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Absorbency Checks
Craftsman checks surface absorbency before applying a concrete densifier. We use water-drop or light-spray checks to see whether the surface absorbs water evenly and to identify areas that need further assessment or preparation. We review those observations against the selected product’s application requirements.
These checks show surface wetting and absorption. They do not measure moisture within the slab or establish chemical compatibility with a treatment.
Our existing concrete assessment guide covers absorbency alongside hardness, contamination and repairs.
Check absorbency and surface condition
A field check, a product instruction and a specification clause each address surface absorbency. The water-drop check is qualitative, with no pass/fail threshold. PROSOCO’s light-spray check for Consolideck LS looks for uniform wetting. Where ACI SPEC-310.1-20 applies, it requires a clean, dry and water-absorbent surface without naming a test.
Observe how water behaves on the surface
- Source
- Concrete Decor, February/March 2011
- Check
- Dime-sized water drops
On a cleaned, dry existing polished floor, sprinkle a few dime-sized water drops in different areas and observe whether they:
- Remain as beads or flat spots on the surface.
- Absorb into and darken the concrete.
- Spread across the surface.
- Absorb in some areas but are repelled in others.
Jennifer Faller describes this field check in Concrete Decor (February/March 2011). It is a qualitative observation; the described check gives no timing or pass/fail threshold.
Check for uniform wetting before Consolideck LS
- Source
- PROSOCO Consolideck LS instructions
- Check
- Light water spray
PROSOCO requires concrete receiving Consolideck LS to be clean, dry and absorbent. It prohibits application to frozen or dirty surfaces or surfaces with standing water.
The product instructions call for a light water spray to check absorbency. Areas designated for treatment should wet uniformly. Where they do not, PROSOCO directs removal of remaining surface contaminants with an appropriate PROSOCO surface-preparation cleaner or a mechanical process.
Uneven wetting does not identify the contaminant. Our adhesive, coating and contamination removal guide covers preparation methods and their limitations.
Meet the surface condition required at application
- Source
- ACI SPEC-310.1-20, §3.4.3.1
- Check
- No test named
ACI SPEC-310.1-20, §3.4.3.1, requires the slab surface to be clean, dry and water-absorbent when reactive surface densifier is applied. The clause specifies the required condition without naming a test for dryness or absorbency.
This requirement applies when ACI SPEC-310.1-20 is incorporated into the Contract Documents, with project-specific requirements governing conflicts. Our densifier application guide covers the next application steps and product conditions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It shows how water behaves on the surface: whether it beads, sits flat, absorbs, spreads or behaves differently across the floor. The described field check is qualitative and does not measure slab moisture or approve treatment compatibility.
PROSOCO directs removal of remaining contaminants with an appropriate surface-preparation cleaner or a mechanical process. The surface must be clean, dry and absorbent before application; frozen or dirty surfaces and standing water are not acceptable.
Yes. Where ACI SPEC-310.1-20 applies, §3.4.3.1 requires a clean, dry and water-absorbent surface when reactive surface densifier is applied. Project-specific Contract Documents govern conflicts.
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