Constructive Construction

Constructive Construction

The construction industry and Global Environmental Solutions go hand in hand. We created our suite of products with the idea of new construction in mind – bolstering the integrity of the surfaces in use while maintaining the integrity of the earth as it is shaped to best serve the project. The world is our sandbox, but we must be sure to not cause damage to our natural resources while we reimagine the way the earth’s surface can be worked by us.

Let’s take a quick look at what some of our products are doing to aide in seamless, strengthened and environmentally friendly construction.

DustLess®: As workers create temporary construction roads around the construction site, dust remediation as a must as the bulk of construction vehicles churn up a lot of dust as the roads dry out and are in a constant state of active transport usage. The dust kicked up can harm equipment, the ecosystem, and the health of the workers – as well as compromise surrounding communities. Keeping dust controlled and continually managed is achieved through the use of DustLess® – an environmentally safe dust suppressant that eliminates the need to water and does not dry out. Clear and odorless, DustLess® is highly refined and proven to be non-toxic to humans, animals, marine life and vegetation. DustLess® dust suppressant comes ready to use (no water or mixing required), making it perfect for applications at construction sites, unpaved roads, gravel parking lots, mining sites, and quarries.

DirtGlue® polymer: Like DustLess®, DirtGlue® polymer is a means of prepping the construction site for action. DirtGlue® polymer primes and readies the terrain to protect it against wind and water erosion by crusting the surface anywhere on the construction project that may be susceptible to any form of erosion. You don’t want loose soil on the construction site unless it is held in place to eliminate dust, sediment and erosion. All loose, disturbed soil should be protected with DirtGlue polymer in order to eliminate the threat of washout or an embankment collapse. DirtGlue® polymer is a liquid concentrate that, when diluted with water and applied to the soil surface, bonds the individual soil particles together. The application then dries to form a “crust” that strengthens the surface of the soil enabling it to prevent dust, sediment, and erosion for extended periods of time providing soil erosion control and embankment stabilization. DirtGlue® polymer and associated products are also quite helpful when it comes to achieving Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans compliance.

MasonProof™: is a highly concentrated masonry waterproofing agent that tackles anything a construction project needs for complete, long-term waterproofing the different structural challenges that come with new and/or improved masonry building installations. MasonProof™ is the waterproofing agent of choice when it comes to the application of concrete walls, concrete floors, concrete blocks, bricks, tiles, pavers, paths, driveways and so much more. Engineers, construction contractors and builders deal with the destructive chemical reactions cement-based building materials suffer due mainly to the exposure to water, which acts as a reaction medium or solvent in this destruction. Film formers/barrier type technologies (coatings) have been widely used, but due to weathering and ultra violet exposure these coatings have limited lifespan and thus periodic reparative applications are required. This issue has been revolutionarily remediated with the all-inclusive protective properties of MasonProof™. Choosing MasonProof™ for masonry waterproofing applications increases water-resistance and provides long-term protection, which is essential for preservation of the structure and preservation of the owner’s dollars. Water is masonry’s worst enemy – MasonProof is masonry’s best friend because it really works.

DirtGlueDry™ powdered polymer: is a powerful, high-tech polymer specifically engineered to be mixed with sand to eliminate washouts and erosion between pavers, bricks, patio blocks, and flagstones in walkways, driveways, patios, etc. The added strength helps keep the pavers in place and helps prevent weeds and all types of vegetation from growing in the joints and eliminate insects such as ants. Using DirtGlueDry™ powdered polymer as the binder for the infill material for your paver project allows the project to be cleaned with a leaf blower or pressure washer without losing the joint infill.

