Product Description
PerkTop™ provides an attractive, durable surface for regular pervious concrete. It also allows for more consistent results when working with pervious concrete. Different patterns with various colors are achieved easily.
PerkTop™ is applied ¼” to ½” thick on regular pervious concrete either at the same time it is being installed or after it has cured as an overlay. The compressive strength is about the same as most regular residential concrete, allowing for its use on patios, paths, any pedestrian areas, as well on driveways.
PerviousProducts’ PerkTop ™ is part of a family of products offering pervious solutions in different applications. PerkTop ™ is a carefully measured mix of specially-sized aggregate, cement, & admixes. The integral COLOR PACKS are available separately. It offers many advantages including providing an attractive, very fine surface with consistent results. There is no need to add color to the main, regular pervious concrete base, each batch of the base need not be identical, and macro fibers can be used thus replacing steel and minimizing the necessary thickness of the concrete. Simply mix 48 fluid ounces of water with one bag of PerkTop ™ by hand or in a mortar-type mixer and apply by trowel over the regular pervious concrete base.
Coverage
Each bag of PerkTop ™ mixed with one COLOR PACK covers approximately 15 square feet (sft).
Limitations
PerviousProducts’ PerkTop ™ is intended for use over properly mixed and placed regular pervious (porous, permeable) concrete. The pervious concrete should be placed over crushed drain rock (variable depth depending upon soil conditions & freeze-thaw concerns). In addition all the cautions of regular concrete should be adhered, including proper joint placement & not installing when temperatures are expected to fall below freezing within 24 hours.
Pervious concrete can exhibit excellent freeze-thaw resistance, though it should always be placed on a well-draining base, so that no standing water will be in the concrete. De-icing chemicals & salts should not be used on PerkTop ™.
PerkTop ™ should not be installed if rain is expected within 24 hours, nor should it be covered with plastic for extended periods of time. It should not be placed in very windy or hot weather, over 90* (see section 13 ‘Hot Weather Installation’).
Colors
PerkTop ™ is available in custom colors. Please enquire with your local salesperson as to availability and options. They are sold in separate COLOR PACKS, and are to be added one (1) per bag. The COLOR PACK should be mixed dry for a minute or two and then for a minimum of 3 minutes once the water has been added.
Storage & Shelf Life
Bags of PerkTop ™ should be kept out of direct sunlight and rain. When kept under a roof and off the floor the Shelf Life will be six (6) months from date of purchase.
Cautions
WARNING! Avoid breathing dust & contact with skin & eyes. Please request a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for PerkTop™ for more information on how to properly handle it.
Equipment & Materials
Magnesium hand floats should be used to move & begin finishing of PerkTop ™ Clean (rust free) steel trowels and fresnos are typically used for final finishing. Edgers & jointers with the desired radius will also be needed. 2” pieces of ¼” +/- 1/8” strips will need to be attached to the ends of a 2” x 4” screed board. A mortar mixing tray or mixer will be needed to mix thePerkTop ™ along with a clean container marked for 48 ounces of water.
A straight, smooth span (reaching across the forms) of 2” x 12” can be used to compact the newly screeded PerkTop™. Contractors can also use a weighted roller screed, e.g., bunyan or lura.
‘Confilm’ or equivalent type evaporation reducer should be mixed 5 parts water : 1 part ‘Confilm’ prior to beginning ofPerkTop ™ placement. This mixture should be stored in an airless type sprayer or high-quality, chemical-resistant garden type sprayer ready for immediate application as soon as the PerkTop ™ is being placed.
Pervious Concrete Base
Please see PerviousProducts’ ‘How to Install Pervious Concrete’ technical sheet or contact a PerkTop ™ salesperson.
Mixing
Weather needs to be considered carefully before deciding to install pervious concrete. It can be installed when the temperatures are between 45* & 90* Fahrenheit and no rain or freezing temperatures are expected within the next 24 hours. The ideal placement conditions are when the temperature is about 70* and it is overcast (in shade). The time to work pervious concrete will decrease when temperatures exceed 80*, in windy conditions and especially in full sun (see section 11 ‘Hot Weather Installation’, when any of these conditions are present.)
48 fluid ounces of water is to be mixed with each bag of PerkTop ™. The addition of the COLOR PACK will not affect this water requirement. PerkTop ™ can be mixed by hand in a mortar tray or in a mixer designed for mixing mortar (one that scrapes the sides). If a COLOR PACK is used, it should be mixed dry with the bag of PerkTop ™ for one to two minutes and then mixed for a minimum of 3 minutes once the water has been added.
PerkTop ™ should only be mixed once it is ready to be applied. If it is not applied immediately, it should be kept in the shade and periodically stirred to keep fresh. However even this time should be limited to 10 minutes or less. No additional water should ever be applied, but minimal misting may be required (see section 11 ‘Hot Weather Installation’).
