Sika ConstructioNEWS
A Newsletter of Innovative Building Solutions Vol 5 . May 2014
Teed Up for the 2014
Despite one of the worst winters in recent history, 2014 already shows signs of being a very strong year as we
have recorded sales greater than last year and greater than our budget through the 1st quarter. The first quarter is generally a time for preparing the way for the balance of the year. Our sales representatives have been
working hard with their customers preparing product selection, specifications and reviewing details for work
scheduled later this year as well as demonstrating and training contractors in the use of the many new products
we launched at our National Sales Meeting last November. The Product Marketing Managers have been working
hard traveling and supporting sales, especially with new product presentations and demonstrations; attending
and presenting at several industry events such as ACI and ICRI and ensuring the new products and supporting
documentation are all in order and ready to go. A quick snapshot of the new initiatives include:
Sikadur AnchorFix – 3 new products were added to the line (3001, 500 and Arctic) to compliment Sikadur AnchorFix 1 and 2. The products are all in inventory, the design software is available and a comprehensive package
of sales tools are available.
Sikalastic 641 – This new liquid applied membrane makes use of our patented iCure technology and is intended
to compliment Sikalastic 621. A single component, low odor roofing membrane, a game changer! This material
is now in inventory and we are very excited about the level of interest in this new product.
Sikalastic Duochem 390, 391 and 394 – This 2-componant traffic membrane has a 30+ year track record in
Canada and comes to Sika via an acquisition made last year. One significant benefit of this system is that no
priming is required. We saw a huge advantage to this last summer to treat a field condition on a project where
not all the existing membrane could be removed and priming was virtually impossible to apply properly. All of
these products and supporting literature are now available.
Our new mortars plant in Conyers, Georgia (near Atlanta) is well under construction. This plant will make some
very successful products more readily and economically available to our southeast region. Products include SikaGrout 212 and 328, Sikacrete 211 and 211 Plus, SikaQuick 1000, 2500 and VOH and we plan to start producing and
shipping during the month of June. Our sales people are excited about this investment and so are the customers!
Between the hard work year-to-date and the added lift we expect to see from the new initiatives, 2014 promises
to be very successful for Sika. We hope your year is successful too! Please contact your Sika sales representative for additional information on any of the new initiatives or for any other assistance. We hope you enjoy this
newsletter. We thank you for your business!
Timothy Gillespie
Director of Product Management – Refurbishment and Building Envelope
Repair&ProtectionNews
Sika Refurbishment Rolls Out Flooring!
by Scott DiStefano, Product Enigneer
Sika is excited to announce the launch of a
brand new line of flooring products for the
Refurbishment, coming to market this summer. While Sika is not new to the flooring
business, we will now be offering a streamlined group of flooring products to our Refurbishment distributers. For jobs requiring
a high end, chemical resistant floor coating,
for applications such as secondary containment, chemical processing, etc., the Sikagard
600 will be available. For slightly less rigorous applications, Sika will offer the economic
Sikagard 664 in 3 colors, grey, red, and beige.
While still offering good chemical and abrasion resistance, Sikagard 664 is a perfect match for storage areas,
maintenance workshops, garages and loading ramps. Sikagard 616 will be the final epoxy resin to be included in
this product line. Sikagard 616 is a clear,
low odor primer for both the Sikagard
664 and 600 products and can also be
used as a clear top coat for decorative
quartz applications. All three resins can
be applied neat or as a broadcast system for maximum slip resistance and
durability. Lastly, to compliment the 3
epoxies, and allow for a larger range of
uses, Sika will offer the Sikafloor Extender T thickening agent for use with
all 3 products. The Extender T can be
used with each epoxy as a field additive
to give a textured feel to horizontal as
well as allowing for vertical use as well. This extender will give an “orange peel” like surface to any epoxy used
and can also be used as a thin set, pore filler
where necessary. These epoxies can be used
over SikaTop, SikaRepair and SikaQuick repair
mortars as well as the SikaLevel underlayment
systems. With these new additions to the Refurbishment line up, Sika is the one stop shop
for all coating needs, whether horizontal, vertical or overhead.
SealantNews
Sikasil WS295 – The High Performance Silicone Building Sealant
by Eric Muench
Sikasil WS295 is the workhorse High Performance Silicone Building Sealant in
Sika’s sealant product group. A low modulus Class 50 sealant as classified under
ASTM C-920 specification, with exceptional adhesion properties to both porous
and non-porous surfaces. Sikasil WS295 continues to be a great success story
for Sika - Caulking contractors, waterproofing contractors, glass & glazing shops
and field installation teams are using Sikasil WS295 every day for their work and
projects across the country.
