Alchatek Blog

The terms hydrophobic and hydrophilic may not mean anything to the average person. But, to a contractor, these terms can mean a world of a difference. Hydro means water while phobic means “to fear” and philic means “to love”.  Alchemy-Spetec offers both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polyurethanes, so it is important to be aware of the differences between the two types.  

Hydrophobic Polyurethanes

Hydrophobic polyurethanes naturally repel water (similar to the way oil would repel water and stay separate if you were trying to mix them in a glass). These products push water out of the area in question as they expand. Hydrophobics are used with catalysts which allow you to adjust the set time. They also have zero shrinkage after curing.

Check out these hydrophobic polyurethanes:

• AP Fill 700
• Spetec F400
• Spetec F1000
• Spetec H100 
• Spetec H40 
• AP Lift 475
• AP Lift 440
• AP Lift 430
• AP Soil 600 

Hydrophilic Polyurethanes

Hydrophilic polyurethanes naturally mix with water before curing (similar to the way gin and tonic mix thoroughly in a glass). This characteristic allows for a very strong chemical and mechanical bond, as water helps pull the material into the pores of the concrete. These products do not require a catalyst. You can pump them straight out of the pail.

Check out these hydrophilic polyurethanes:

• AP Seal 500
• Spetec GT350

Don't Oversimplify These Concepts

Don't get caught in the trap of oversimplifying hydrophilic vs. hydrophobic.  There are varying degrees of each (see chart below for more information on how this is measured) .  

Some hydrophilic materials will keep absorbing water (10-15 times their original volume).  Others (such as our AP Seal 500) only absorb as much water as is necessary for their reaction and then they reject the rest.  Yes, hydrophilic gels will shrink like crazy in the absence of water, but the AP Seal 500 won't.  It is completely safe to use in a dry environment.

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Needless to say, there's been an abundance of content posted on this blog lately. This week we'll round up the best content from our 3 post popular topics: Lifting Slabs, Stabilizing Soil and Sealing Leaks. You may or may not have missed some of these posts the first time around. Regardless, it's always helpful to pause and review this information in order to process it more thoroughly. Today's focus is lifting and stabilizing slabs. Here are three essential recent posts...

Structural Polyurethane Foams For Hurricane Season

By Andy Powell

Per usual, meteorologists predicted a higher than average degree of activity for this year. It’s easy to pile on the pressure for accuracy from the weather people, but last year they accurately predicted and tracked two storms that affected our coasts.

Hurricane Matthew and tropical storm Hermine both caused significant damage in the gulf and on the east coast. Matthew especially caused a tremendous amount of flooding as opposed to wind damage because of the way it tracked parallel to the coast for so long before making landfall.

Click here to read more...

Commercial and Industrial Slab Lifting

By Andy Powell

Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with our two-component polymer foam designed to work in wet or dry conditions. The expansion force of the concrete leveling foam coupled with the pressure of a specialized pump generate enough controlled force to lift virtually any structure back into position with 1/8” precision. Polyjacking and concrete lifting can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost and time required for replacement using our AP Lift series of resins.

Click here to read more and watch an excellent demo video...

Stabilizing a House with AP 475

By Andy Powell

Eroded soil and voids underneath a structure can result in settlement and damage to the structure. These dangerous voids can be filled with high strength polyurethane foam that supports up to 14,000 pounds per square foot. The video in the linked article shows the stabilization of the back half of a residence resting on nothing but its frame and thin air.

Click here to read more and watch the video...

Want more info on lifting and stabilizing slabs with polyurethane foam?

A few weeks ago, the start of "hurricane season" was officially recognized. Per usual, meteorologists predicted a higher than average degree of activity for this year. It’s easy to pile on the pressure for accuracy from the weather people, but last year they accurately predicted and tracked two storms that affected our coasts.

Hurricane Matthew and tropical storm Hermine both caused significant damage in the gulf and on the east coast. Matthew especially caused a tremendous amount of flooding as opposed to wind damage because of the way it tracked parallel to the coast for so long before making landfall.

