Mastertop 100 from BASF

[hdemk1]

Hello guys,

just starting my first topic here (signed up over 4 years ago...). Well, anyways, I have something to say about floor coverings. I've read now few pages of topic names and clicked quite a few of them to find more info. My point of view is from east as I'm living in Europe. There's a lot of similarites but also differences how to build a home and house. We recently built our own house where the bottom floor is mine, that's where my 930 sqft garage is.

I had no doubts what floor covering I'll choose. I had very good experiences from our workshop floors at work. It stands extremely well for chemicals, welding sparkles, angle grinder sparkle showers, is very hard for serious industrial mechanical wear (excellent for home use as well as we have studs in our car's winter tires, not harming the floor) etc. You can not apply it by yourself as you will need power trowel to do the covering. Below is roughly how the covering is applied:

-cast the concrete floor first
-let it dry 1½-3 hrs.
-apply the powder from bags using spaddle (not sure if I have the right word, I'm talking about a tool that is used to dry floors etc.), thickness of powder should be 1/5th of an inch or so
-start the power trowel and let the machine mix it to the slightly cured concrete
-after power troweling make the final smoothening by hand trowel
-let cure few hours and apply liquid chemical treatment that kind of seals the surface and helps to prevent cracks
-job done!

End result is a blend of cover powder and concrete. No way how it could brittle in to pieces if done correctly. Sure adhesion.

Downside is that this is only applicable to new concrete floors and you need external help to make it. Costwise we are talking about 1,75$/sqft for the Mastertop, remember that other costs apply for the concrete etc.

I checked BASF sites, but couldn't find the same product for NA markets. I'd say it's worth of a call anyway to find out if there is similar product available. Mastertop is not the only brand on the markets, just can't remember any other right now.

Colors can be chosen from very light to dark colours. Mine is french gray which was originally quite dark but it actually gets a bit lighter as very fine, almost powderlike, dust penetrates to the surface. By cleaning with water pressure you'll get rid of the dust. Steam can also be used from hot water pressure cleaners.

That was my choice and I'd do the same again anytime. I can send some photos later, after I get the garage cleaned up from previous project's waste.

 

[Full Size 66]

Pictures!

 

[hdemk1]

Pictures!

...are here. Few bad shots from this morning. The floor has been just brushed. It could benefit from good water wash. You can see isle where I've walked, it's actually cleaner than the areas in front of the cabinets. I've done some wood cutting and other dusty work lately, should wash the floor soon before I bring my cars in.

I like the color even if it seemed too dark at first. With water wash you get rid of most of the dust, but it leaves still some chips. I'm very happy how it performs. Oil drops can be seen after cleaning and it won't stay as mirror gloss finish like some epoxy floors. I like to do things and not to worry too much about the surface treatment. As said, this covering stands very well for hard mechanical use, welding, chemicals etc. It's easy to clean but not that "show room" finish like many epoxy or tiles.

It's good to have alternative options to choose from, this was my choice to my purposes. Choosing the floor cover is very much defining your needs first and only after that you can choose the covering method.

 

[ishiboo]

...are here. Few bad shots from this morning. The floor has been just brushed. It could benefit from good water wash. You can see isle where I've walked, it's actually cleaner than the areas in front of the cabinets. I've done some wood cutting and other dusty work lately, should wash the floor soon before I bring my cars in.

I like the color even if it seemed too dark at first. With water wash you get rid of most of the dust, but it leaves still some chips. I'm very happy how it performs. Oil drops can be seen after cleaning and it won't stay as mirror gloss finish like some epoxy floors. I like to do things and not to worry too much about the surface treatment. As said, this covering stands very well for hard mechanical use, welding, chemicals etc. It's easy to clean but not that "show room" finish like many epoxy or tiles.

It's good to have alternative options to choose from, this was my choice to my purposes. Choosing the floor cover is very much defining your needs first and only after that you can choose the covering method.

Might be similar to UCRETE in the US, a BASF product. I know those types are used on industrial floors, though most I see around here are polished and sealed.

 

[thegarageguy]

Looks like an acrylic polymer type of self leveled concrete, not u-crete. Ardex, Mapei, CMP, Duraamen and many more make it. They all make many different formulas, you need to make sure its a wear surface type and not the gyp-crete. Some local mason supply houses carry it. It typically costs $40 to $50 per bag and covers approx 25 sqft per bag at 1/4 inch. Applying it thinner would not allow it to self level properly and will leave waves, trowel or gauge rake marks. Not a one man job.

 

[hdemk1]

Might be similar to UCRETE in the US, a BASF product. I know those types are used on industrial floors, though most I see around here are polished and sealed.

You can get the UCRETE from here too. Took a look to BASF sites and found it to be top-spec material with different kind of options depending on your needs. Can't get all the options to one floor but limited combos are still possible. Rated on top of the Mastertop-product family anyways.

I find it very odd if the Mastertop products are not available in US. Would be interested to hear comments if someone has put it to a home garage.

To anyone who is considering such a treatment: Be brave and try, you might like it.

