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George A. Everding, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: geverding

Post Number: 524
Registered: 11-2004


Posted on Monday, April 26, 2010 - 03:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Why would sodium silicate based products be prohibited as densifier/sealers? (We have an old specification that includes this - curious why it would have been included)

I was not able to find another manufacturer besides Barrier-1 that makes sodium silicate based waterproofing as additives. Suggestions? Comments? [Also see http://discus.4specs.com/discus/messages/24/3625.html]
George A. Everding AIA CSI CCS CCCA
Cannon Design - St. Louis, MO
Richard Howard, AIA CSI CCS SCIP LEED-AP
Senior Member
Username: rick_howard

Post Number: 232
Registered: 07-2003


Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 - 02:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

There may be a desire to use a lithium silicate product. Lithium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium silicates are available in the marketplace. Lithium silicate products are the most costly. Sodium silicate is an inexpensive commodity chemical used in soaps and cosmetics.

Lithium ions on a weight basis can stabilize more silicate ions than sodium ones. Lithium silicates generally have a lower viscosity than sodium or potassium silicates of equal solids, so the lithium silicate can penetrate the concrete more effectively and furthermore, the amount of product penetrating the surface is more efficient at stabilizing silicates.
Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP
Senior Member
Username: redseca2

Post Number: 231
Registered: 12-2006


Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 - 02:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Playing with my computer, I pasted "sodium silicate based products be prohibited as densifier/sealers" into Google and ran a search.

The first item up was: "Formula One Lithium Densifier MP" by Scofield; which notes "These products do not contain sodium silicate or potassium silicate. When properly installed, this system will not leave the whitish surface bloom characteristic of nonarchitectural silicate products".

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