Thank you for choosing Concreteworks East precast architectural products. Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) is a natural material composed of sand, cement, AR fibers, and water. Much like any natural material such as wood or stone, concrete is a porous material. We have sealed your concrete with a water based penetrating sealer that will provide active protection against staining. To ensure the lasting beauty of your concrete surfaces we recommend reviewing and practicing the following care and maintenance instructions.
Interior Products
Clean your interior precast products using mild soap (such as dish soap) and warm water with a microfiber towel or sponge. Spills should be wiped up as soon as possible. While the sealer performs well against stains from oils and acidic materials, prolonged exposure may cause penetration of the sealer and possible discoloration. Do not use heavy abrasive, bleach-based, or ammoniated cleansers. Use of such cleansers will wear down the sealer, cause discoloration, and will result in less stain resistance. We do not recommend use of most natural cleansers (which are often citrus based) as the cleaning agent, which are typically highly acidic and can damage natural materials. If using such cleaners on adjacent surfaces, such as windows, railings, panels or flooring, protect the concrete stairs from exposure.
For additional strength cleaning, the use of a neutral cleaner, such as Simple Green, diluted with warm water would be recommended to use with a soft bristle brush or light duty scrubbing pad. Always promptly wipe the surface clean with a damp microfiber towel, ensuring any cleaners are not allowed to dry on the concrete surface.
Exterior Products
To clean your exterior concrete stair treads on a daily or weekly basis, hose down the product using a typical variable water gun hose attachment. If there is a large amount of loose dirt or debris on the exterior, use a leaf blower to clean off the exterior beforehand. To remove more stubborn dirt marks, after the concrete product has been hosed down, use a wide soft bristle brush such as a marine/boat brush to scrub down the exterior and then rinse after. A neutral cleaner such as Simple Green can be used as well in regular cleaning of the product. A leaf blower can be used to dissipate water that may be remaining inside the voids or texture of the concrete panel. When cleaning adjacent surfaces, such as windows, railings, panels or flooring, protect the concrete panels from exposure to the cleaners used on those surfaces.
To clean your exterior product on a seasonal basis, use a neutral, non-muriatic acid concrete shampoo cleaner such as Simple Green or Prosoco 2010 All Surface Cleaner. Wet the exterior surface down with water and apply the cleaner as per the manufacturers dilution requirements. Use a wide soft bristle brush to scrub the exterior with the cleaner. Afterwards, use a pressure washer to rinse down the exterior. Be cautious of the distance of the nozzle from the surface and the width of the stream. A jet stream should not be used to prevent any etching of the surface. Additionally, at no point through the cleaning process should the cleaner be allowed to dry on the surface, therefore it is recommended to do this cleaning on a cool, cloudy day. Stair joints should be inspected to ensure joint fill material is in good condition. Refer to the joint fill material manufacturer’s product sheet for any maintenance instructions for that material. It is recommended following this cleaning that a new application of sealer is applied to the concrete stairs.
Sealing Re-Application
In the event the sealer is damaged or stripped from the concrete surface, your Concreteworks East precast stair treads will need to be refinished in order to provide the proper level of protection against staining. For maximum resistance against UV effects and staining, it is recommended that interior and exterior stair installations be sealed every year. Many sealers are available to consumers, though Concreteworks East would recommend Trinic H-13 for interior installed stairs and Prosoco Sure Klean WeatherSeal for exterior installed stairs. Your exterior and interior stair treads were originally sealed with this product by Concreteworks East. All sealers should be tested in an inconspicuous location prior to applying to the full installation and shall be applied per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Limited Warranty
CWE will give technical advice and support throughout the lifetime of our products. Natural variation in color, texture, and porosity may occur and are considered inherent and valued qualities of the material. Non-structural hairline cracks are possible and shall not be considered a manufacturing defect. Concreteworks, at its sole option, shall repair or replace a product if it fails solely due to a manufacturing defect during the first year after installation. This does not include reasonable labor charges to repair or reinstall the product and only applies to CWE products that have been handled, fabricated, installed, and maintained in the manner recommended by Concreteworks Studio East.