MASCO Catalog: Construction Liquid and Powder

68 MASONS SUPPLY COMPANY Oregon (800) 537-3407 ♦ Washington (800) 537-6216 ♦ www.MASCO.net Clackamas | Eugene | West Eugene | Hillsboro | Medford | Portland | Salem | Ridgefield | Seattle | Tacoma | Woodinville CEMENT GROUTING GUIDE Grouts Surface Preparation Form Preparation Mixing Mixing All surfaces coming in contact with grout must be free of dirt, oil, grime, curing compounds, and other contaminants. Concrete surface should be roughened to improve bond. Surface should be saturated with water for 24 hours prior to placement. Surface should be saturated surface dry (SSD) with no water ponding immediately prior to placement of grout. All forms should be treated with form release. Forms should be caulked with silicone at all seams. Forms should be placed to allow a minimal amount of shoulder on the grout. Large grout shoulders tend to crack and break up. A required shoulder should be cut back at a 45 degree angle after the grout stiffens. Always use drinking water. Large grout quantities should always be mixed in a paddle blade mortar mixer. Small amounts can be mixed with a ½” drill with a jiffy paddle. Use caution not to whip in air. Always place ¾ of mix water into the mixing container or mixer before adding grout. After initial mixing, add the prescribed water as needed until reaching the desired consistency. Mix time should be typically 4 to 5 minutes. Follow manufacturers recommendation for aggregate extention amounts when placement depths exceed normal placement thickness. Do not re-temper the grout by adding water after grout stiffens. Grout can be placed by hand or pump. Hand placement should be by one continuous flow from one side of the area to be grouted. A head box is recommended when pouring grout. Venting in the base plate can avoid the entrapment of air voids. Vibration of grout should be avoided. Pumping should also be a continuous process and uninterrupted. Fluid grout should also be strapped to free air voids. When strapping grout, escaping air will be very visible with air bubbles escaping from the bottom of the base plate. Grout must be cured immediately after placement and finishing. Proper curing minimizes surface dusting, checking and crazing. Leave forms in place as long as possible to take advantage of the forms as an excellent cure. Proper curing is extremely important. Follow manufacturers recommendation. Temperatures above 85 degrees require special hot weather procedures. First try to keep the bags of grout in the shade with the plastic shrink-wrap removed. Use cool water for mixing. Water can be cooled with ice, making sure that ice is not mixed with grout. A fine screen can be used to filter out the ice when pouring the mix water. It is even more critical during hot weather to keep the grout base saturated with water for 24 hours in advance. The metal base plate should be cooled and this can be accomplished with wet burlap or towels. If possible, create shade for the area to be grouted. During pumping applications keep the pumping lines cool, especially with long lines. This can be accomplished with wet towels or rags. Also prior to priming the pump with cement slurry, run cold water through the lines to cool them down. The ideal time of day for hot weather grouting is late in the day, not early in the morning. This allows the grout to initially cure during the cool evening hours. Hot weather will reduce the working time with the grout, thus smaller batches may be required. The above recommendations are applicable for most applications; however refer to data sheets, installation guidelines, and bag or label instructions for recommendations for each specific product. Do not follow this guide, follow manufacturers recommendations. Curing Hot Weather Grouting Note For Epoxy Grouting