Tech Tips From the Field

When you're in the field, it's tempting to try to mix colorants together to create a unique look and color for your customer. The problem is trying to create that color down the line if the customer wants to add on to a surrounding area, or just has a touch up to do.

When your customer needs a specific color, the best thing to do is consult with the Sherwin Williams, exterior paint chart to determine the color the customer wants. Once you have the color, call into our offices with the number and we can match that color with our 190 colorants. This will keep the color consistent whenever you need it.

During the cooler months, remember the temperature ranges for installing the CTi products outside. When using the standard Hallmark products, the temperatures need to be at least 40 degrees and rising during the installation phase. Once the product is dry, it is OK for the product to go below freezing but you need to be above 40 degrees during installation. Also remember to use Quick Set Modifier (Series 111) with the red top. This modifier will help your grout mix for your skim coat set up quicker during the cooler months.

When using epoxies (i.e. Durafleck binder), the temperature needs to be above 50 degrees during installation.

Consider Mastic removal when pricing CTI jobs
by Ethan Schneider

Removal of carpet glue or tile mastic is a very important step in the installation process. Failure to remove glues and mastics from the surface may cause
de-lamination or wicking of the glue back through the product once the sealer is applied.

Consider removal of either glue or mastic is going to require more time and resources and therefore must be accounted for when you price the job.
Whether you are dealing with carpet glue or tile mastic, it must be removed before CTI products can be applied. Often times removal of mastics is either over looked or under estimated.

The first step when pricing a job that involves mastic removal is to examine the glue underneath to determine the state of the glue whether it is old and brittle or soft and elastic. If the mastic is old and brittle mechanically abrading with a diamond grinding wheel will usually remove it. However, if the mastic is soft or gummy then using a chemical stripper may be the method of choice.

Chemical strippers such as Strip All, Dad's, Strip Ease, etc. are recommended to first eliminate all the surface glue. After following the manufacturers application instructions, scrape off as much of the glue or mastic as possible and then allow the surface to dry. Once this is done, mechanically abrade the surface to remove the remaining mastic from the pores of the concrete using a diamond cup wheel.

Some customers may object to the use of toxic chemicals. There are alternative "green" products such as BEAN-e-doo Mastic Remover from Franmar Corporation.

http://www.franmar.com/index.php

Citrus King mastic remover

http://www.citrusdepot.net/info_mastic.html?gclid=CJqRr_ajoZ4CFcx25QodNG2_ow

Another very useful tool for mastic removal are ZEC™ Silicone Carbide Grinding Wheels. These grinding wheels are designed to remove adhesives, paint, glue, mastics, epoxies, etc. from concrete surfaces without loading the disc or melting the coating.

http://www.icscompany.net/abrasives___wire_wheels.htm

Swirl-Off grinding wheel Removes Paint, Rust, Scale, and other hard coatings.

http://www.swirloff.com/Swirl-Off/models.html

CTi Products and The Cold Weather

by Ethan Schneider

Winter is here and mother nature's grip on the northern states can be ferocious. It is very important for CTI dealers to pay attention to temperatures for two reasons:

Installation limitations and specs.

Storage of materials.

Even though the outside temperatures are below freezing in many areas it does not mean that you can't continue to do some exterior work. There are ways to create acceptable work conditions even when the temperatures are below freezing. Areas can be tented and heated with propane heaters such as Salamanders or torpedo type heaters. Also bare concrete slabs can be heated with a propane torch just prior to skim coating . When working in colder temperatures remember to use 111 Quickset modifier. Note: 111 Quick set modifier can be combined with CTI's new 112 modifier at a 1 to 1 ratio. In other words ½ and ½.

Working with sealers in colder temperatures can be a bit more challenging. Both epoxies and urethanes should not be applied below 50 degrees. This is referring to the temperature of the slab, which is usually at least 5 degrees lower than the ambient air temperature. Since both of these types of products are usually installed inside, there are a few points to keep in mind.
The spec sheets provided for CTI sealers on the dealer website contain cure time information that is based on an average temperature of 77 degrees in a perfect laboratory environment. If you are applying epoxies or urethanes on interior jobs at lower temperatures between 50 and 77 degrees the cure and re-coat window times will be extended. The extended times may be twice as long depending on temperature, humidity, air movement, and ventilation. The point is to allow for additional cure time when working in lower temperatures.

Be careful when driving around with product in your truck or trailer when the temperatures are below freezing. Exposure to freezing temperatures even for a relatively short period of time may result in damaged product. Products such as modifiers 110,111,112 modifiers, 190 colorants, Aquathane 6000, 5000 Binder, Rapid Armor, Super seal 210, Eurobond colorants, Eurobond liquid bonding agent are all susceptible to damage from freezing. This applies to your product storage location as well. The storage location should kept above freezing.

If you have any questions about installation or storage of products in cooler temperatures please call the CTI tech department.

To Seal Or Not To Seal ?
by Ethan Schneider

Bad weather is coming soon. Should I go ahead and put a coat of sealer down?

A lot of dealers call CTI with this exact scenario and question. If you are working on a hallmark system, Stone trowel, Acrylistain, or the new Spray mark system then sooner or later your are going to find yourself in this predicament.

If the job is done and dry enough to walk on without causing damage and rain is on the way then you will have to make a calculated decision. There are several factors you will want to consider.

