We’re skeptics when words like “revolutionary” are used to describe new products, but when it came to basalt fiber reinforcement for concrete, it’s the only word that fits.
To help explain why basalt is so perfectly suited for concrete reinforcement, we’ve asked Mike Heidebrink, President of Concrete Exchange, to share a few of the questions he answers daily about CX Basalt Fiber.
Q: What do you like about this product?
A: My favorite characteristic of basalt fiber is how it does not corrode. You can use it in exterior, interior, high heat, low heat, freezing, and marine environments – it does not degrade or decay.
Q: How is chopped basalt fiber used?
A: Add Basalt Fiber while mixing to break apart the strands into fine filaments. A common dosage for a 50lb bag of GFRC is 1/2lb of basalt fiber.
Q: Is this appropriate to use with all concrete mixes?
A: Yes, basalt fiber is compatible with all concrete mixes.
Q: After the concrete is cured, do you see the fiber in the concrete? Does it stick out of the surface?
A: That’s the beautiful thing about these fibers, they filamentize so finely that they don’t stick out of the concrete when troweled, and are barely visible when polished.
Q: How does the addition of basalt to my mix affect it’s work-ability?
A: At higher doses basalt will dramatically decrease the concrete’s slump. Consequently this lower slump enables you to use pour-able mixes as layup mixes for vertical applications.
Q: How strong will this make my concrete countertop?
A: This video should speak for itself:
Q: Why haven’t I heard of basalt fiber before?
A: It was classified until the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was the soviet’s equivalent to America’s carbon fiber and Kevlar. During the cold war it was kept under lock and key. Today you can find it being used in ballistic products, aeronautics, thermoplastics, and of course concrete reinforcement.
If you’ve got any other questions, leave a comment or Contact Us and we’d be glad to help you out.