Thanks to meteorologists, the death toll from those storms were kept to a minimum. If you didn't know, water and flooding are responsible for 88-90% of deaths from hurricanes. The worst on record being the Galveston hurricane of 1900 where between 6,000 and 12,000 perished. The property damage, however, is unavoidable no matter what the time period.

Last year after the hurricanes, we saw scouring/erosion underneath building footings and parking lot slabs. We saw stairways undermined, as well as historical buildings with huge voids underneath them. Not to mention, roadways, sidewalks, marinas, and infrastructure equally impacted from erosion of soil. A few of the contractors we work with were hired to do void filling underneath some of these buildings, but in a lot of cases these repairs are not addressed immediately - leaving a lot of the market still open.

The AP Lift series of structural polyurethane foams can be used to fill voids caused by scouring, to support suspended slabs by preventing further damage from settling, and to lift concrete that has sunken due to erosion from water. Not only can these products be applied rapidly, they can be pumped into places other products like concrete can’t reach. Displacing water as they react, and having the ability to support loads within 15 minutes, polymers are ideal for these types of repairs. Additionally, polymers are the only product you can shoot under an overhanging slab or footing that will expand and fill up completely.

If you call on people from FEMA or other local emergency management agencies this year, or insurance companies for that matter, let them know there is a solution that is readily available, permanent, and can prevent further damage from occurring to an undermined structure. We can assist with preparing and giving presentations in many cases.  Just give us a call at 404-618-0438.

Want more information on slab repair with polyurethane?

In this post I'll provide an overview of the concrete repair equipment that we offer, including slab lifting pumps, crack injection pumps, air compressors and accessories.

Hydraulic Proportioners Customized for Lifting  

PMC plural component proportioners are used to inject AP two-component structural polyurethane foams for slab lifting and soil stabilization.  Rugged and dependable, these pumps utilize relays and circuit breakers instead of circuit boards, vastly increasing reliability and preventing maintenance problems.  Read more...

Airless Sprayers Customized for Crack Injection  

Modified for injecting Alchemy-Spetec leak seal and soil stabilization resins, the world-class Titan pumps we offer are essential tools for sealing both small and gushing leaks as well as filling voids behind and below structures.  Read more...

Air Compressors

The FS Curtis series of air compressors we offer are the go to choice for powering your PMC drum pumps and air powered proportioners.  Dedicated to their customers, this brand name is synonymous with legendary reliability.  Read more...

Custom Slab Lifting Gun

We also manufacture an injection gun designed specifically for slab lifting. It is custom built to handle back-pressure. For detailed information, read this blog post: MixMaster Pro- The Reliable Slab lifting Gun.

Accessories

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Think you can use a spray foam insulation gun for slab lifting? Well think again. If you've tried it, you know insulation guns become an expensive proposition with the constant need for replacement parts. They're also tedious to use, which can slow down production. And they often leak foam at the port when used for slab lifting. This is why we designed a gun specifically for the slab lifting industry. 

The MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun is built to last. It easily handles back pressure and has a leak proof port connection. It boasts an efficient design with minimal replacement parts. With an average cleaning time of 10 minutes, this gun is designed for ease of use. Spend less time repairing and cleaning your gun, and more time pumping foam!

Want more information on this reliable slab lifting gun?

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the basic costs of buying a polyurethane slab lifting rig and the packages that we offer. These configurations usually fit the bill for many of our interested customers. However, we also have the ability to put together a custom rig package for you.

Investment

Slab lifting trailer rigs usually start in the upper 40K range and go up from there. We have many configurations but have found that three different packages generally cover the needs of most contractors. Each rig is packed with unmatched quality and a plethora of features. These include but are not limited to; insulated walls and ceilings, AC/Heat, diamond plated floors, breaker panels, ramp doors, and a work bench.

Entry-Level Rig

This rig features an air powered PA-25 proportioner. Don't get me wrong, entry level is not the best choice of words because this setup is also good for residential and commercial projects. It's in a 16' v-nose trailer and has a gas powered air compressor and generator. We have many contractors with this set up doing everything from residential to D.O.T work.

