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I have spent the last few weeks traveling around with Brian Rooney from Stego Industries spreading the word on the upcoming new Canadian VOC laws, vapour barriers and the potential problems that lie ahead.

About a decade ago, the U.S. changed its regulations in a similar way. The intended consequence was an industry-wide movement from solvent-based to water-based floor adhesives and coatings. The unintended consequences were a rash of flooring failures and mould issues. Among the sources of the problems was vapour entering the concrete slab on ground from the sub-grade.

Brian has offered to write a series of articles addressing the lessons learned in the US and how we can avoid the same problems.

Best Regards,

Marla

Change is coming - should you wait or act?

Regulatory changes take effect this September. The driving intent is to make buildings more healthful for everyone by reducing VOC's (volatile organic compounds) in construction materials. How is that achieved?...by eliminating the use of solvent-based floor adhesives and coatings.

Laudable intentions are often rewarded by unintended consequences. What are they? How can they be avoided?

This is the first of a number of essays. Cumulatively, they will be used to share various perspectives that have evolved since the US implemented similar changes a decade ago.

Many of the consequences are already known. We already know enough to avoid many of the consequences, the most significant of which are: flooring failures and mold.

FACT: the regulatory changes provide for a grace period during which solvent-based products can still be used.

CHALLENGE: should the designer/specifier proactively
make needed changes to their practices in anticipation of the changes? ...or wait out the grace period?

These essays are intended to be brief, so I can't make a comprehensive case against waiting. Consider this: what about the owner who replaces the initial flooring after solvent-based adhesives are no longer available? Would you prefer: (a) today, to counsel that owner regarding the wisdom of incrementally paying a bit more or (b) later, to defend why it has become necessary for that owner to spend 10+ times that in order to prepare the slab to accept water-based alternatives?

Future essays will be devoted to making the case for effectively vapor-proofing concrete slabs on ground.

I'd like to thanks Brian Rooney with Stego Industries for providing this information.

Project Profile: Sugar Beach

Click for the video "Toronto's Newest Beach Soon to Open" Published by the Toronto Star

There was a huge response to the article last newsletter on the impressive Sherbourne Park project. This month check out the article on Sugar Beach. An equally interesting project using Coreflex 60 installed by Aquanorth Contracting.

Canada's Sugar Beach is a whimsical new park that is transforming a surface parking lot in a former industrial area into Toronto's second urban beach at the water's edge. Located at the foot of Lower Jarvis Street adjacent to the Redpath Sugar Factory, the 8500 square metre park will feature three distinct components: an urban beach; a plaza space; and a tree-lined promenade running diagonally through the park.

Click here for the related article "Hume's Waterfront Tour: Toronto's newest beach set to open" published by the Toronto Star.

For more information, contact marla@dre.ca

Introducing Emshield DFR3

EMSHIELD DFR2 and DFR3 are a watertight, fire-rated, traffic-durable primary seal for both retrofit and new structural expansion joints in horizontal-plane applications.

EMSHIELD DFR2 and DFR3 eliminate the need for additional fire blankets, mineral wools, liquid sealants, cover plates, or other fire stopping materials.

• For joint widths from 1 to 4-inches (25-100mm) where +25% and -25% (total 50%) of nominal material size joint movement is expected.
  
  
• Can be used alone or under any other expansion joint cover, plate or filler where depth of substrate allows.

EMSHIELD DFR3 (Deck, Fire-Rated 3-Hours)
UL-certified 3-hour fire-rated watertight expansion joint for use in a deck or floor with a 3-hour (or lower) fire rating. Used in deck-to-deck applications or deck-to-wall* applications. EMSEAL's EMSHIELD DFR3 has been tested in accordance with UL 2079 in the configuration depicted in UL Systems: # FF-D-0078, # FF-D-1090 construction.

For more information or a sample of these products please contact marla@dre.ca

Protectosil 300

A clear penetrating breathable VOC compliant surface treatment for use on concrete.

The unique solvent-free silane treatment penetrates into the substrate and chemically bonds with silica to form a permanent attachment of the water repellent molecule.Creates a deep hydrophobic layer which prevents the ingress of water and water borne contaminants from entering the substrate and causing premature deterioration.

The addition of a migrating corrosion inhibitor allows the Protectosil® 300 to be used to reduce corrosion in steel reinforced concrete. The inhibitor has an independent migration rate of 5 to 15 mm per day. This allows the inhibitor to reach the steel and form protective layer to reduce active corrosion sites.

For more information or a sample of Protectosil 300, please contact marla@dre.ca

New Aliphatic Top Coat FC 7540/7964

Neogard recently introduced a new top coat product for it's Fast Cure deck coating series, which consists of the Auto-Gard FC, Auto-Gard F and Peda-Gard FC waterproofing systems.

The new FC7540/7964 is a low odor, two-component, fast curing, aliphatic polyurethane resin with excellent physical properties and very good UV stability. It has a 2:1 mix ratio and will soon be available in all of the standard deck coating colors.

Neogard LEED letters for the applicable systems have been updated to reflect the addition of FC7540/7964.

Despite recent industry economic uncertainty, Neogard remains as focused as ever on R&D and continues to update and upgrade products and systems.

For more information on these systems, please contact marla@dre.ca

Installation is Easy with Koster VAP 1 2000

The Koster VAP 1 Systems combines an unusually wide variety of advantages in one product unique in the market for moisture reduction systems. All Koster moisture reduction products are specifically formulated and engineered for this application, thoroughly tested to ASTM E-96 wet method, V.O.C. rated and compliant, true one-coat systems, easy to apply and with little to no odor.

Step 1: Shotblast then vaccum substrate
Step 2: Diamond grind edges
Step 3: Pour B Component into A Component

Step 4: Mix with a "Jiffy" type mixer and drill
Step 5: Pour VAP 1 2000 onto substrate after mixing
Step 6: Squeegee and backroll

For more information on Koster VAP 1 Systems, please contact marla@dre.ca