Serving the Bay Area & Northern California for over 35 Years
Concrete is one of the most versatile building materials in existence, and it is one of the most widely used of all construction materials, especially in applications such as concrete water tanks. However, the one drawback to using concrete might be that it is subject to degradation and cracking, and there are many forces which can contribute to that cracking.
Curing, settling, seismic activity, and shrinkage can all cause cracks to form in concrete firewater tanks and other types of concrete tanks, and that could mean serious problems for a concrete storage tank, for instance tank leak repair. Fortunately, there are a number of linings and coatings which can be used for concrete strengthening, and to maintain their integrity for long periods of time. To learn more about these useful coatings, read below, or contact your coatings contractor in the Bay Area.
Why are concrete coatings and tank linings important for concrete storage tanks?
Because there are so many different ways that cracks can be introduced into concrete storage tanks, it becomes extremely important to use some kind of concrete coating and tank lining which will serve to waterproof the concrete. Any time external forces on the concrete exceed its internal ability to stay together, a crack will form. When a strong epoxy or urethane coating has been used on the concrete, that increases its ability to stay together, and tends to negate the power of external forces – unless something like an earthquake hits.
A bay area coatings contractor can provide high quality epoxy or urethane coatings, which will also waterproof the concrete’s surfaces, making it much more difficult for fluids to cause new cracks, or worsen existing ones. When concrete has been waterproofed, it is much stronger and much better able to resist any water-borne forces which may act on it. Since concrete tanks are routinely exposed to various types of fluid, having protection on the surfaces of the concrete becomes vital to its long life.
What kinds of tank linings and coatings can be used?
There are a number of different approaches to applying protective coatings and linings to your concrete tanks. One of the most popular and common methods of dealing with waterproofing is to simply apply a liquid membrane which can be put on the concrete by spray, trowel, or roller, and which will dry to form a watertight seal. One of the more modern methods used is to apply an integral crystalline waterproofing (ICW) coating, which causes a chemical reaction to take place with the concrete, and to form tiny crystals which make it virtually impervious to liquids.
Sometimes built-up systems are used, by applying perforated felt layers in an alternating pattern with layers of hot asphalt, to create a physical barrier which water cannot pass through. In some cases, rubberized asphalt sheet membranes are used, and their self-adhering quality makes installation fairly easy. There are also many different adhesive products which can be mixed with water and applied with a brush to add strength and durability to the concrete surface. Then too, there is a variety of epoxies and urethane products which are commonly applied to concrete tanks to make them waterproof, and to increase their resistance to cracking.
Bay Area Tank Lining Contractors Can Assist in Choosing the Best Option for Your Application
PICON FRP, Inc. has been serving the San Francisco Bay Area for 30 years, providing professional commercial tank linings and coatings for all types of storage tanks including firewater tanks, chemical storage tanks and much more. Contact us by phone at 510-232-0065 or contact us on our website if you need tank inspection, tank repair, tank relining including high quality surface preparation via mobile sandblasting.
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