Case Studies: Concrete Resurfacing
Did you know that X-Bond Microcement was invented in the US? The founding surface engineers, SEMCO Surfaces, have overseen its installation in a wide range of projects. Most commonly, it’s been used to transformed spaces in need of concrete resurfacing solutions. Here are three concrete resurfacing case studies featuring X-Bond Microcement.
Las Vegas Fire Station
THE PROBLEM
Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Station 3 was in dire need of flooring restoration, with the decade-old concrete deteriorating significantly due to daily wear and tear from fire engines — not to mention leaked oils and other stains.
The project called for a new surface that:
Could keep up with the demands of vehicle traffic
Would be easy to clean in the event of chemical leaks
Provided continuous slip resistance
Retained its strength
Any installations also needed to have minimal interruption to the every day operations at the station, which functions around the clock.
THE SOLUTION
After considering other materials like epoxy, X-Bond Microcement was ultimately specified by the project administrator as it met requirements for ease of maintenance, friction and strength (up to 10,000 psi).
As the site had an unpredictable 24/7 operating schedule, the quick-drying hand application process was another benefit. This was put to the test when one of the engines accidentally left a huge tire mark through the uncured X-Bond — and the installers simply touched up the X-Bond by hand.
Esperanza Resort
THE PROBLEM
A 5-star luxury resort in Cabo San Lucas needed to renovate ten suites to elevate their luxury brand. The problems with their existing concrete surfaces were:
Constant maintenance and repair of damaged concrete
Safety concerns over cracked and leaking balconies
An overall lack of aesthetics
They needed a material that could be sufficiently waterproofed and installed without noisy or timely demolition as the resort had guests in nearby rooms — and a celebrity wedding to host in just four weeks.
THE SOLUTION
X-Bond was specified because it was durable enough to withstand the property’s high volume of visitor traffic, and attractive enough to meet the aesthetic standards of the five-star luxury resort.
It was also one of the only surface materials that could be installed on a large-scale and meet the tight four week deadline. Although the lead time is usually six weeks for a project of this size, all the substrate preparation and a good portion of the X-Bond application was completed in two weeks . Even when a huge storm struck the region and the team lost four precious days of work, they were still able to meet the ambitious turn-around — with three days to spare!
Parker Residence
THE PROBLEM
Interior designer and mid-century furniture collector Derrell Parker felt that the floors of his residence were neither functional nor durable. The main problems were:
The concrete tiles began to heave and adjust after only two years, resulting in an uneven and unsafe surface.
The grout between tiles had separated, requiring costly refilling.
The porous grout had become stained over time by their family dog.
In addition to the flooring, one of the showers kept leaking through to the exterior wall when in use.
THE SOLUTION
The clients considered a few options to resurface the flooring. The almost decided to remove all the tiles and pour a new solid concrete slab, however a demolition would involve time, mess, and relocation.
X-Bond Microcement provided the perfect solution as it was installed straight over the existing flooring. The clients were able to remain living at home throughout the entire application process, which lasted just eight working days. X-Bond also offered the benefit of no grout to refill or dirt to scrub from between tiles, applied as a seamless flooring overlay.
For the shower issue, a plumber and a tile company both recommended removing the existing surfaces, re-plumbing, waterproofing, and re-tiling — a costly and inconvenient solution that would have the shower out of action for a week. And after all that, neither company would guarantee the preservation of the one-of-a-kind shower made from hand-crafted glass mosaic tiles from around the world.
With X-Bond, the shower issue took just 10 hours to solve. The problem was that the floor hadn’t been properly waterproofed. X-Bond Microcement was applied to the existing surfaces (including glass) and waterproofed at the same, fixing and preventing any leaks while keeping the precious mosaics in tact.
X-Bond installed throughout the entire master bathroom, resolving the leak issue