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Impregnation - protection of paving from pollution
Recently, the requirements for the level of cleanliness, especially for paved surfaces, have been constantly increasing.
The requirements for safety and anti-slip properties are in direct conflict with the requirement for easy cleanability. This creates the problem of how to keep anti-slip paving clean while maintaining reasonable cleaning costs.
In common practice, this effort often leads to excessive use of cleaning agents and increasing their concentrations. This results in an increase in surfactant residues on the cleaned surfaces and thus an increase in paving contamination, especially in periods of increased outdoor humidity.
In other words: "Visitors bring dirt on their shoes, which they clean off our floors, so they go outside with clean shoes and all the dirt remains on the floor". Which is the exact opposite of our wish: "For visitors to take all the dirt outside and leave us with clean floors".
A solution could be to rinse the floors after washing with higher concentrations of cleaning agents, but that is double the work, so this solution is expensive and not perfect.
The solution is impregnation
Another option is to ensure that floors lose their affinity for pollution, i.e. that they do not get dirty and are easier to wash. This can be achieved by applying a hydrophobic (water-repellent) effect on their surface, which is created by applying impregnation. It is the same principle that protects plant leaves in nature, or that we use to protect the bodies of our cars, or that is used on sportswear.
CLEAMEN 127 impregnation is a product that is applied in a thin but even layer, for example with a mop, to a cleaned and dry surface, where it dries within 4 hours and can be walked on. Up to 90% of the content evaporates during drying, but since it can still dry in the micropores for some time, we recommend that the first washing be carried out after 48 hours at the earliest.
Impregnation creates a very thin so-called nano-layer on the surface, which causes a long-term hydrophobic effect. Impregnation prevents dirt from penetrating into the pores and micropores in the tile, thus protecting it from contamination. It also creates a kind of intermediate layer that prevents or slows down the capture of limescale and possibly the diffusion of dirt, so that they can be easily removed by washing, without much mechanical effort.
Impregnation is used for both absorbent and non-absorbent materials.
Absorbent materials
Absorbent materials such as sandstone, terrazzo, bricks, interlocking paving stones and concrete surfaces in general, similar to natural paving stones made of limestone, slate, travertine, etc. are able to absorb a larger amount of impregnation in multiple layers, which then protects it in the long term. Consumption can range from 3 to 10 l/100 m2 depending on absorbency.
As a rule, the more absorbent the material, the greater the consumption when laying in multiple layers, but also the longer the service life and water resistance. Sufficiently performed impregnation also ensures frost resistance, because it prevents water from penetrating into the pores, where moisture could damage the surface if it freezes. In general, all absorbent surfaces should be impregnated, otherwise sooner or later they will become uncleanable in the usual way and must be renovated expensively, for example by sanding.
Another important feature, especially for natural materials, is that the impregnation leaves the material breathable, that it does not close it with a vapor barrier like a layer of varnish or paint, so that moisture does not accumulate under it, which could lead to unwanted degradation or the growth of microorganisms.
It is important to apply the impregnation to a perfectly cleaned surface, because dirt covered by the impregnation will no longer be able to be removed by conventional cleaning processes.
Non-absorbent materials
Impregnation is equally well suited to non-absorbent sintered tiles and wall tiles and is most commonly used on anti-slip structural tiles, where its main effect on cleanability is evident. Its application is ideal immediately after laying the tiles, grouting and performing construction cleaning. Consumption on these materials is low and ranges from 2 to 4 l/100m2. Its application is easy and quick, one thin, even layer is enough, applied crosswise, preferably with a plush mop. The main emphasis is placed on sufficient saturation of cement joints, which are porous materials.
The joints are protected by impregnation not only from contamination, but also the trapping of limescale is limited. By not trapping moisture in them, the formation and multiplication of bacteria and mold is limited.
The impregnation is chemically resistant to both acids and alkalis, therefore it protects cement surfaces such as terrazzo and especially cement joints from acid washout.
Surfaces treated with impregnation are more resistant to graffiti, or at least make it easier to remove.
Smooth and glazed tiles
Impregnation can also be applied to smooth and glazed tiles and tiles, even glass surfaces. When applying, it is necessary to count on polishing with a microfiber or soft cloth. On these surfaces, the thinness of the nano-layer is fully manifested, when there are no pores into which the impregnation would soak, creating a regular network of droplets that must be polished immediately. If they were to dry, they would be very difficult to remove.
For glass surfaces, it is necessary to avoid leaving streaks when polishing.
The lifespan of the impregnation and the durability of the hydrophobic effect depend on the absorbency of the materials, directly proportional to the consumption and the nature of the surface. On smooth surfaces and on the tops of the structure, it is quickly worn off, but its importance is that it remains in the joints and depressions of the structure for a long time, where dirt would be deposited. The main functions are thus maintained even after partial treading on the tops of the structure, because they are not a problem to clean.
For absorbent materials, the service life is in the order of years, for non-absorbent paving in public buildings, its renewal can be planned approximately 1-2 times a year in heavily loaded areas or more often, but the renewal can be carried out in parts without any problems, because it is not clearly visible.
How exactly does impregnation work?
The picture shows a schematic of
1) The surface after applying the impregnation, when it creates a continuous layer.
2) After the impregnation has dried, when more than 90% of the volume has evaporated
3) After partial trampling, when the impregnation remains only in the recesses of the structure.
4) The last line shows the deposition of dirt, which will be easily removed from the impregnated surface.
If there were no impregnation in these places, the dirt would be trapped there and gradually diffuse (penetrate) into the surface, then it would be difficult to remove (the Czech language has a traditional expression for this: ingrained dirt).
Polishing the impregnation is possible, but except for glossy surfaces it is not necessary, it is optimally done manually with a microfiber, preferably a polishing cloth, on floors with a disc machine with a white pad, or ideally with a microfiber disc. Polishing is done immediately after drying, or after about 1 hour from application. In exposed operations and on large surfaces, polishing brings uniformity of the layer and shortens the drying time to a walkable state, which usually takes about 4 to 6 hours.
Impregnation does not change the appearance of the tiles, because it is transparent and creates only a very weak nano-layer, on matte and dark surfaces a slight increase in gloss may occur, which reveals untreated areas, but if the entire surface is treated, the change is difficult to notice, especially after drying.
Anti-slip is an important property of tiles and is monitored. After applying the impregnation, it may be temporarily reduced, especially when laying multiple layers, but after drying, it returns to its original values. A State Testing Test was performed to prove this property and the protocol is part of the product documentation available on our website.
