PRESS RELEASE: Moisture Barrier

Moisture Fix Beats Kitchen Deadline...

30 January 2008

Protect Crete QLD

Andrew McLeay: 0422 320 468

Moisture Fix Beats Kitchen Deadline      

When Graham Caldwell of Karndean International agreed with his wife Jeannette that the time had

come to have a new kitchen installed, little did he know what problems were lurking under his kitchen

& family room floor!

The renovation included a completely new Karndean vinyl tiled floor covering in the family room and

adjoining kitchen area; a total of 60 square metres of Da Vinci “Celtic Slate” tiles. The kitchen

installation company had already pulled out the old appliances and cabinets by the time Mike Farrelly

from Farrelly Flooring & Installation of Langwarrin arrived to start the pull-up and were scheduled to

return three days later (after the weekend) for the new build – if this slot was lost, then Graham and

Jeannette would have to wait without a kitchen for another two weeks!

Imagine the shock when the original PVC tiles were removed, revealing a major damp problem in the

slab that had crept almost to the kitchen area in one direction and the patio door in the other which

was traced to a 10 year old extension which incorrectly butted the new slab to the existing slab without overlapping the damp course membranes. A quick prod with a chisel reveled ‘ground zero’; the

flooring work was stopped immediately and the timeframe started to look grim.

Protect Crete to the Rescue: Graham’s first reaction was to use traditional moisture barrier after first

grinding off the top screed, but knew that the work involved plus two coats spaced 24 hours apart,

then re-screeding and installation meant a delay of at least 6 days.

Graham had the forethought to contact Terry Lucas of Protect Crete because he recalled seeing

frequent industry advertising about new technology for fixing up damp floors, but beyond that knew

nothing about it. Terry’s site inspection confirmed Graham’s worst fears, but with one big benefit.

Terry explained how “Moisture Fix” could knock off at least three days from the timetable and, if

grinding could take place on the Saturday and Graham was prepared to apply the Moisture Fix

himself on the Sunday, then he would be back on schedule. Jeannette Caldwell exclaimed that

Graham was no natural handyman and Graham admitted that it was well known that his practical

flooring skills were nil and that if he could do it, then anyone could do it too.

One of the prime benefits of Moisture Fix is that it is not a 2-part epoxy system and comes ready to

use with no mixing, is zero VOC environmentally safe, non toxic, non flammable and odourless and

can be simply poured and broom spread across the slab by unskilled labour, yet be dry within 24

hours. Graham’s eyes lit up and he cancelled any social plans for the weekend!

How Moisture Fix Works: After the old floor prep material was mechanically removed to expose a

clean sound parent concrete substrate, Terry suggested to cut a 50mm x 50mm trench at the joint

line and fill this with an Ardex joint and crack repair system, using Ardex Moisture Barrier mixed with

sand and Ardur Rapid45. This is a fast and effective guaranteed way of eliminating any further

moisture ingress up through the joint cavity and steer it sideways where the Protect Crete Moisture

Fix will do the rest, ensuring a permanent solution to Graham’s problem. Terry was also thankful for

the help of Aaron Martin (National Business Manager Flooring) of Ardex, for his input and help with

working together to provide Graham and Jeannette the most cost and time saving solution with

absolute minimum disruption to their normal daily life overcoming their problems in the most

effective way.

Then Graham spent only one hour of his time on Sunday applying the Moisture Fix by pouring two

square metres at a time and simply using a soft broom to spread it evenly to absorb into the slab.

The liquid state of Moisture Fix deeply penetrates and forms a non destructive colloidal gel which

provides a permanent moisture and vapour barrier that withstands hydrostatic pressure – in

Graham’s case moisture now diverted sideward in his slab will immediately be locked up and

blocked from influencing the bond between the substrate and the floor tiles.

On the Monday floor preparation was resumed using Ardex K15 self-leveling compound,then the

next day the Karndean floor tiles were installed using the approved adhesive system. The kitchen

installation company arrived on the Wednesday without realizing that Graham, with the assistance

of new technology Moisture Fix, had saved explaining to his wife why she might have had to go

another two weeks without her new kitchen!

Manufacturers of the world’s most technically advanced systems for permanent concrete repair,

moisture proofing and protection treatments.

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