Low pH compositions for hardening concrete and associated methods
Systems and methods for treating concrete, which includes the steps of wetting a surface of concrete with a colloidal silica; cutting the softened surface to provide a cut surface; and polishing the cut surface.
1. A method for finishing concrete, comprising:
wetting a surface of concrete with a densifier comprising at least 5% colloidal silica, by weight, and a stabilizer to impart the concrete with a softened surface;
cutting, honing or planing the softened surface wetted with the densifier to provide a generally flat, planar surface; and
polishing the generally flat, planar surface.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein wetting the surface includes soaking the surface with the densifier.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
soaking the surface with water or an aqueous solution before wetting the surface with the densifier.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein cutting, honing or planing the softened surface comprises grinding the softened surface.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying another quantity of the densifier to the generally flat, planar surface.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein applying the another quantity of the densifier comprises applying colloidal silica to the generally flat, planar surface.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein applying the another quantity of the densifier comprises applying a densifier comprising a metal silicate or a polysilicate to the generally flat, planar surface.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein polishing is effected while the another quantity of the densifier wets the generally flat, planar surface.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein polishing is repeated at least once with finer abrasives.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein wetting comprises wetting a surface of fully cured concrete.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein wetting comprises wetting a stained surface.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein wetting comprises wetting a hardened surface of new concrete.
13. A method for finishing concrete, comprising:
wetting a surface of concrete with a densifier comprising at least 5% colloidal silica, by weight, and a stabilizer to impart the concrete with a softened surface;
cutting, honing or planing the softened surface while the softened surface is wetted with the densifier to provide a planar surface;
applying additional densifier to the planar surface; and
polishing the planar surface while the planar surface is wetted with the additional densifier.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein wetting the surface includes soaking the surface of the concrete with the densifier.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
soaking the surface with water or an aqueous solution before wetting the surface of the concrete with the densifier.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein cutting, honing or planing the softened surface comprises grinding the softened surface.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein applying the additional densifier to the planar surface comprises applying a densifier comprising colloidal silica to the planar surface.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein applying the additional densifier to the planar surface comprises applying a densifier comprising a metal silicate or a polysilicate to the planar surface.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein wetting comprises wetting a surface of fully cured concrete.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein wetting comprises wetting a hardened surface of new concrete.