CIM Industries Blog

There's no avoiding the fact that concrete contains moisture, yet a critical component for successful adhesion of a coating system to a concrete substrate is having a dry substrate. Knowing how to test for moisture and addressing the conditions causing it are things all contractors should familiarize themselves with before applying coatings. Consulting with the coating manufacturer and reviewing the manufacturer's technical data sheets are excellent ways to gain this information. 

The construction industry faces many safety challenges as the work environment is always changing in response to the specific job at hand. One of the most challenging environments is working within confined spaces. There are numerous safety regulations in place meant to keep construction workers safe.

Environmental conditions can wreak havoc throughout all phases of a coating’s application, but what happens when the wrong tools are used during the mixing process or the material is mixed incorrectly?  To avoid negative effects of improper mixing, the manufacturer typically provide technical datasheets, application guidelines, and technical support to aid in the completion of a successful application. 

Cooling towers are often considered a challenging environment for coating systems. 

Cold temperatures can impact the curing of coatings.  Applications at colder temperatures, or below the manufacturer’s recommendations, require experienced contractors familiar with CIM products.  To achieve the best results, it is important to pay attention to the manufacturer’s application procedures. 

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? 

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 manufacturer’s recommendations, require experienced contractors who are familiar with CIM products. 

Smart tips for cold weather applications:

• Plan ahead. Air and surface temperatures will affect the working and cure times of the coating.
• Monitor temperatures. On cold, rainy, and windy days, the dew point and wind-chill, can account for moisture in the air as well as moisture formation on the substrate.
• CIM coatings should be applied only when the substrate temperature is no less than 5°F above the dew point.

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. 

With so many epoxy, latex, polyurethane, polyaspartic and other type coatings  in the market; selecting the appropriate coating to meet your project needs can be challenging.  In deciding between a single part or two part coating it is useful to have a basic understanding of curing mechanisms, coating types, and selection protocols to narrow the choices.