Concrete 101

 

The American Concrete Institute (ACI) Guide For Concrete Slabs that Receive Moisture-Sensitive Floor Coverings (ACI 302.2R-06) recommends specific design and construction methods for concrete slabs. As a company, Barrier-1® proudly subscribes to these recommendations.

 

VAPOR BARRIERS / RETARDERS

ASTM E 1745-09 Specification for Water Vapor Retarders:

Retarders: maximum 0.1 perms 10 mil thickness
Barriers: maximum 0.01 perms 15 mil thickness

Placement of Vapor Barriers should be directly under the concrete slab according to ASTM E 1643-98(2005) guidelines. To meet these requirements, Barrier-1® recommends Stego Wrap 15 Vapor Barrier.

 

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

• No reason to exclude the use of admixtures (with the exception of SRAs), cements or supplementary cementitious materials (SCM)
• Water to Cement Ratio (w/c) 0.45 (not to be exceeded without prior Barrier-1, Inc. approval)
• Slump 4”, greater slumps can be achieved using water reducing admixtures
• Barrier-1®, Inc. reviews every mix design for compatibility and proper dosage rates

CURING

• 1 day wet curing with waterproof paper or plastic sheets
• Curing compounds can be used as long as they are mechanically removed prior to placement of floor coverings as per floor covering manufacturer’s recommendations

MOISTURE TESTING

Moisture testing of slabs containing Barrier-1® Admixture is not required for the manufacturer’s warranty to be in effect when concrete is dosed according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Barrier-1® Admixture is formulated to eliminate the route of moisture vapor emission through concrete and meets or exceeds all guidelines pertaining to moisture emission as established by the flooring industry.