Mid-Level Rig

This rig can either be a 18' or 20' trailer that happens to be built around the best selling PH-25 proportioner. This setup is made for the contractor who wants stellar result in an affordable range that features a hydraulically powered proportioner. This is also the best selling machine package, it boasts a 22 KW diesel powered generator and electric air compressor.

Advanced Level Rig

This rig is similar to the mid-level rig with larger PH-25 and PH-40 proportioners. These rigs come in 20' and larger trailers and are powered by 35 KW Stateline Diesel (John Deere) generator sets and also include electric air compressors. This setup is suitable for huge insulations jobs or larger buildings.

Optional Hands-On Quality Training

The best way to get “real world” scenario training is for one of our guys to come out to locations where you have potential jobs and train on site. This is a fool proof way to learn your new equipment and get paid while doing it. This is a good way to learn useful evaluation and estimating skills for the next job ahead.

Want more information on polyurethane slab lifting equipment?

In this post I'll provide an overview of AP Lift 430, 440, and 475. Each product in the AP Lift series has its own distinguishing attributes.

What are AP Lift Foams?

AP Lift Foams are two component, high strength, high density, and hydro insensitive polyurethane foams designed for concrete leveling. AP Lift Foams are among the most resilient and dependable slab jacking foams available.

What are the applications and advantages?

AP Lift polyurethane foams are able to lift concrete slabs, stabilize soil, fill abandoned pipes, fill voids, and also supplement sinkhole remediation. These polyurethane resins exhibit very high strengths. In addition, they work in wet environments by displacing water. Also an advantage, AP Lift foams can be traffic ready in as little as 15 minutes.

Specific descriptions of each foam in the AP Lift series:

AP Lift 430

Two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam.  2.75 to 3.25 pounds per cubic foot.

AP Lift 440

Two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam.  3.75 to 4.25 pounds per cubic foot.

AP Lift 475

Two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam.  4.5 to 5.0 pounds per cubic foot.  Also available in a slow version.  Certified to NSF 61-5 (Approved for contact with drinking water).

Want more information on concrete leveling?

Sometimes lifting concrete slabs with polyurethane is about more than just making something structurally sound and level again.  In every town there are buildings sitting empty because the floors are not in sufficient shape for use by a business.   Imagine the service a concrete leveling contractor can provide by bringing slabs back into tolerance and allowing an empty space to become a revenue stream for the building owner.  This is what our contractor in Omaha Nebraska,The Rite Touch, did recently.

In downtown Omaha there are a lot of historic buildings.  Located on the site of the old stockyards, there is a building constructed in 1911 that had been used as a parts depot for many years; including parts for World War II era Jeeps.  Some of those are still there.  The owners of the building have converted some of it into a commercial laundry equipment distribution facility, but there was a section with sagging floors that really couldn’t be used effectively.

Some research on the internet led them to our customer in Omaha, The Rite Touch.  They have been doing concrete lifting and leveling for a few years now (in addition to spray foam and polyurea flooring systems).  This particular lift was a little tricky because the concrete literally had a belly, or sag, down the center.  The owner’s idea was to create an office space with partitions / cubicles for small businesses.  However, the current floor condition would have everyone’s office chair rolling to the center of the building.   Not good!  How would the floor react as they tried to bring it up a couple of inches?  I was onsite as a consultant to help them find out!

We gave ourselves a reward to shoot for if the lift was successful; a big slab of Omaha prime rib.  With that as a motivation we got to work slowly working our way across the floor and back.  Using zip levels, dial indicators, and instinct developed from other jobs, we slowly brought the old floor back into tolerance.  The product we selected for this project was AP Lift 430 and it worked beautifully.  The new MixMaster Pro injection gun performed as advertised and allowed for an efficient installation of the poly foam.  Although we had to drill multiple holes for the targeted injections, we only used three total injection ports.

Now the final touches are being added to this soon-to-be office space.  The owners will have multiple tenants paying rent and a once unusable space as a revenue generating property.  If you’re a property owner with a similar issue, call us to get hooked up with a contractor who can help.  If you’re a contractor, keep your eyes peeled for similar opportunities.  They are all over the place.  Now, about that prime rib….

Want more info on polyurethane slab lifting?