Applications where Sikasil WS295 is being used:
n
n
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Expansion joints in stone facades
Window perimeter sealing (glass to metal)
Window perimeter sealing (metal/vinyl to porous surfaces)
Metal panel joints
Cap beads/wet seal repairs
Low/mid/high rise buildings
Double Tree NYC
Several of the important capabilities of Sikasil WS295 are highlighted below:
Adhesion Performance: Adhesion to Kynar surfaces and porous surfaces without primer. In simple terms many
of what have been typically hard to bond to surfaces are handled well by Sikasil WS295, where we have out-performed the competition. Does this mean that pre-job
adhesion testing should not be done? NO, but it does
mean that you should have the confidence that this
product has been tested across a large number of surfaces and demonstrates excellent adhesion.
Field Adhesion Test
Movement Capability: The Sikasil WS295 carries the
SWRI seal of Validation for +/- 50% movement using
ASTM C719 test method when performed with primerless adhesion to porous surfaces. Meaning it has been
tested independently and confirmed to the movement
capability stated on the Technical Data Sheet when applied without primer. This demonstrates a high performance capability not matched by other silicone sealants
on the market.
MetCalf Building, Chicago, IL
Compatibility: Compatibility is demonstrated in many ways. One of the major areas of compatibility is considered
staining of porous surfaces. This can be a major issue for high performance silicone products. The Sikasil WS295
has literally been through the ringer to evaluate the potential to stain a porous surface. Sika has not only tested
with White Marble, which is well known
in the industry to be one of the toughest surfaces, but hundreds of tests done
with Limestone, sandstone, granite,
marble, concrete, etc. have been conducted internally and for specific products successfully.
The excellent adhesion performance,
movement capability and compatibility
the Sikasil WS295 provides continues
to gain the trust of Owners, Architects,
Contractors, who are seeing this first
hand in pre-job mock-ups and any prejob testing. Sika has consistently outperformed the competition in jobsite
mock-ups. It has also shown tremenUS Bank
dous advantages over other silicones when it comes to compatibility with
many different substrates. As with any product it must be used and it
must perform in the field to build trust. Sikasil WS295 continues to do this
and continues to build the trust of the people who specify it and use it.
Ask your local Sika representative about Sikasil WS295 for your next silicone project and see the performance first hand. Sikasil WS295 is backed
up with all the necessary services to help you with any project you are working on. A custom color program that allows you to get any special color
matched within 4 business days. Field Pigmentable system that offers
custom color turn-around in 4 business days. Any pre-construction substrate compatibility testing that needs to be done. Support for job site
field adhesion testing. As well as Sika’s Product recommendations and
specification support that you have known and used for years and years.
SikaSmartNews
Why Thickness Matters. Air Barrier Technology and the Building Envelope.
by Timothy Gillespie
It is encourgaging to see the number any and type of industry
changes that have occurred in our building codes, standards
and regulations over the past few years. These changes are
providing the design and specification community with new
measures that will improve overall building performance.
Although these changes provide some new direction, it is important to understand that the prescribed measures
in the 2012 IBC and 2012 IECC reflect minimum design objectives. We can do even more to design better buildings.
When it comes to improving building performance, one must have an appreciation of the technologies involved in
order to go beyond achieving regulation objectives. Based on a number of design parameters, including building
use and geographic location, a building’s basis of design may well exceed codes and regulations.
Understanding Air Barrier Technology and meeting the prescribed air permeance rates is one example. Building
designs incorporate mechanical systems to heat, to cool, to circulate air, and to exhaust stale air and bring fresh
air in. Most design professionals and building envelope consultants agree that the cost to operate such systems
can be minimized with effective placement of thermal insulation and other measures designed to control air flow
through the exterior wall and roof envelope.
Two values are commonly considered applicable to air barrier technology — 0.004 cfm is understood to be air permeance of common drywall, and 1.57 psf (about 15 mph) represents the average annual wind speed for the USA.
It is considered sufficient when a constructed exterior wall and roof assemblies are capable of limiting air (0.004
cfm) from passing through a one-square-foot area of wall or roof when subjected to a wind speed of about 1.57
psf. ASTM E 2178 is the recognized standard test method to determine the air permeance of building materials.
A number of air barrier materials are also tested to ASTM E
2357, Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage of
Air Barrier Assemblies. A series of materials are installed that
represent a wall assembly with all joints, connections and penetrations sealed. The test procedure measures and verifies
air leakage of the assembly at 1.57 psf and when subjected to
negative and positive air pressures far exceeding 1.57 psf.
