New ASTM F3513 Standard Puts Spotlight on Single-Component Systems

By Dean E. Craft, Principal, ISE Logik Industries, Inc.

As published in ProInstaller Magazine https://piprolink.com/new-astm-f3513-standard-puts-spotlight-on-single-component-systems/

Editor’s Note: This article was written in collaboration with Dennis Bradway, technical director, Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI).

The Committee F06 on Resilient Floor Coverings recently approved a new standard: ASTM F3513 Standard Practice for Single Component, Fluid-Applied Membrane-Forming Moisture Mitigation Systems for Use Under Resilient Floor Coverings. This new standard is the culmination of more than four years of effort by members of the F06 Committee and is available from ASTM International (www.astm.org).

The overarching issue is concrete slabs emit moisture vapor over time, whether from excess water at time of placement, or rewetting events after placement up until the time of installation. These emissions can cause severe damage to adhesives, primers and flooring, and lead to potentially dangerous environmental health concerns for its occupants.

Complicating the issue, the interior of concrete usually exhibits extremely high pH levels. As Ray Thompson Jr., wrote in 2010 in Floor Covering Installer: “Excessive moisture vapor movement will bring additional hydroxides (alkalis) to the surface and cause pH levels to increase,” resulting in an attack on the directly adhered materials on two fronts—alkaline and moisture.

To combat this, the commercial flooring industry recommends contractors perform several field concrete moisture tests, with specific limits, before the final installation. However, a significant body of literature has developed stating new construction concrete most likely will not pass these tests, leading to utilization of a moisture mitigation system to keep flooring installation and final project completion on track.

Since 2013, ASTM F3010 Standard Practice for Two-Component Resin Based Membrane-Forming Moisture Mitigation Systems for Use Under Resilient Floor Coverings has been the only ASTM standard addressing topically applied moisture mitigation systems for use on concrete prior to installing resilient flooring. However, F3010 is extremely specific to a narrow class of two-component, resin-based products.

Now with the publication of ASTM F3513, manufacturers of single-component products can market them with reference to an ASTM standard in the same manner two-component products have been for more than a decade. Though F3010 compliant systems are certainly tried and true and remain available, F3513 compliant products may offer the entire construction spectrum—from design to install to occupy—more economical and efficient options to address concerns of elevated concrete moisture.

Products that meet the requirements of the new ASTM F3513 standard offer several potential advantages for moisture mitigation in resilient flooring applications. First is ease of application. Compared to two-component systems, single-component products generally require less mixing and preparation. Many of these products come right out of the bucket and are applied in the same way as many flooring adhesives.

Additionally, since single-component systems are generally easier to apply, projects can be less dependent on highly specialized labor, potentially reducing labor costs and ensuring a more consistent installation quality across different skill levels. It should also be noted many F3513 products require less aggressive concrete surface profiling (CSP) compared to F3010 products. In many cases, F3513 products may only require CSP 1 whereas the default for F3010 products is CSP 3.

F3513 compliant products can also be more cost-effective due to lower manufacturing, packaging and utilization costs. While a two-component system must be used within a certain timeframe or it becomes waste, many one-component products can be simply resealed in their container and remain available for later use.

Another potential benefit is some single-component systems may be lower in VOCs and solvents, aligning better with green building certifications and environmental goals in construction projects. As we consider how to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, all aspects of a system must be considered including number of components, application, packaging, transportation, etc.

These advantages make ASTM F3513 a valuable addition to industry standards, providing increased flexibility, efficiency and accessibility for moisture mitigation systems in resilient flooring applications.? Yet, while ASTM F3513 offers notable potential benefits, there remain important aspects to consider before use. Since the new F3513 standard encompasses a wider range of single-component products, it can lead to more variability in performance compared to two-component, resin-based products. This could lead to inconsistent results if the wrong product is selected for specific conditions.

A close reading of both standards, however, will show that: “systems to be qualified under this practice shall have a vapor permeance no greater than 0.10 grains ?h ?ft2/in. Hg, (perm) when tested in accordance with Test Method E96 Procedure B (water method at 73.4 °F (23 °C)) when applied at the recommended thickness designated by its manufacturer. The relative humidity of the test chamber used to perform the Test Method E96 Procedure B test shall be 50 % +/- 2 %.”

In other words, materials that comply with F3513 must meet the same vapor permeance criteria as F3010 two-component systems. However, one difference in the two standards is the required tensile bond strength during mock-up evaluation. While both standards use the same method to evaluate post-installation tensile strength (ASTM D7234 Test Method for Pull-Off Adhesion Strength of Coatings on Concrete Using Portable Pull-Off Adhesion Testers), they have different acceptance criteria.

F3010 clearly states “the results must be equal to or greater than 200 psi with failure in the concrete,” while F3513 notes “results should be equal to or greater than the published requirements of the single component, fluid-applied membrane-forming moisture mitigation system manufacturer.” This should not necessarily be cause for concern. Rather it is a result of two-component systems, with their greater surface profile requirements, creating a greater mechanical bond with the substrate.

Regarding indentation, F3513 compliant systems must meet a much more exacting standard than F3010 products. F3513 states: “systems…shall not contribute to unacceptable indentation, when properly installed under resilient flooring,” while F3010 states: “systems shall not contribute to unacceptable indentations in some types of resilientflooring under some conditions of use.”

Relatedly, F3513 products must meet a static load requirement F3010 products do not. Static load is not mentioned at all in F3010, while F3513 contains this language: “Static load resistance shall be determined in accordance with Test Method F970. The one-part moisture mitigation system shall be applied on to a hard nonporous substrate (concrete, metal, etc.) at recommended application rate, then allowed to fully cure. Using 250 psi loading, product is tested 24 hrs. under load, then residual indent measured after 24 hr. recovery. Residual indentation shall be 0.002 in. (0.05 mm) or less.”

While F3513 broadens product options, creates opportunities for cost savings, and can streamline slab surface preparation and product application processes, ensuring proper product specification and selection is crucial to avoid potential misconceptions. Specifiers and end users need to be sure they understand the differences between the standards, and not simply focus on potential benefits. Most importantly, they must be certain there are no compatibility issues between the selected moisture mitigation and the resilient flooring to be installed.

About the Author: Dean Craft, principal of ISE Logik Industries, Inc., is a voting member of both the ASTM F06 Committee on Resilient Flooring and Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing. He is the principal author and technical chair of ASTM F3191 - Standard Practice for Field Determination of Substrate Water Absorption (Porosity) for Substrates to Receive Resilient Flooring; F3441 - Standard Guide for the Measurement of pH Below Resilient Flooring Installations; and F3513 - Standard Practice for Single Component, Fluid-Applied Membrane-Forming Moisture Mitigation Systems for Use Under Resilient Floor Coverings.