Written by Nelson Birch
Laying Resin Bound in The Cold, Surely Not?
So many people assume Resin bound surfacing is a summer trade, with work stopping for the winter.
While cold temps do bring extra challenges to the laying process and are not for the faint hearted, a successful installation can be achieved when the correct measures are taken.
The Polyurethane resin in resin bound aggregate requires warmth and a small amount of moisture to cure.
These both start the chain reaction of the molecules cross linking and transforming from a liquid to a solid.
Too cold, and the chemical reaction slows or even stops in extreme conditions.
Too much moisture, and the resin binder forms a skin too quickly which restricts the gas produced by the curing process to escape, leading to the dreaded “Blooming” or micro foaming phenomenon that many a contractor has had the misfortune to experience.
Now after reading the above, any decent Resin bound installer would flat out refuse to lay in winter.
But this is not always the case.
There are two types of installer that will install in these conditions, the first is the inexperienced or the “chancer”.
They either don’t understand the risks or don’t care about them.
The other type is a master of their trade, the “Elite”.
They will have extensive knowledge of their binder of choice.
Cure profile, workability and moisture tolerance (some manufacturers are leagues ahead of their competitors on this front)
They will know the limits of what the resin binder is capable of, and make decisions armed with the ever so important atmospheric data.
They will know that just looking on a weather app for the days temperature isn’t going to cut it.
What use is it knowing that the air temp on install day will be 4 degrees and rising?
The resin surface isn’t laid in the air, its laid on the floor.
Taking multiple readings of floor temperature on the job site from all areas of the base that’s going to be overlaid is the only way to get an accurate read.
Some areas might get sunlight, some might be in the shade all day.
Also if there was sub zero temps the previous night, then there’s a good chance the floor temperatures wont get above zero until late the next day, even if the air temperature is above 5 degrees.
They know and consider all of this and more.
Dew point is also a critical factor, condensation or dew can cause more damage to a curing resin bound surface than a heavy shower.
So armed with a dew point calculator they can get a reading and then decide when the resin has to be cured by.
All of this will determine whether it’s a go or no go, and how much area can be laid in the suitable time window.
The elites among us will all have their own little tricks to swing the odds in their favour, but that’s top secret info…
Nelson Birch, Resin nerd