DGE Polymer Pavement System: When the project is a road, DirtGlue® Polymer Pavement System is the ultimate solution for roadway integrity, stabilization, and power. The DGE Polymer Pavement System consists of a solid foundation, a waterproofing agent (TerraDry®) and a powerful, high-tech bonding agent (DirtGlue® Industrial). It is significantly less expensive to construct and maintain than Asphalt or Concrete while producing a permanent, hardened driving surface that equals or exceeds the strength and lifespan of Asphalt at the same application thickness. The DGE Polymer Pavement System requires less construction equipment than Asphalt or Concrete by reducing the need to remove inferior soil and haul in aggregate base material, thus reducing construction time! It insures a durable smooth surface that resists erosion and traffic shear. This fully functioning system eliminates mud in the wet season and dust in the dry season. The DGE Polymer Pavement System is safe for the environment.

DirtGlue®: Hydroseeding and Hydromulching with DirtGlue® is the solution for the aesthetic and landscaping parts of a construction project. From hydroseeding/mulching to general terrain washout worries, these two products are powerful and proven. As is custom in all of our vast line of products, DirtGlue® is a forward-thinking solution to surrounding terrain and soil preparation as it pertains to hydroseeding and planting needs. It is the combination of two highly effective components that give you unmatched vegetation development. The DirtGlue® hydromulch tackifier formulation does not contain any wood and very little paper as is common in many fiber or mulch products used in hydroseeding. It uses 30% compost, so it provides a better growing medium for the vegetation and is easier to apply because of its unique consistency. DirtGlue® helps hydroseed / hydromulch equipment resist nozzle clogging because of the compost, as well as the size and type of fiber, which comprises our special blend. DirtGlue® polymer is a superior tackifier for the hydromulch system described above. Unlike conventional tackifiers, DirtGlue is completely waterproof once cured and will eliminate washouts even in the worst, torrential rain events. It preforms better than any other tackifier on the market!

DirtGlue® polymer penetrates the surface binding with the soil to form a tough, durable, three-dimensional matrix layer of protection and soil stabilization. Combining superior film strength and adhesive properties, DirtGlue® polymer is the ideal solution for dust control in non-traffic areas, stockpile capping, and stabilizing slopes and embankments. When hydroseeding, substituting DirtGlue® polymer in place of other soil stabilization products increases germination rate, decreases germination time, and eliminates washouts and rilling while providing better erosion control.

Whew. That was a mouthful. The long and short of it is this: If you’re planning or spec’ing a construction project and you don’t have Global Environmental Solutions in mind as a working piece of your operative mission, give us a call. We’ll show you what you could be missing out on and prove to you that these products are going to help your own initiatives wind up second to none. When quality and conservation are vital, GES is your welcoming, powerful partner.

Global Environmental Solutions: For the earth, with the earth in mind.

To get a brief overview of all our products and their unique attributes, click here.

Can MasonProof™ Waterproof a Cardboard Box? Yes. Yes it Can.

Cardboardbox

When it comes to masonry projects, the thing to think about is how waterproof your tackifying agent is. After all, “looking good” only goes so far if it doesn’t last. Who wants to regrout on an annual basis to repair cracked seams and problem areas that water can seep into? Nobody, that’s who.

That’s the biggest reason we create MasonProof™. It’s every mason’s (or general person’s) best friend when one starts in on creating a beautiful patio, or tiling a shower (there are far more options, but, we don’t want to bore you with a long list…)

How does MasonProof™ work?

Nano sized MasonProof™ penetrates up to 5mm deep into the substrate and provides repellency into the pores of cement-based structures where other film formers like silicone resins, acrylic resins, and epoxy resins cannot penetrate. Because it functions at the microscopic level it does not eliminate the breathability of the treated structure.

Is it easy to use?

In short, absolutely. Whether you’re a professional or a recreational project tackler, the MasonProof™ product is quite simple to use, really. It’s easily applied by spray, brush or roller to new or existing masonry structures to protect them from mildew, fungus, efflorescence, leaching, staining, scaling, and spalling corrosion of steel within reinforced concrete is reduced or eliminated.