 

[hdemk1]

Looks like an acrylic polymer type of self leveled concrete, not u-crete. Ardex, Mapei, CMP, Duraamen and many more make it. They all make many different formulas, you need to make sure its a wear surface type and not the gyp-crete. Some local mason supply houses carry it. It typically costs $40 to $50 per bag and covers approx 25 sqft per bag at 1/4 inch. Applying it thinner would not allow it to self level properly and will leave waves, trowel or gauge rake marks. Not a one man job.

Did you check my first post in this topic? I was trying to explain that it is mixed to the freshly cast concrete with power trowel and then smoothened once more by hand. I doesn't level itself, you need the power trowel and one man was enogh for my garage to do the casting of the concrete, applying the Mastertop and hand smoothening. It was a long day for him, but he is a pro and knows what he does.

Took a look to your sites and looks like you are a pro too! Maybe we are not talking about the same products? I googled the brands you mentioned and Düraamen seems to be the closest one but not just quite like Mastertop. Düraamen products are applied after the concrete is hard and dry. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[thegarageguy]

Ahh, yes, the mastertop 100 is a dry shake meant to be used on a fresh pour. Just read the product data sheet. That would be great on a new construction. Here in the good ole us of a, Gc's and contractors do not put that much importance on the finish of most concrete. Im seeing more attention being put on in NYC retail and high end lofts but def not garages. Here in the north east us, we have to resurface with polymer modified concrete and epoxies to make them look good and perform. Here on garage journal we typically find most garages need to be resurfaced as well. Again, your recommendation would only benefit the guy with a new construction and ready to pour.

 

[thegarageguy]

BTW, basf makes many mastertops, 100 which is the dry shake and then the polymer modified cretes. Polymer is a broad term. There are acrylic modified, meant for more of a decorative for staining and keeping a concrete look, then you have epoxy modified, meant for a more chemical resistant type application, but looks plastic and then you have the u-crete, urethane modified cretes which is big in food processing because of its great thermal attack.

 

[hdemk1]

Here on garage journal we typically find most garages need to be resurfaced as well. Again, your recommendation would only benefit the guy with a new construction and ready to pour.

That's what I've noticed. Same case basically here too, most of the guys struggling with old floorings, how to get rid of the old one and what to put in for substitute.

Have you done any of those Mastertop 100/equivalent dry shake coverings? If yes, what kind feedback you've got from customers?

BTW, basf makes many mastertops, 100 which is the dry shake and then the polymer modified cretes..

I learned that when I searched for more info on Mastertop -product family. 100 seems to be the most commonly used around here. Many guys still go with epoxy, but again, it is serving ther needs. They don't do any welding or rough mechanical work on those floors, they have another places for those purposes. I'd probably go myself with epoxy if I'd just strore my pristine classics and wouldn't have to deal with rust...

 

[thegarageguy]

I'm not a mason and don't pretend to be one. We've never done a fresh pour, not my gig. We resurface concrete, via polymer concrete and or epoxies and urethanes.

From reading all the tech data on Mastertop 100, its basically a dry shake hardener. If using it in a garage, you would still need to seal it with either acrylics or epoxies and urethanes in order for it to resist the normal vehicle chemicals.


Limitations

- Not for use where operating and service conditions dictate the use of a metallic-aggregate surface hardener for greater abrasion and impact resistance.

- Not for use in areas exposed to acids and their salts or to materials known to rapidly attack or deteriorate Portland cement concrete.

This seems to be a good option for hallways and corridors where you will see mainly foot traffic and not garages where its bombarded with salts and vehicle fluids.

 

[hdemk1]

I need to talk to the guy who made my floor and covering. He has done 1000's and 1000's sqft of Mastertop, he should have the same info about the limitations than you stated above. There was something that he applied after the hand smoothening. Just a curing agent? Well, I'll ask and let you know. So far so good though. Our house is a keeper so have to make sure it stays that way too.

Thanks for your pro-attitude and good comments.

Edit:Had a talk with the guy and he said there is nothing to put after pouring and power troweling. The liquid he applied to my floor was to slow down the water vaporization process and prevent cracking. Normal procedure and it worked fine, no cracks at all. It's absolutely ready as it is now according to him.

My experiences from our work shop are very good. The floor was poured 10 years ago and there is slight wear on it. Reason for that is clear. All trucks, no matter if it was winter or summer, were loaded/unloaded on top of that covering. After the trucks were gone, we started to wash the steel pieces (max. 50 000 pounds) with steam washer and industrial washing chemicals. The conditions were very rough for the covering, therefore I need to oppose the limitations that you have given. We did not handle acids, but salt and other road dirt we had, a lot, but no problems. I hope you don't get offended about my words. I'm just telling about my experience from the cover.

 

[thegarageguy]

Not offended at all. I can only go by the product data sheets. I have never used Mastertop 100 and don't see me using it in the future. Again, only because I don't do fresh pours, just resurfacing.

If it's working for than great! Nothing more I can say, cause I have no experience with it. Thanks for sharing though, always cool to learn about different products.

BTW, your system reminds me of this new resurfacing system called Terrazzi from Duraamen.

http://www.duraamen.com/products/terrazzi-concrete-resurfacing

We basically broadcast a dry shake type material (mix of aggregates inc. marble, granite, glass, etc.) while the microtopping is setting up. It brings the psi from 5000 to about 9000. The end result looks similar to your finish. It still needs to be sealed with an acrylic or epoxy.