The IBC recognizes both the ASTM E 2178 and ASTM E 2357
test methods as the standard for measuring air permeance at
1.57 psf. However, is this sufficient?
Beyond controlling air under pressure — whether from wind
pressure, stack effect or mechanical pressure — air barrier
materials and systems must be durable, continuous, elastic,
water-resistive, and capable of spanning cracks and sealing
around fasteners. Thin coatings or paper products with staples
and tape may be sufficient to resist air leakage at a low air
pressure, but may not be appropriate when it comes to long-term durability.
Confusion over thickness is not new. Industry associations rely on nearly a dozen ASTM tests to evaluate materials for use as an air barrier that go beyond air permeance and measure puncture resistance, tensile strength,
water resistance, peel strength, lap adhesion, temperature-based flexibility and nail sealability, pull adhesion,
tear propagation, and crack bridging.
Yet another design objective supporting thick air barrier membranes involves measures designed to reduce water intrusion. Five factors govern water intrusion — kinetic energy, surface tension, gravity, and capillary and
air pressure drop (suction). With cavity wall construction, the placement of a properly detailed air- and waterresistive barrier is a one-time event. Air barrier membrane applications of 35 mils or greater will ensure long-term
performance and guard against this instrusion.
In conclusion, it is important to design and specify air barriers based on known performance properties established through common air permeance test methods. The Sikaguard 530 Vapor Permeable Air and Water Barrier
system is a 40 mil thick air barrier membrane designed to provide long-term performance and is only one of many
offerings available through the SikaSmart Building Envelope Solutions Program.
RILEM Test-Measurement of Water Absorption
TechNews
by Tom Zuppa
The addition of the Sikagard 705L, 740W and 706 Thixo Test Procedure
penetrating sealers, to the list of protective products The testing apparatus is affixed by the application of
against water infiltration, has created much interest.
a putty between the flat, cir-cular brim of the pipe and
Due to this the Technical Service Department felt it im- the surface of the masonry material. Exert manual
portant to review an effec-tive means to perform field pressure on the cylinder to ensure adhesion. Water is
testing, in particular, and also in-house testing, to gage then added through the upper open end of the pipe unthe performance of the product on a given substrate.
til the column reaches the 0 gradation marking. The
The RILEM Test Method is such a means.
quantity of water absorbed by the substrate during a
specified period of time is read directly from the graduRILEM, headquartered in Paris, is the International ated tube. Generally the time periods for testing are
Union of Testing and Re-search Laboratories for Ma- based on the porosity of the substrate being used. It
terials and Structures. Similar to ASTM, technical has been noted that 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 60 minute
committees formed within RILEM develop standard intervals provide the most useful data.
methods for measuring properties and evaluating the The results of the tests are recorded per the volume of
performance of many building materials.
water absorbed in millili-tres over the designated time
Test No. ll.4 was developed to measure the quantity period.
of water absorbed by the surface of a masonry material over a definite period of time. This test method is Therefore, a relatively simple means to demonstrate
a fairly simple test utilizing a piece of equipment re- the effectiveness of the
Sikagard high-performance sealers on a given surface.
ferred to as a RILEM Tube (pipe).
Also, by performing the test on untreated surfaces
As noted above the tests can be conducted at a job site first, as a means of producing a control result, will help
or in a laboratory.
to not only determine the porosity of the substrate but
The tube/pipe is available in two forms. One designed also further emphasis the performance capabilities of
for application to vertical surfaces for measuring hori- the chosen surface treat-ment.
zontal transport of water (see Figure 1.) and the other
designed for application to horizontal surfaces to mea- We hope this provides some useful information for
you.
sure vertical transport (see Figure 2.).
The vertical tube is graduated from 0 to 5 ml with each
gradation representing an increment of 0.5 ml. The total height of the column of water applied to the surface is 12 cm.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Technical Department should you have fur-ther questions or require additional information. Contact Technical Service at 800933-7452, option #5.
The tube designed for horizontal surfaces is similar to
the other and is graduated
in the same way. The total
height of the column of water applied to the surface is
12.4 cm.
Figure 1
Figure 2
LAMNews
LAMAllenstein,
Waterproofing
by-Paul
PE
Sikalastic Duochem Traffic Coating System by Paul Allenstein, PE, Sr. Product Marketing Manager
The Sikalastic Duochem traffic coating system was formally launched last month. This complementary twocomponent polyurethane-based traffic coating system adds a no-primer option to our expanding portfolio of
liquid-applied waterproofing products.
The Sikalastic Duochem system is a result of a recent acquisition by Sika Canada, and illustrates our growing
partnership with our sister company “up north.” The Sikalastic Duochem system has a proven track record, with
over 20 years of successful applications throughout Canada.
