Summer is a busy season for decorative concrete, but extreme heat and sudden afternoon showers can make CTi acrylic overlay installations more challenging. A little planning can help your crew maintain control and produce a more consistent finished surface.
Check the Slab Temperature
The concrete can be much hotter than the air temperature, especially in direct sunlight. A hot slab can cause overlay materials to dry too quickly, reducing working time and making it difficult to maintain a wet edge.
Use an infrared thermometer to check the actual surface temperature. Whenever possible, begin early in the morning and avoid applying materials while the slab is rapidly heating.
Use MP-Primer Before the Skim Coat
In hot weather, prime the prepared concrete with the CTi MP-Primer before applying the skim coat.
MP-Primer takes the place of tempering the slab with water and provides several important benefits:
- Helps prevent the slab from pulling moisture out of the skim coat too quickl
- Helps maintain a wet edge
- Makes the material easier to spread and manage
- Can help the skim material cover more area
- Provides more consistent working time across the slab
Apply MP-Primer according to current CTi instructions and allow it to reach the proper condition before beginning the skim coat.
Adjust Your Installation Process
Hot weather leaves less time for delays. Keep materials shaded and avoid storing them in a hot trailer or direct sunlight. Stage all tools and materials before mixing and use smaller batches when necessary.
Work in manageable sections, maintain consistent mixing ratios, and avoid stopping in the middle of highly visible areas. Wind can also dry the surface quickly, even when the air temperature does not seem extreme.
Watch for Pop-Up Showers
Summer storms can develop quickly. Check the hourly forecast and live radar before starting and continue monitoring conditions throughout the installation.
Fresh overlays, color coats, and sealers must be protected from rain, sprinklers, roof runoff, and blowing debris. Rain contacting uncured materials can cause discoloration, washout, water spots, whitening, or surface damage.
After a shower, do not assume the slab is ready just because the surface looks dry. Moisture may remain in cracks, control joints, low spots, shaded areas, and slab edges.
Know When to Postpone
Consider delaying the installation when the slab is excessively hot, rain is likely before the system can cure, the concrete remains damp, or wind is causing uncontrollable drying.
Losing a few hours to weather is far less costly than repairing a damaged installation.
By starting early, checking the slab temperature, using the CTi MP-Primer before the skim coat, and closely monitoring summer storms, contractors can make acrylic overlay installations more manageable and achieve more consistent results during hot weather.
