Expansion Joints

[Bigbrew]

Want to fill them. Upstate New York. Epoxying my floor. Before or after epoxy. What to use? Where to buy it? Doing it mostly for dirt.

 

[infinkc]

I would post this in the flooring section, there are special joint fillers depending on what type of epoxy you use.

 

[The Cobbler]

moved thread to flooring

 

[Mesozoic]

One of the forum members on this site has a very informative website that recommends the use of Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealant, a polyurethane formulation that is used specifically for filling in expansion joints. I'm planning to use this for my 1/8" saw cuts through my new slab.

https://retail.usa.sika.com/en/products/sealants/self-leveling/sikaflexr-self-leveling-sealant-0

 

[Kaizen]

Silkaflex is what I did then epoxy. Still holding well four years later. Do it soon. Stuff flows well in heat. Use tape on both sides of the joint and pull up after it’s done flowing. Do not leave till it’s dry.


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[WarDamnEagle]

I had the floor guy fill my joints above prone before he diamond honed the floors (in our last house - 3 car garage). You couldn't see the joints at all after he was done with the flake system. He was going to diamond hone anyway and then fill the joints so it didn't cost me any extra to have him do it the other way.

I think he used the same material as the coating but I'm not positive about that.

 

[Garage Flooring]

@allgaragefloors -- These posts are begging for an article that is not about selling product.

OP:

As someone who sells coatings my head spins when I see this stuff. Sikaflex is a great product but it the product most are referring to is a caulk. It has a hardness around 40 so if it is stressed and it flexes more than you want under a coating, your coating will fail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shore_durometer

My recollection is most of these 'caulk' products have a hardness around 40 and in most cases you want higher than that.

Sikaflex is MUCH easier to apply than what is sold for joint fillers for epoxy. These are the three options I would typically pick from

1- Leave the joint alone.
2 - Use Sikaflex in the Joint but don't coat it.
3. Use a joint filler specified by your coating manufacturer and coat it BUT take your time and do it right. Filling joints is probably the number one area I see mistakes made

 

[Mesozoic]

@allgaragefloors -- These posts are begging for an article that is not about selling product.

OP:

As someone who sells coatings my head spins when I see this stuff. Sikaflex is a great product but it the product most are referring to is a caulk. It has a hardness around 40 so if it is stressed and it flexes more than you want under a coating, your coating will fail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shore_durometer

My recollection is most of these 'caulk' products have a hardness around 40 and in most cases you want higher than that.

Sikaflex is MUCH easier to apply than what is sold for joint fillers for epoxy. These are the three options I would typically pick from

1- Leave the joint alone.
2 - Use Sikaflex in the Joint but don't coat it.
3. Use a joint filler specified by your coating manufacturer and coat it BUT take your time and do it right. Filling joints is probably the number one area I see mistakes made

I was planning to use Sikaflex SL in the saw cuts AFTER the epoxy has been applied and cured. Mainly to avoid dirt and moisture build up within the expansion joints throughout the life of the floor. Let me know if you feel that's a bad idea.

 

[Kaizen]

I was planning to use Sikaflex SL in the saw cuts AFTER the epoxy has been applied and cured. Mainly to avoid dirt and moisture build up within the expansion joints throughout the life of the floor. Let me know if you feel that's a bad idea.

Only difference is looks. I filled then ground the floor so anything too high was removed. ESP my mess that I made. My epoxy adhered nice so they disappeared.
In the long term as slabs crack the epoxy on the silkaflex can lift and crack.
After three winters. The close up is about a razor blade thick. The other stuff is scratched. No I’m not gonna mop for you guys lol.






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[Bigbrew]

Think I'll use the SikaFlex after the coating it's not that big a deal to me. Just want to keep dirt out. I was afraid that if I put that down first and then coating that it would flex and crack the coating. I'm in Upstate New York and it gets cold I'm sure the floor will move a little.

Thanks for the info gents. Hope everyone is doing well during the Plandemic.

 

[Garage Flooring]

This is perfect

 

[Mge2093]

thanks for this!

 

[Bryan Burns]

I need to fill my expansion joints as well but the Sikaflex video says it for joints without slope. My floor has slope. How big a deal is this?

 

[Kaizen]

I need to fill my expansion joints as well but the Sikaflex video says it for joints without slope. My floor has slope. How big a deal is this?

In hot weather it will flow to find its own level. Over the length of 20 feet and a few inches of pitch? Don’t think it will be a big deal. Do it in two passes having the first lower then needed. Then when you see how it flows in your temps add more to bring to desired level. It’s not like water. Make sure you give it time. I warmed my tubes in the house near a heater before using.


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[Bryan Burns]

In hot weather it will flow to find its own level. Over the length of 20 feet and a few inches of pitch? Don’t think it will be a big deal. Do it in two passes having the first lower then needed. Then when you see how it flows in your temps add more to bring to desired level. It’s not like water. Make sure you give it time. I warmed my tubes in the house near a heater before using.


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I figured as much. Thanks for confirming!

 

[TitusLloydPullo]

Use sand to fill the gaps a little. I had a few bottomless pits that ate up the Sika.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

If the cut runs out the door, the material will too.
Plug it with some tape.

Also... we have this for joints. You won't get a flatter/smoother/stronger joint for seamless floors.
https://www.legacyindustrial.net/pr...atings/xtreme-set-100-crack-joint-filler.html

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi, we normally advise against filling joints prior to coating. The reason for this is that when/if the slabs move cracks will develop in the epoxy since it's not flexible.

Our recommendation is to either leave them be and just coat the floor, or fill the joints after coating. There is a product available online in over 100 colors called RS-88 if you want something color matched.