Product Line
The Sikalastic Duochem consists of three products:
Sikalastic Duochem 390: A two-component aromatic polyurethane waterproofing base coat;
Sikalastic Duochem 391: A two-component aromatic polyurethane intermediate wear coat and an interior top wear
coat;
Sikalastic Duochem 394: A two-component UV-stable aliphatic polyurethane exterior top wear coat.
The Sikalastic Duochem systems are offered in all three industry-standard colors: gray, charcoal, and tan.
Cost-Effective Assemblies
Various coating thicknesses are utilized to provide cost-effective assemblies that provide progressively greater
wear resistance as traffic loads increase: from pedestrian traffic, to light vehicular traffic in parking stalls, to
medium vehicular traffic in drive lanes, and finally to heavy
vehicular traffic at ramps and entrances.
We expect that our contractors will find the Sikalastic Duochem systems to be competitively priced.
Reports from our contractors indicate that the Sikalastic
Duochem materials are easy to apply and provide a highquality wear-resistant traffic system that building owners
appreciate.
Availability
The Sikalastic Duochem products are available now from our warehouse facilities in Santa Fe Springs CA, Marion
OH, and Menlo NJ.
The products are currently being imported from Sika Canada, but domestication efforts are underway to produce
the Sikalastic Duochem products in our Marion, Ohio facility by Q4 2014.
RoofingNews
Thickness Guarantee Program for Sarnafil® Membranes
by Stephen Burke
Roofing membrane thickness is
a key factor in longevity, durability and weldability, and every mil
counts. Roof surfaces have to
withstand challenging climatic and
meteorological conditions involving moisture, temperature, solar
radiation, and wind. Over time,
An independent study conducted by these forces combine to age mema respected consulting firm in 1998 branes, resulting in part in a loss of
examined 15 leading thermoplastic roofing membranes and found
that only the Sarnafil adhered and
mechanically attached membranes
and one other product actually met
the labeled thickness.
Specifiers and building owners are
generally unaware of this situation,
even though it has a direct impact
on product value. In fact, many
customers are not “getting what
they pay for” and haven’t for quite
a long time.
Sika has rolled out the roofing industry’s first-ever Thickness Guarantee Program for single-ply membranes, thereby ensuring customers
that the company’s Sarnafil-brand
membranes will meet or exceed the
thickness indicated on the package
Sika repeated these tests internally
label.
in 2013 and the results were virtuUnder current industry standards ally the same — only the Sarnafil
established by the American Soci- membranes and one other prodety for Testing Materials, a manu- uct measured up to the advertised
facturer can produce a membrane thickness. Both tests revealed that
10 percent thinner (or thicker) than nearly all of the other manufacturits labeled thickness, meaning that ers produce membranes at or near thickness for all products. Thicker
a membrane labeled 60 mils could the bottom of the 10 percent ASTM membranes also stand up better to
punctures and abrasion.
actually be 54 mils and still be in tolerance for thickness.
compliance.
Under the Thickness Guarantee
program, Sarnafil membranes will
Labeled vs Measured Membrane Thickness — All Membranes Labeled 60 Mil
Sika Corporation - Roofing, 2013
measure up or the company will pay
61 Mils
up. Sika will remunerate the build60 Mils
ing owner for material measuring
less than the labeled thickness at
59 Mils
the time of installation.
58 Mils
57 Mils
56 Mils
55 Mils
54 Mils
53 Mils
52 Mils
51 Mils
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The Thickness Guarantee Program
ensures that architects and roofing
consultants can specify with confidence, that building owners will get
what they pay for, and that roofing
contractors can continue to look
to Sika as a trusted partner in the
installation of quality roofing systems.
Dear Valued Customer,
We hope you have enjoyed this addition of Sika ConstructioNews. If you would like more information about Sika,
our products or the topics covered in this issue, there are many ways you can contact us. We are also very proud of
the level of service we offer our customers. This level of service includes experienced technical service personnel
who can offer phone support about a wide range of topics including product selection and use. In addition, our
local field representatives can visit you or your project in person to help you develop a specific solution for your
project, locate local sources for product and guide you to a network of trained contractors experienced in the work
required for the project – a single source, a brand you can trust!
Technical Services Department 800.933.7452, option # 5
Click here to visit the Sika Web Site.
Click here to locate a representative near you.
Click here to locate a distributor near you.
Sincerely,
Timothy Gillespie
Director of Product Management – Refurbishment and Building Envelope, Sika USA
Baltimore Design School
Baltimore, Maryland
Sika ConstructioNEWS
A Newsletter of Innovative Building Solutions Vol 5 . May 2014