All ARDEX products have been engineered to work in real UK site conditions, but during higher temperatures or during prolonged sunny spells, precautions should be taken to minimise the impact the temperature may have, including rapid stiffening and hardening, a reduced working time and accelerated drying, which can lead to an increased risk of shrinkage and cracking.
Always ensure that ARDEX products are stored away from direct sunlight. Products stored outside must be shaded and protected from the elements. High temperatures can also drastically heat up materials stored in vans and other vehicles.
Always run the mix water until it is cool before using it to mix an ARDEX product. Hosepipes exposed to direct sunlight can heat water up rapidly, so they should be shaded. Water stored in buckets, water drums or other on-site methods should be avoided where possible.
Mix products in a shaded area to avoid the mixing tools becoming hot and ensure that tools are cleaned straight after use to avoid a build-up of material and contamination between mixes.
Warm surfaces will accelerate setting times, so a surface thermometer, infra-red or Protimeter MMS/2 machine, can be used to plan installation procedures. Tenting, shading and windbreaks, or working early in the morning can help control the substrate temperature.
In some cases, absorbent substrates such as concrete, aerated block, render, brickwork etc may have higher porosity than under normal conditions. To help with application and reduce suction, consider damping down the surface with water or priming with 1 part of ARDEX P 51 Primer mixed with 7 parts water.
Consider reducing the size of your working area at the planning stage to ensure that the materials are installed as quickly as possible.
To reduce the increased risk of surface shrinkage, cracking, and differential drying, shade the working area and use temporary windbreaks. For screeded areas, an impervious protective sheet should be considered.
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