NEW! Mixes & Sealers 301
If you are an experienced concrete countertop maker who's doing a great job but still having mysterious mix problems like inconsistency, curling, cracking or efflorescence, or you're getting callbacks from clients due to sealer failures, you need this class! Learn the logic and scientific principles behind mix designs and sealers, avoid problems, and get more satisfied customers with fewer headaches.
Our first Mixes & Sealers 301 class in July 2007 was a huge hit! Andy from Ohio sums it up:
"Playing with mix design is akin to walking through a strange house in the dark. CCI's 301 turns on the lights."
What will I learn?
Detailed agenda
When, where and how much?
How do I sign up?
What will I learn?
This is the most technical class ever offered for concrete countertop makers. This class will help you solve any technical difficulties you might be having with mixes or sealers.
Whether you mix your own concrete or use a bagged mix, you need to understand the logic and scientific principles behind concrete mix design, so that you know what to do when something goes wrong. You need to know what proportions of sand, cement and aggregate are appropriate and why - what happens if you change the ratios? What kind of admixtures do you need and what do they really do?
In this class, you will take away a complete understanding of from-scratch mixes for concrete countertops, plus actual formulas for 2 very different from-scratch mixes. Use them as is, or incorporate them into your own mix design. Or, if you used bagged mixes, understand better how to troubleshoot or tweak them to meet the demands of different projects.
All concrete countertop makers must understand sealers, since the sealer dictates the final performance of the countertop. Sealers are the number one cause of customer callbacks and dissatisfaction.
In this class, you will learn the principles behind all of the different types of chemicals used to seal concrete, plus you will get hands-on instruction on 2 very different sealing systems with different looks and performance characteristics.
Whatever sealer you use in your business, learn how to test it, set customer expectations and ultimately have happier customers.
(Note: The sealers used in the class are commercially available, not CCI-proprietary. The Concrete Countertop Institute does not private label products.)
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Detailed Agenda - These topics are covered over 3 days:
Mix Design
- Fundamentals of concrete
- Cement
- Water
- W/C ratio
- Aggregates
- Strength development
- Curing
- Pozzolans
- Metakaolin
- Fly ash
- Others
- Admixtures
- Superplasticizers
- Accelerators
- Retarders
- Viscosity modifiers
- Liquid silicates
- Aggregate gradation
- Analyzing aggregate gradations
- Gradation types
- Effects on concrete properties
- Fibers
- Effects of workability and consistency on finished appearance
- Mix designs
- All-sand mix
- Coarse aggregate based mix
- Self consolidating concrete
- Lightweight concrete
- Mix design demonstrations
- Hands on mixing of various mixes
- Finished samples of various mixes
Sealers
- Types of sealers and their characteristics
- Penetrating
- Densifiers/Hardeners
- Repellants
- Topical
- Waxes
- Acrylics
- Epoxies
- Urethanes
- Polyaspartic ureas
- Penetrating
- How to test the performance properties of sealers
- Stain and acid resistance
- Heat resistance
- Scratch resistance
- UV resistance
- Ease of application
- Ease of maintenance and repair
- How to set customer expectations and prevent callbacks
- Contract language
- Owner’s Guide
- Application methods
- Wipe on
- Brushing
- Rolling
- Spraying – how to select and operate a spray gun
- Hands-on application of a lithium penetrating/hybrid sealing system
- Includes handout of detailed instructions
- Hands-on application of a high performance stain-resistant topical sealing system
by V-Seal.
Get detailed instruction and hands on practice on how to apply this multi-part system.
- Click here for more information about this high performance system and information on where to buy it. Consider joining Concrete Connections to receive a 5% discount on this sealer (save about $30 on a standard size kit) and a $45 discount on this class!
When, where, how much?
This class is held approximately quarterly at The Concrete Countertop Institute's
training facility in Raleigh, NC.
- This class is 3 days long, from 8:30am to 5:30pm each day.
- The maximum numbers of students CCI can accept for this class is 16.
- Tuition for the class is $1795.
Click here for the dates of the next scheduled Mixes & Sealers 301 class.
How do I sign up?
PREREQUISITE: This class assumes that you already know how to make concrete countertops. It does not teach templating, forming, reinforcing, coloring, grinding, installation or any other fundamentals of making concrete countertops. You must already know how to make concrete countertops, whether from taking a CCI Training class in the past or from your own experience. If you have not attended a CCI class, you MUST have at least 1 year of experience making concrete countertops as a business for paying customers. CCI reserves the right at its sole discretion to determine whether you are qualified to take the class.
* Because only concrete countertop professionals may attend this class, anyone accepted for this class is qualified to join Concrete Connections. Consider joining before registering, and receive a $45 discount on the tuition for this class.
Click here to register using our online system, or contact The Concrete Countertop Institute.
