Vapor BarrierVB100 PA

Best Coat

SCS Coatings, LLC8 Timberbrooke Drive, Hopewell, NJ 08525

What Makes Best Coat a Superior Vapor Barrier and Waterproofing Agent? Why it Works - Fills in the voids left between cement binders and

aggregate

How it Works – Polymer is introduced by capillary action in topical applications and directly fills voids in “In Mix” applications

The Data – ASC, ASTM

The Results – Higher tensile strength, vapor barrier properties like quick paint or coat, no radon transmission, no toxic barrier required for interface to questionable soils, protects structural rebar, reduces impacts from freeze thaw cycles, etc.

Background

BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier, VB100PA is really not a coating despite its name

VB100 PA is a custom formulated polymer material which can deliver superior vapor barrier properties to cement and mortar style mixes

VB100 PA can be applied topically with a simple garden sprayer or it can be added to the mixing process to produce excellent vapor barrier properties

VB100PA can be applied to already poured concrete, concrete block walls, brick and stone facings and walls, just about any porous masonry surface can benefit from BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier

BestCoat™ also has a variety of materials for your cement and roofing application needs

How it Works

Typical concrete is made up of a few basic elements which can vary from region to region, and water. The elements are namely the cement itself which acts as a binder and is made up of several types of oxides found in limestone; namely Calcium, Silicon and Aluminum

Another element is the aggregate. Aggregate can range from sand to small and medium sized stone, and in some geographical regions fly ash and slag are also incorporated.

Finally water is the last ingredient to be added into typical concrete, usually during mixing. Once the mixture has been formed (the hydration process), a chemical reaction occurs.

Hydration involves many different reactions, often occurring at the same time. As the reactions proceed, the products of the cement hydration process gradually bond together the individual sand and gravel particles and other components of the concrete, to form a solid mass

How it Works

Normal concrete hydration is a relatively slow process and the strength of the concrete will increase, if properly hydrated, to its full strength in 28 – 30 days.

The curing process and water release process prohibits additional steps in construction such as topical coatings, and multiple pours of concrete. In addition, it can cause delays in construction to the internal fabrication of buildings and homes until the concrete stops it’s water expulsion and consumption

During this time the curing process is absorbing the water out of the mixture and it leaves behind voids in the structure which impact porosity and strength.

When the concrete reaches it’s 30 day strength is has a porosity of approximately 22% which means it can readily absorb and transfer moisture (See Chart)

Approximately 22% Porous after Curing 30 Days

30

Porosity or void fraction is a measure of the void (i.e., "empty") spaces in a material, and is a fraction of the volume of voids over the total volume, between 0–1, or as a percentage between 0–100%.

Why it Works

BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier VB100PA works by finding and filling the voids left by the reacting and evaporating water.

VB100PA is a water consistency polymer which can be applied with a simple sprayer.

Once it is on the surface the concrete’s capillary action will draw the material into the concrete and it will fill the voids, effectively sealing the material

BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier VB100PA also uses water as a catalyst for it’s polymerization reaction and it will actually seek out water to use for its conversion

BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier VB100PA works equally as well with an “in mix” application where it is added to the cement, aggregate and water at the mixing step

Why it Works

Aggregate

Cement

(Binder)

Voids left behind

Why it Works – Topical ApplicationSpray on

Application

Why it Works – Topical Application

Capillary Action in the Concrete draws the VB100 PA into the material

How it Works – Topical Application

Moisture in the Concrete and topically applied catalyzes the material

How it Works

BestCoatFills the Voids

The Data

Currently we are preforming tests at Arizona State University's Concrete Industry Management Program

This program combines industry, construction, engineering and scientific resources to provide dedicated guidance and education to the concrete users and benefactors

The testing here is at a microscopic and molecular level to validate, independently and scientifically, the mechanisms described on how and why BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier VB100PA works so well in a wide variety of applications

In addition, we are validating ASTM International testing of “before” and “after” samples for strength, vapor transmission, and a variety of concrete specific factors

The Results

BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier VB100PA is a versatile, flexible and effective vapor barrier product for concrete and masonry materials

It can protect homes, buildings and structures from moisture vapor, Radon vapor and any other materials which can permeate normal concrete

Its moisture barrier can prolong the life and effectives of concrete by reducing or eliminating spalling, rebar degradation (rust), freeze and thaw effects, mold and mildew and a host of other moisture related issues

The results are real and the product is available for your next project

BestCoat™ Vapor Barrier VB100PA is durable, flexible, green and setting the standard in vapor barrier solutions

Supplemental InformationChanson, Hubert (2009). "Turbulent Air-water Flows in Hydraulic Structures: Dynamic Similarity and Scale Effects". Environmental Fluid Mechanics 9 (2): 125–142. doi:10.1007/s10652-008-9078-3

While hardened concrete appears solid, it is porous, having small capillaries resulting from the evaporation of water beyond that required for the hydration reaction. A water:cement ratio (w/c) of approximately 0.25 (this means 25 parts water for every 100 parts cement) is required for all the cement particles to hydrate. Water beyond that is surplus and is used to make the plastic concrete more workable or flowable. Most concrete has a w/c of 0.45 to 0.60, which means there is substantial excess water that will not react with cement. Eventually the excess water evaporates, leaving little pores in its place. Environmental water can later fill these voids. During freeze-thaw cycles, the water occupying those pores expands and creates stresses which lead to tiny cracks. These cracks allow more water into the concrete and the cracks enlarge. Eventually the concrete spalls - chunks break off. The failure of reinforced concrete is most often due to this cycle, which is accelerated by moisture reaching the reinforcing steel. Steel expands when it rusts, and these forces create even more cracks, letting in more water