Lasting Impressions
Concrete Coating Provides Strong, Attractive Finish for Foam Form Buildings
Summer, 1994
Article By: Ed Davie, Executive Director, Tennessee Ready Mix Concrete Association
Published In: Tennessee Concrete Magazine
The exterior coating-of-choice for Tennessee Home '94 was originally intended to be Portland Cement Stucco. Unfortunately, high-strength portland cement stucco for exterior coatings has nearly vanished from this market and even the Portland Cement Association had no information available on the application of stucco over foam form systems. Existing surface coatings composed of small amounts of masonry cement, which merely provide a cosmetic, stucco-like appearance with reduced strength, have previously been popular. New American Home '94 used such a product: Dryvit.
However in most instances, these stucco-like surfaces can be fragile and subject to damage in high traffic areas. This has created an intense interest in a tough, durable, portland cement-based coating which is currently being installed nationwide by authorized Dealers of PermaCrete in Nashville, TN, USA.
PermaCrete's exterior finish produces a super strong stucco coating that offers a more substantial brick-like protection for foam forms. This new portland cement product greatly adds to the intinsic values contained in foam form construction. It provides an exterior consisting of an architectural, protective concrete coating, with a load-bearing and non-porous surface of up to 6,000 PSI compressive and 1,800 PSI flexural strengths when applied in additional thicknesses.
The acrylic polymer cement compound found in this product contains unusual strength and flexibility, and offers significant advantages over other products used to resurface building structures such as plaster, Dryvit, or reduced strength, synthetic stuccos. Those products usually contain little, if any, portland cement and are primarily low-stength, non-sealed cosmetic coatings which provide less protection from weather erosion and other frequent abuses such as staining, chipping or cracking.
By comparison, the advanced, water-base acrylic resin formulated in the final sealer applied to the PermaCrete exterior finish has proven impervious to costly maintenance problems, and is even resilient enough to be contained in the present surface on San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge.
Additionally, this new cement coating is sprayed directly onto, and chemically adheres to , any existing surface of concrete, masonry, steel, aggregate, foam or brick. Organizations such as Wal-Mart and Dillard's Department Stores are taking a keen look at foam forms finished with this new surface for future construction of retail outlets, as well as remodeling and updating of existing facilities.
From the looks of it, this new PermaCrete coating, with its rich mixture of Portland Cement and extremely tough sealer protection, may be the best product for completing cost efficient foam form construction in today's changing building world.