 hours) before applying most types of membranes. This applies to both new and existing concrete substrates, although each may have its own set of moisture-related problems. For example, a 90-year-old poured-in-place partially buried concrete tank may face an entirely different set of circumstances from a newly constructed concrete slab with a steel tank mounted on it. Ultimately, the concrete needs to be dry prior to coating.

Environmental conditions can wreak havoc throughout all phases of a coating application.  To maximize the longevity and performance of the coating, we need to monitor environmental conditions, utilize proper testing equipment, and maintain daily field logbooks to stay on the path to coating success!

Environmental Effects on Coatings

Environmental conditions refer to the air and surface temperatures, relative humidity, dew point, and wind speed; each of these can negatively impact the coating if not properly monitored. 

• Air and surface temperatures are the first conditions to check when assessing the potential for effects on the working and curing time of the coating as well as moisture formation on the substrate. It is equally important to verify that temperatures arein line with the manufacturer’s product recommendations. 

Experienced contractors know that documenting the activities of a coating, lining or waterproofing application can be the key to a successful job.  The purpose of documentation is twofold: