Using corrosion inhibitors for buildings under construction prevents delays and undoubtedly saves a lot of money, resources, and time required to complete the project.
There are a lot of factors that cause delays in construction project completion.
Some of these include;
- Poor communication, conflict, and lack of coordination between stakeholders.
- Shortage and delays in delivery of construction materials.
- Freezing weather during winter – may not necessarily stop construction, but it will undoubtedly slow down the process.
- Poor planning, among other issues.
You may face delays during construction. However, these delays will not stop mother nature from corroding critical components of the building, e.g., exposed rebars. That’s where Cortec’s Migration Corrosion Inhibitor (MCI®) comes into the picture.
You can supplement MCI® with other Cortec products, as you will see later in this post. These supplementary products will help enhance corrosion protection during construction delays.
This post will also look into damage control if early corrosion inhibiting methods if you did not use them during construction delays.
Corrosion Inhibitors for Buildings & Exposed Construction Materials
Since construction delays happen abruptly, there is a great probability that some critical construction materials might be left exposed. This exposure further causes corrosion that weakens the building significantly.
Some of the most commonly exposed construction materials are reinforcing bars essential in any building’s structure. When rebars start deteriorating because of corrosion, the building’s structural integrity becomes questionable.
Apart from rebars, construction tools might also be left exposed.
There are two effective and economical ways of handling this type of corrosion:
- Using MCI® CorShield coating on fully or partially exposed rebars
- Wrapping construction tools and other smaller construction objects in MCI® construction film
MCI® CorShield® is ideal for both new and existing rebars as a corrosion inhibitor. Applying this corrosion coating offers medium protection against corrosion.
It is ideal for outdoor usage.
When applying this inhibitor on partially exposed rebars, you do not have to remove it before proceeding with the construction process. It can be embedded in concrete because it is robust (MCI® CorShield® is ASTM A944-99-approved for steel bond strength).
On the other hand, using MCI® construction film to protect tools and other smaller construction objects from corrosion is highly effective. The construction film contains a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor.
VpCI diffuses and condenses on the surfaces of metals, creating a molecular protection layer. Apart from corrosion, this film protects tools and other small metal objects from harsh storage conditions.
Handling Post Tensioning Grouting Using a Proper Corrosion Inhibitor
Cortec’s Migrating Corrosion Inhibitor (MCI®-309) is an ideal corrosion inhibitor for proper grouting post tension ducts. It would be best to use it in case of construction delays for close to or more than two weeks.
It is a powder-based corrosion inhibitor not to be confused with VpCI 309. MCI®-309 forms a protective molecular layer offering multi-metal corrosion protection in enclosed spaces. It is practical, economical, and convenient.
Using MCI® correctly will unquestionably save you a lot of money that would have otherwise been used to repair corrosion damages.
Damage Control After Construction Delays
- Keep Your Construction Site Clean. A clean construction site is essential as it will significantly affect the effectiveness of activities such as paint finishing or waterproofing. Cortec Corporation also produces MCI®-2061 and MCI®-2062, effectively cleaning or degreasing construction sites. These two products do away with spilled oils and grease in buildings under construction. They use good bacteria and organic surfactants to clean and degrease oil & grease stains. It is essential to keep your construction site clean using biodegradable products, especially before waterproofing or coating. MCI®-2061 disperses oil and grease stains while MCI®-2062 digests organic hydrocarbons. It would be best to clean stains as soon as they spill because waiting will make MCI®-2061 and MCI®-2062 take longer to disperse and digest oils and grease.
- Handling Reinforcing Bars with Rust. It is essential to handle rusted rebars quickly, as it could significantly affect the structural integrity of a building. After construction delays, you can handle rebars with rust by applying a thin inert layer over the exposed sections of the rebar.In addition, inspecting partially built reinforced concrete for corrosion is vital. If there are signs of corrosion on the reinforced concrete, it would be best to mitigate the problem as fast as possible.
One of the most effective ways of doing that is using MCI®-2018 or MCI®-2020. These two products from Cortec® are surface-applied corrosion inhibitors. They passivate steel rebars and significantly slow down the corrosion rate.
For more information here check out our article on metal parts corrosion protection in outdoor conditions.
Final Thoughts on Using Cortec’s MCI® Corrosion Inhibitor
Construction delays are unpredictable, and it would be best if you’d prevent corrosion from affecting your unfinished building. When these delays happen, rebars and construction tools are the most commonly exposed construction materials.
You inhibit corrosion on rebars by applying an MCI® CorShield® protective coating which is quite effective. MCI® construction film is ideal for tools and other small metals.
In case you failed to control corrosion after the delay happened and after some time, the construction resumes, consider using these damage control methods:
- MCI®-2061 and MCI®-2062 to clean or degrease construction sites before waterproofing or finishing.
- MCI®-2018 and MCI®-2020 to passivate rebars, consequently reducing the rate of corrosion.
It would be best to consider using these practical and economical products from Cortec®. You can always contact us anytime for more information on these products
