SSD - Saturated Surface Dry

In this episode, Dirk Tharpe, the Carolinas' Concrete Cowboy explains what SSD, Saturated Surface Dry, means and why understanding SSD is so critical to successful concrete repair applications.

[@pazooter]

I rarely take advice from cowboys, but you seem to know, and was able to teach, the information I was looking for. Thank you.

[@marjansalahi5171]

Thx for the video very interesting. As a Swiss civil engineer i'll summ it up saying that you dont want the concreate to change its state so you dont want it to loose or gain humdity/water in contact with an other material or surface. Thanks to the saturation, as well explainaed, the state of the concreate will not change and will be as good as the rest of it far from any other surfaces or materials. Keep doing interesting videos!

[@foryourspirit3995]

Great video! Great info and presentation sirs!! Thank you! One small request, please turn off your auto-focus when it’s already in focus. Otherwise it keeps jumping in and out, back and forth.

[@dc-wp8oc]

The hits just keep on coming. Great explanation of a little understood subject. Would bet that the majority of folks spending their days in masonry, wouldn't have a clue about this concept. As usual, the Carolinas Concrete Cowboy is right on target.

[@chris2790]

Thanks, wasn't 100% sure of what SSD meant. Explaining it as neither taking or giving moisture to repair material being placed on top of substrate is perfect. Basically it's equilibrium with respect to the amount of moisture in the substrate.

[@pattyeverett7779]

Getting one of those pump sprayers now. Thank you. Arthritis in my hands

[@johnswimcat]

I'm helping friends restore an old concrete block swimming pool in Wales UK. I've been spraying the background with water then grouting with a cement + SBR slurry immediately before applying the render which is 5:1 sand cement with SBR. It seems to be sticking well so far but I wish I'd watched this video before I did it! The moisture balance idea, neither in nor out, makes perfect sense

[@carolinasconcretecowboy-di9499]

Keep every step moist before applying the next. Good luck to you sir!

[@johnswimcat]

@@carolinasconcretecowboy-di9499 Thank you Dirk. I think we've got away with it because I've tried chipping off a few test areas and the render is well stuck to the background. I'm rendering in cool, fairly damp conditions so I think we've been lucky but if the weather had been warm and dry I suspect SSD would have been essential. I always sprayed areas to be grouted a few minutes before grouting. The SBR cement grout was never allowed to dry before applying the render. Would pressure washing the background shortly before grouting be a good way of soaking it?

[@torrance8577]

Fantastic video - extremely helpful!

[@055nirupamkolanki8]

Awesome...keep it going sir...

[@carolinasconcretecowboy-di9499]

The Cowboy rides again. New post today! Thank you!

[@stoichiometry147]

Thank you

[@georgeindia5103]

It is very clear and useful explanation..

[@zagros90]

Amazing information

[@carolinasconcretecowboy-di9499]

Thank you!

[@ygone17]

Thank you sir, I appreciate your explanation of ssd. My final project is about the reinforcement with FRCM system . I would like to listen your comments on FRCM applications.

[@carolinasconcretecowboy-di9499]

Partner, sorry for missing your question, been busy on the trail. Trust me, you are best off contacting Simpson Strong Tie and ask their good folks in Technical Services any and all you want to know about FRCM. They are quite thorough and it is always wise to hear it straight from the "horses' mouth". Best of luck with your project.

[@bmack2938]

What about moisture behind in a crawl space?

[@TarakParab2]

If it's too moist, that is, on touching the surface you can feel moisture on your hands, then it is not Saturated Surface "Dry", rather it is Saturated Surface "Wet". If the surface looks wet and on touching it your hands may feel cool but the moisture is not felt on you hand then it is sufficiently saturated and almost surface dry, considering the moisture may evaporate by the time you apply the concrete. In theory, there should be enough water inside the member that it will not absorb more water from the concrete, but the surface should be dry enough so that loose water should not add to the applied concrete.

[@lendavidhart9710]

That guys repair may have cracked because the mixture was to rich

[@The13point1]

Sementitious cementitious potato potato