1. Is your coating surface dry enough to apply sealer over?
2. Can you walk on it without damaging it?
3. How much time do you believe you have before the rain will start?

If the product is dry enough and you believe you have enough time to get a coat of 150 or 155 texture enhancing sealer down then usually it is a better decision to go ahead and apply the sealer. If it is already starting to rain or snow then do not apply the sealer. Ideally you want the sealer to be relatively tack free by the time the rain begins.

The pro’s and con’s of applying the sealer.

If you don’t apply at least one coat of sealer before a significant rain fall, a Hallmark or Spraymark system may lose some color or the color may wash out in some areas depending on the severity of the rain. If an Acrylistain that has not been sealed gets rained on it will most likely wash out and blend the colorants altering the look you originally created.

If you go ahead and apply either 150 or 155 sealers and it begins to rain before the sealer has had a chance to completely cure then it may appear slightly clouded or blotchy when it finally dries out. This cloudiness will usually disappear when a second coat of sealer is applied. If any cloudiness remains even after the second coat of sealer is applied it can usually be corrected with a light application of xylene on the affected areas. Be aware that even if you get one coat of sealer down before the rains begin, the job may still be jeopardized due to the sealer still being soft and the severity of the rain.

Always consult the CTI tech department before taking any corrective measures,.

My Customer Wants A Custom Color, What Should I Do?
by Ethan Schneider

Sooner or later you are going to have customer that just will not accept any of the standard colors that CTI has to offer. In general it is not a good idea to come out of the gate telling customers you can custom match any color they want. While it is true that CTI can match most colors, there are pros and cons to doing so.

Additionally, it is never a good idea to try and mix colors to create a desired custom color when you are working on a job site. During every CTI training class Chuck makes it a point not to allow your customer to take over your job. While it is true that in most retail situations the customer is always right, but not when it comes to installing their CTI job. The customer should have already agreed upon and signed off on what colors, patterns, textures, and sealers are going to be used on their job.

If you allow changes to be made mid stream then you need to amend your contract clearly defining the changes and have your customer sign off on them. In some cases it might even be wise to delay the installation and make a new sample board. You may also want to make necessary price adjustments to reflect the changes at this time. Keep in mind that color changes made on the job are going to look very different once they are sealed often resulting in the customer saying that is not what they had in mind. So “CYA” Make a new sample board !

Additionally, even if you are able to create a custom color that the customer approves of while you are on the job site, chances are you will not be able to match that color in the future. So if your customer calls you back 6 months later and wants you match her walkway to her new patio, you will most likely be hard pressed to match it.

Nobody wants to have to to re-do an entire floor because they didn’t start with an approved sample board or they made changes in the middle of the job. Again, don’t put yourself in this situation. It can be avoided. Especially when doing custom Stone Classics, Acrylistains, and Eurobond projects.

In most cases you can order a custom colorant from CTI. Turn around time for custom 190 colorants are usually about one week. There is a small up-charge for custom
colorants. The up-charges can vary due to the raw materials required to produce certain colors. Our chemist prefers that you provide a color number from a standard Sherwin Williams color paint palette. CTI does not use Sherwin Williams paints to make our colorants, but the Sherwin Williams color palette is the most widely used in the industry and is easily accessible. Keep in mind that custom colors may not always be an exact match but will usually be within one or two shades of the original color. Once that color is made it is kept on file for future reference.

Whenever possible try to steer your customers to stay within the standard CTI color palette. Unfortunately, CTI can not warranty custom colors because there isn’t enough time to thoroughly test them. This is another reason why we suggest staying within the standard CTI color palette. Remember your customer will usually buy what you show them.

Is Double Mixing Really That Important?

by Ethan Schneider

Too often it happens that dealers who have been in the field for while, forget why double mixing two component sealers in a separate container is so important.

Any CTI products that have both an A and B component need to be double mixed to insure proper mixture. This does not mean simply mixing the product twice in the same bucket or container. If you mix the components twice in the same container you will still end up having some A product stuck on the walls of the container that do not have any B mixed in. If any of this improperly mixed product ends up on your job there is a good chance that some portion of the job won’t cure properly. If you follow the directions in this article you should be able to avoid any mixing mishaps.

Remember always have your materials organized and double check your cans to make sure you are mixing the right components. Even the best of us can make mistakes.

The procedure for mixing two component products is as follows. First start mixing the A in it’s original container then slowly add the B component and mix for the specified amount of time as stated on the product spec sheet, usually about 2 or 3 minutes.
(Next is the most important part.)

Take the mixture from the original container and pour it in to a separate clean container and mix it again usually for about 1 minute. (check product specs for exact mix times).

Some products such as 5000 Binder or Aquathane 6000 have induction times. This means they need to sit for period of time to allow cross-linking of the product to occur prior to application. Again, mix A and B in the original container first for the recommended amount of time. Then pour the mixed product in to a clean container and allow the mixture to sit and induce for the recommended period of time according to the product specs. Finally, mix the product again usually for about 1 minute prior to application.

Note: ( Rapid Armor, Super Seal 210, and Enviroprime do not have induction times)

If you follow this procedure with all CTI two component products it is unlikely that you ever have an issue due to improper mixing. As always call the CTI tech department if you have any questions.