Good Sealer for Parking Garage

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Author Message Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 101 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 01:04 pm:    I have a new parking garage that will be used for construction staging during the 2 years that it will take to build the adjacent project. Can anyone recommend a good concrete sealer that will help keep the concrete in "like new" condition during the construction phase, or that will enable it to be cleaned to "like new" condition? Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 509 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 04:05 pm:    there is no such thing for construction staging; the variables are simply too great to expect the concrete to be "as new" at the end. your options would be to lay down a good tarp and then plywood over the whole surface; or put a topping/finishing slab on AFTER the construction is done. Richard L Matteo, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: rlmat Post Number: 214 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 07:15 pm:    I have to agree with Anne. Is the garage cast-in-place or precast? Precast requires a topping slab anyway, but I'm not sure of the ramifications of using the surface as a staging area without the topping slab. Anne's suggestion of the tarp and plywood might work in that situation, thickness will depend on how contractor intends to use the space. Ronald L. Geren, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP Senior Member Username: specman Post Number: 437 Registered: 03-2003 Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 08:26 pm:    From my experience with precast, the topping slab is an integral part of the structural system, and, therefore, would be necessary if loading conditions are anything close to what it was designed to support. Maybe Mark G., our frequent structural engineering contributor, can chime in on this one. Mark Gilligan SE, CSI Senior Member Username: markgilligan Post Number: 155 Registered: 05-2005 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 03:29 am:    There are ways to do a precast parking structure without a topping slab but I would not. Such systems have little redundancy, do poorly in earthquakes, and would have more problems with corrosion. If you are really interested in these issues you probably want to go with a cast in place concrete garage, typically post tensioned. You have two conflicting goals 1) turning over a like new parking structure and 2) using it for staging. I would suggest that the Owner is probably more interested in the cost and or time savings that result from using the garage for staging. Thus I would not worry about cosmetic damage that did not impact the service life. Remember after a year or two it would look the same in any case. One option would be to place a topping membrane on the slab. I believe that this is sometimes done but I have no experience. Given that most parking structures are not designed to support significant loads and have limited head room it is not clear how the parking structure would be used for staging. Randy Cox Senior Member Username: randy_cox Post Number: 38 Registered: 04-2004 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 07:58 am:    A contractor that I know built a garage with precast "T"s. The precast could support itself but not the concrete pour. The precast was put in place, then shoring was set up below to support the conctete pour. Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 510 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 12:43 pm:    um... there is nothing in the original post that says anything about "precast" -- that came from the 3rd post down. Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 102 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 12:55 pm:    It is cast in place. I figured it was a long shot, but wanted to do my due diligence and make sure there wasn't some miracle product or option out there. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 353 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 02:25 pm:    Robin - for Condo and Hotel highrise work we usually recommend the application of a three coat traffic coating like Neogard Autogard or Tremco's Vulkem 350/345/346 - either manufacturer will inspect the coating after the GC vacates and advise what would need to be done to bring it back up to warranty, usually it is a thorough cleaning and the application of another top coat, but check with your local rep. Water Repellents won't provide the protection you need from the GC's abuse during construction. Anonymous   Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 02:55 pm:    Why not wait until after GC leaves and then apply traffic coating of the type Mr. Lazar suggests? If $$$ is concern...and pristine aesthetic less so, then you might want to consider an oleophobic penetrating-type sealer...mainly for concerns for lessening permanent staining...although, I can't vouch for actual experience/performance of same.