| Sealers- Mortarless
Paver Flooring Systems
Sealing of Mortarless Brick Flooring accomplishes
two purposes. First, the sealing material locks or seals sand
in the joints. Second, sealers provide an impervious finish
to the entire floor.
Sealers can be classified into two types: Solvent Base Sealers
and Water Base Sealers.
Solvent Base Sealers are extremely sensitive
to moisture. Brick flooring units must be completely dry before
applying sealers of this type and remain completely dry to
avoid white, cloudy discoloration and/or peeling. Adequate
ventilation is required when applying these flammable materials.
Due to the concerns of ventilation and flammability, we do
not recommend solvent based sealers.
Water Base Sealers are not as sensitive to presence
of moisture as solvent base sealers, but brick flooring should
be dry before applying any sealer. Do not use in any area
subject to prolonged or constant wetting. Tools and equipment
may be cleaned with hot water if washed immediately.
An example of a water base sealer is:
Plex-a-Seal– a water base acrylic material
produced for and distributed by Klein Co., Inc., PO Box 80415,
Atlanta, GA 30366. This product is sold by many brick manufacturers
and ceramic tile distributors. May be applied with soft paint
brush, or cotton string mop. A roller may be used, but care
must be taken to avoid bubbles. Do not overwork. Apply thin
coating. Multiple coatings develop higher gloss. Follow label
instructions.
Mortar Bed
Paver Flooring Systems
Mortar bed flooring is placed with conventional
mortar joints separating individual flooring units on a concrete
slab. Mortar joints may be designed to blend with the units
in color and texture, or to present a contrast. In either
case the individual brick becomes a part of a broad pattern
with rhythm and direction.
Many patterns may be created with the careful
use of brick and mortar, brick color, texture and size, jointing
and surface applied finishes.
Mortared Brick Flooring should be placed on a
rigid concrete slab as shown in detail above. Brick must meet
physical property requirements of ASTM Specification C 902.
Brick size should be modular (3 5/8” x 7 5/8”) with
the thickness of brick varying from 1 3/8” up to 2 _”
depending on threshold limits.
Installation details: Typically, a skilled bricklayer
or tile setter is required for installation of mortared or
grouted brick flooring.
A 3/8: to 3/4" mortar bed or setting bed
is placed directly on the concrete slab with brick being set
in the bed with the desired pattern. The variant mortar bed
serves as a leveling course to bring the pavement to finished
grade. The slab height can be adjusted in the initial pour
to allow for a thin set application. Paver placement is often
aided by string lines and a pattern grid in order to keep
consistent joints. Joints are filled by the bricklayer as
brick are set, or may be filled at a later time using a grout
bag. Joints are tooled when the mortar becomes thumb-print
hard according to the desired style with concave being the
most common.
Keeping the brick clean as the work progresses
is of primary importance. Mortar stains are normally removed
with special cleaners (acid based) and generous amounts of
water – both of which can be destructive to surrounding
elements, cause staining if misapplied and can cause efflorescence
in the brickwork and delay any sealing operation. Therefore,
great care should taken during the jointing operation. See
below for information on barrier coatings and floor sealers.
Sealers-
Mortar Bed Paver Flooring Systems
Mortar bed paver flooring systems must be completely
dry before applying any coating. Since water has been used
in the setting bed and mortar and in cleaning the brickwork,
there is a great possibility that the floor will contain moisture
for several months after completion of work. Coatings applied
too soon will inevitably turn white and /or separate from
brick.
Several coating manufacturers suggest that concrete
and mortared masonry floors be first cleaned with a mild “acid
wash” to remove laitance and to neutralize the normal
alkalinity of cement mortars.
After completely drying (possibly 8 weeks in
heated or air conditioned space) a sealer is applied generously
over the entire area according to manufacturer’s instruction.
All sealers described previously for use on Mortarless Brick
Flooring may also be used on mortared flooring.
Barrier
Coatings for Stain Control- Mortar Bed Paver Flooring
Several proprietary barriers or release coatings
are available for use as a pre-treatment in preventing cement
grouts from bonding to the exposed face of brick flooring
units. These include Grout Guard 2 manufactured by Klein Company,
Atlanta, GA and Protec-Tile by ProSoCo, Kansas City, KS. Both
producers have products for removal of release coatings and
grout. Follow all label instructions closely.
Ordinary paraffin wax may also be used as a bond
breaker. Recommended use of wax is as follows: heat wax in
pan, applying wax when thick as possible. Apply wax to top
of brick by holding in hand and passing brick over paint roller
that has been coated with paraffin. Allow wax to harden before
setting brick in mortar or grout bed.
Do not attempt to delay coating of brick until
after unit has been set in mortar bed. Wax may run down sides
of units, preventing the bonding of grout to edges of brick.
After grout or mortar has been placed, tooled,
and cured, wax may be removed from face of brick with jet
of hot water, steam, or products mentioned above.
Acids should not be required for cleaning when
the wax system is used.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Some of the products described in this interior
flooring review involve the use of hazardous materials, operations
and/or equipment. This review does not purport to address
all of the safety practices associated with the use of these
products. It is the responsibility of the user of this source
to establish appropriate safety and health practices and to
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior
to the use of the products described.
The information and suggestions contained in
this review are based on available data and experience of
the staff of Pine Hall Brick. This information should be recognized
as recommendations and should be used with judgment. Final
decisions on the use of the information discussed herein are
not within the purview of Pine Hall Brick and must rest with
the project owner, designer, or both
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