Founded in 1967, the Miami-Dade College campus in Kendall, Fla., offers a wide variety of academic programs and specialized institutes. Over the years, the campus’ concrete surfaces deteriorated, and the college contracted NuCrete Surgeons/Floor Technologies of Deerfield Beach, Fla., to rehabilitate them.

The project’s scope included 9,000 square feet of concrete overlay and resurfacing both indoors and outdoors for walkways, hallways and more. A non-porous, cementitious surface was required, and Rapid Set® TRU® Self-Leveling provided the solution. TRU’s fast setting time and high early strength also helped meet the tight timeframe for completion. Work was scheduled for a weekend, since the classrooms were active at the time and the campus could not shut down for work.

NuCrete’s crews began by shot-blasting the substrate to prepare the concrete to accept the cementitious surface. Next, workers applied Rapid Set® Acrylic Primer, which was ready to receive the overlay within three hours. The Acrylic Primer penetrates into the concrete’s pores to reduce the appearance of tiny pinholes when a self-leveling topping is applied. Next, TRU was mixed in a strong batch pump and installed at 3/8-inch thick throughout 9,000 square feet of old concrete. TRU flowed out evenly and created the flat surface that was needed. The contractor gave the surface a three-step grind and polish to achieve the desired results. It was then cut and sealed with a stain-resistant sealer to minimize maintenance requirements.

TRU also delivered the desired appearance for the project’s finished look. The client wanted a smooth finish that wouldn’t show stone or aggregate, a consistent finish achievable only with a cementitious topping. With guidance from experienced crews, TRU flowed smoothly to produce a uniform color and cured evenly for all 9,000 square feet within the tight deadline.