Installation
Please see PerviousProducts’ ‘How to Install Pervious Concrete’ technical sheet for more detailed guidance on how to properly install the base pervious concrete.
A straight 2” x 4” notched a ¼” +/- 1/8” on both ends should be used to screed the base pervious concrete so that it is approximately ¼” down from the top of the forms. PerkTop ™ can be applied over the base pervious concrete while it is still fresh (wet), usually within 20 minutes. If the time is going to be longer (or during hot conditions), the base should be covered with plastic immediately after placing &/or shaded. In addition admixes can be added to the base pervious concrete to extend its working time.
Spend time prior to mixing &/or laying any pervious concrete to ensure each amount of base pervious concrete that is laid can be easily covered with PerkTop™ within the time limits.
PerkTop ™ be spread out by using a magnesium hand float and then screeded to the appropriate level, approximately ¼” above the forms or final grade. A straight 2” x 4” with 2”, ¼” +/- 1/8” strips at the ends that will run on top of the forms can be used.
A small pile of fresh PerkTop ™ should be kept at the edge of the screeding and new bags incorporated into it before continuing to screed. Time is of the essence because of the nature of pervious concrete it will begin to set immediately upon exposure to air. The ‘Confilm’ mix should be sprayed on PerkTop ™ as soon as it is screeded. More can be applied as necessary, being careful not to overapply.
If one is not using a roller type screed, then a clean, smooth 2” x 12” board can be used to compact the newly screededPerkTop ™. The tops of the forms should be scraped clean of any loose rocks first, then the board can be gently hammered until it is flush with the tops of both forms. NOTE: Make sure to scrape loose rocks from the bottom of the board too (also ‘Bubblegum’ type liquid release can be used) and to always work with clean tools. Immediately following compaction, extraPerkTop ™ should be filled along the edges & then finished with a concrete edger. NOTE: It is important to ensure that any edges or joints are well compacted. Finally using the hand magnesium float give a final finish to the entire area.
One needs to finish these operations steadily & efficiently. Always assume that the time one has to work with pervious concrete is limited. The actual time available will vary greatly depending on the design of the base pervious concrete and the weather, in particular whether or not it is in the sun.
Hot Weather Installation
Do not place PerkTop ™ when the temperature exceeds 90* Fahrenheit. Take extra precautions when the temperature is between 80* & 90* or in windy conditions. Also if the temperature is above 65* & the area is in the sun, take precautions.
In these conditions, PerkTop ™, must be kept protected & out of direct sunlight before & during mixing. Cool water should be used for the mix. Once mixed, PerkTop ™ should be kept in shade, protected until installed.
If PerkTop ™ is not immediately applied after mixing, it should be remixed every few minutes. In addition, if necessary, a very light misting from a hand water bottle set to mist can be used, and then the batch should be thoroughly mixed again. IfPerkTop ™ begins to dry out, loose its shine, it should be thrown out, never try to re-temper (add water).
In these conditions the base pervious concrete should be covered with a heavy (4 mil or greater) plastic until the PerkTop ™is ready to be applied. This should normally occur within ½ hour of placing the base pervious concrete, but can be extended depending upon the admixes used in the base.
Curing
No special curing techniques are necessary for PerkTop ™. Notably do not cover with plastic. The use of plastic can cause efflorescence, a whitish appearance on the surface. However sealing with ‘2000 Supreme’ prior to or after temporary application of plastic can prevent or eliminate efflorescence conditions. If one does require the temporary use of plastic to protect freshly placed PerkTop ™ from a sudden rain event or other, it should be removed as soon as possible.
Sealing
PerkTop ™ is recommended to be sealed with ‘2000 Supreme’ from ‘Surfkoat’ to ensure proper color retention. The sealer can be applied either immediately after placing PerkTop™ or at any point thereafter. NOTE: Some reduction in porosity will be experienced but usually not more than 25% (typical flow rate is in excess of 150” an hour). It is usually best to apply these sealers with a High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) type sprayer or any chemically compatible airless type sprayer (in which case a cone type nozzle is recommended so as to avoid over application) and per the coverage rates & application requirements of regular concrete.
Maintenance
PerkTop ™ is maintained like any regular concrete hardscape, by sweeping, blowing or pressure washing. It can also be sealed (see above section 13. ‘Sealing’) to help maintain the color, minimize staining, & provide even more durability of the surface.
Extra care should be taken not to allow sand or soil to get on the surface. If the surface does get clogged, it can be pressure washed to return most of the original permeability. NOTE: PerkTop ™ is designed for flow rate of over 150” an hour, even if it were to get 90% clogged, it will still accept most rain events.
Availability
Currently PerkTop ™ is available online only @ www.PerviousProducts.com. We will soon begin distribution through retail outlets, so please encourage one near you to contact PerviousProducts about stocking our pervious concrete related products.
Warranty
PerviousProducts warrants that its products are of