METHOD STATEMENT Floor Joint Sealing

P.A. Favre
Date: November 2012

Method Statement
Floor Joint Sealing

Corporate Construction
Construction

The information contained herein and any other advice are given in good faith based on Sika's current knowledge and experience of
the products when properly stored, handled and applied under normal conditions in accordance with Sika's recommendations. The
information only applies to the application(s) and product(s) expressly referred to herein. In case of changes in the parameters of the
application, such as changes in substrates etc., or in case of a different application, consult Sika's Technical Service prior to using
Sika products. The information contained herein does not relieve the user of the products from testing them for the intended
application and purpose. All orders are accepted subject to our current terms of sale and delivery. Users must always refer to the
most recent issue of the local Product Data Sheet for the product concerned, copies of which will be supplied on request.

Sika Kimia Sdn. Bhd. / Lot 689, Nilai Industrial Estate / 71800 Nilai NSDK, Malaysia
Phone: (606) 799 1762 / Fax: (606) 799 1980
www.sika.com
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 1 Introduction
This method statement outlines general requirements for installing Sikaflex® joint
sealants.
Since Sikaflex® sealants are applied in many different environments and situations,
these statements are not intended to be a complete and comprehensive quality
assurance program. Field adhesion tests are required to ensure good sealant
performance and to verify any sealant recommendation.

1.1 Compatibility of Joint Sealing Technologies

It can happen that a newly installed sealant joint abuts on an existing one and
Construction
therefore different sealants get in contact with each other. In that case it is crucial to
check the sealant’s compatibility. Chemical incompatibility and/or plasticizer migration
can lead to adhesion problems and may influence the cohesion. The following table
advises which sealant technology may get in contact with another one. Nevertheless,
adhesion and compatibility tests are recommended in each individual case.

Table 1: Joint sealant compatibility matrix

++ Preferable replacement solution
+ Good replacement solution
- Non-feasible replacement solution

Replacement
sealant
Silane terminated
Polyurethane

polymer

Silicone

Sealant to be
replaced

Polyurethane ++ + +

Silane terminated
+ ++ +
polymer

Silicone - - ++

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 1.2 Joint Dimensioning
To make sure a sealing joint fulfils the requirements under all conditions it has to be
dimensioned according to the following rules.
The joint width (dimension A) must be dimensioned to accommodate the expected
movements (e.g. thermal expansion/compression) of the adjacent building elements
and the movement capability of the selected sealant. For further information please
contact the Technical Service Department of Sika.

Dimension Value
Dimension A min. 10 mm
Construction
(width) max. 35 mm
Dimension B min. 10 mm
(depth) max. 30 mm
Ratio A:B approx. 1:0.8

Left: good example of joint dimension. Right: bad example of joint dimension (ratio A:B ≠ 1:0.8).

1.3 Joint Sealing Procedure

There are five basic steps for proper joint preparation and sealant application (see
following table and chapters):

Step Action
1 Preparation Joint surfaces must be clean, dry, dust- and frost-free
3 Backing Backing rod or bond breaker is applied as required
2 Activating, If required, an activator or a primer is applied to the clean
Priming surfaces
4 Sealing Sealant is applied into the joint
5 Tooling Tooling techniques are used to create an even joint surface and
to make sure the sealant contacts the joint flanks

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 2 Surface Preparation
For concrete and cement-based materials, dusting may be sufficient cleaning for new
porous substrates. Depending on the condition of the surface, porous substrates may
require abrasion steps in addition.

Step
Remove all loose or friable particles.

Laitance and surface dirt must be completely

removed.
Construction

Concrete form-release agents, water repellents

and other types of surface treatments all affect
sealant adhesion.

Removal of these treatments or coatings by

abrasion cleaning may be required to obtain
acceptable adhesion.

Typical tools are steel brush and angular grinder.

Remove dust using a brush or water- and oil-free

compressed air.

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 3 Installation of Backing Rod
Elastic sealants should adhere to only two sides of the joint in order to perform
properly. The bottom surface of the sealant must be free to deform. Often, if the
bottom of sealant adheres, the sealant will rupture in order to deform. To avoid
adhesion to the joint’s bottom and to limit its depth backing rods are used.

It is recommended to use closed-cell polyethylene (PE) backing rods for joint sealing.
To provide sufficient backpressure during sealant application, the backing rod should
be sized ~25% larger than the joint width. Sizing differs among backing rod types;
refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Make sure that the backing rod’s skin is not damaged during the installation as this
Construction
may influence the joint’s quality.

Step
Apply backing rod into the joint using an adequate tool.

Make sure that the backing rod’s skin is not damaged.

Check the position of the backing rod in order to be in line

with the joint dimension calculation.

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 4 Priming
The following tables show the recommended pre-treatment for porous substrates and
the recommended application procedure.

Substrate Recommended pre-treatment Flash-off time

®
Porous substrates Sika Primer-3 N >30 min, <8 h

Step
Cleaning, Masking, Preparation
Construction
Joint surfaces should be clean and dry (see Chapter 1).

Apply masking tape to the surfaces next to the joint to keep

excess primer off areas where it is not intended.

Pour some Sika® Primer-3 N into a small, clean container

and close the primer bottle immediately.

To prevent deterioration of the primer, do not pour more

than a 10-minutes supply into the container.

Application
Apply Sika® Primer-3 N with a clean brush or a clean, lint
free roller onto the surface.

Let it flash-off at least 30 minutes.

Caution
 Over-priming can cause adhesion loss between the sealant and the primer.
 Sealant must be applied within 8 hours after Sika® Primer application. Any surfaces
primed but not sealed within 8 hours must be re-cleaned and re-primed before
sealant application.
 Store Sika® Primer with the cap tightly closed, as they react quickly when exposed
to moisture, reducing the adhesion-promoting capabilities.

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 5 Sealant Application
It is important that the sealant fills the entire joint or cavity and firmly contacts all
surfaces. If the joint is improperly filled, good adhesion will not be achieved, and the
joint’s performance will be weakened.

Step
Masking
To ensure an aesthetically pleasing job, masking
tape can be used to keep excess sealant from
contacting adjacent areas.
Construction

Nozzle cut
The nozzle used to apply the sealant has to be
cut into the adequate dimension.

The aperture at the tip should be of the same

diameter as the joint’s width.

Self-made, customised nozzles (e.g. made from

metal-tubes) can be used as well.

Application
Apply the sealant using a caulking gun.

Make sure that the sealant is in full contact with

the sides of the joints.

Keeping the nozzle’s tip at the joint-bottom

(touching the backing rod lightly) during the
application does avoid air entrapment.

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 Joint in pedestrian areas
Make sure the sealant surface is flush with the
adjacent areas to avoid danger of stumbling
(high-heel shoes e.g.)

Joint in high traffic (vehicle) areas

Make sure the sealant surface is not flush with
Construction
the adjacent areas to avoid premature
deterioration due to frequent contact with vehicle
tires e.g.

Cure Inhibition
Some Sikaflex® sealants are sensitive to alcohols. Therefore solvent-based pre-
treatment agents (primers) have to flash-off completely prior to sealant application.

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 6 Tooling
Tooling forces the sealant against the back-up material and the joint surfaces and
therefore supports adhesion build-up.

Step
Dry Tooling
Use an adequate spatula to remove excess material and
tool the sealant with light pressure against the joint sides.

Complete tooling within the skin-time.

Construction

Finishing
Remove the masking tape within the skin-time.

Wet Tooling
Use a compatible tooling agent (e.g. Sika® Tooling Agent
N) to smooth the joint surfaces.

Do not use solvent containing products!

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