Ideal for use on:

  • Bricks and mortar
  • Concrete slabs
  • Paths and driveways
  • Masonry blocks and pavers
  • Cement render walls
  • Showers and bathroom accents
  • Floors
  • Stucco
  • Grout

Check out this recent test we conducted to see if our MasonProof™ product could waterproof a cardboard box. Think about how porous a cardboard box is and try to imagine a way that it can take on, and hold in, water. The test showcased here illustrates adding water to an untreated box, and a box treated with the MasonProof™ solution. Considering the host, the results are pretty impressive.

Choosing MasonProof™ for masonry waterproofing applications increases water-resistance and provides long-term protection, which is essential for preservation of the structure and preservation of the owner’s dollars. When compared to competitive solutions you’ll quickly learn that MasonProof™:

  • Is not a film-former like other products on the market
  • Is not a surface sealer like other products on the market
  • It penetrates deeply into the masonry substrate, working from the inside out
  • It is, for all intents and purposes, permanent waterproofing protection

Questions or in need of a consult for your impending project? We’re happy to hear you and talk through whatever you’re up to!

 

Going Green Across the Board – Creating Safe, Stabilized Terrain, Safely

GES Green Across the Board

Here’s the thing – soil stabilization and dust remediation are challenges that are faced and dealt with on a daily basis around the globe. There are myriad options, as we discuss at length throughout the sources on our own site here, and as you’ll find in your own research. Some options are cheaper than others, as is the case with any market you dive into. That’s what competition is all about. The thing is, sometimes cheaper isn’t better. Especially in this industry. In fact, cheaper can perhaps lead to grave consequence. You see, when you’re dealing with soil and other moving pieces and parts (dust, particles, etc.), you need to be conscious of what’s happening in and around the site you’re treating. It’s imperative, as a race, that we’re not causing more harm to the ecological environment that surrounds the areas we’re working with / in.

Going green has different implications. Going green from our vantage point is not only about saving money, but also, utilizing a soil stabilization and dust remediation product that is not causing harm to the environment. It’s strengthening it – in more ways than one.

Global Environmental Solutions’ “green,” environmentally-friendly products continue to be used by professionals in the construction industry, demolition, contaminated soils sites, the mining industry, militaries around the world, and energy sectors to preserve air quality, save energy, reduce strain on natural resources, and lower costs of completing various dust control, erosion control, sediment control and stabilization projects.

As the manufacturer and supplier of the very best-in-class soil stabilization products since 2001, Global Environmental Solutions supplies a wide array of green products worldwide to benefit the environment as well as reduce cost and increase effectiveness for all industries that must deal with hazardous dust or require soil stabilization.

The development of these extremely effective products came about because of the ever increasing need throughout the world to keep the environment clean in an ever more active world. The soil stabilization industry needs to have a vision that allows for environmental sensitivity and the transparency to create products that are not only effective but also totally safe for the environment.

For example, DustLess® is the trademarked synthetic organic fluid dust control recognized worldwide as the most effective product in its class. DustLess® works without water to provide dust control for up to a year with a single cost effective application. This is important (and should be), and is GES’ legacy to the world we live in.

Questions or comments? Reach out!

Global Environmental Solutions: For the Earth, With the Earth in Mind.

Comparing DirtGlue® Polymer with other Latex Polymer Emulsions on the Market

Dirtglue Polymer Comparison

We get a lot of questions with regard to our DirtGlue® polymer, the ensuing line of products containing this technology, how it responds to varying application variables, and how it stacks up to other polymers on the market. It’s a fair thought to have, and we’re happy to answer it for you.

First things first:

What is DirtGlue® polymer emulsion?

DirtGlue® is an environmentally safe, powerful styrene/butadiene copolymer that produces highly effective control of dust and erosion thereby stabilizing the soil. DirtGlue® polymer emulsions are designed to coat and bond soil particles together. They are formulated to fill the microscopic spaces between soil particles that are essentially in direct contact with each other and will achieve their highest level of performance under those conditions.

How does DirtGlue® compare to other polymers and copolymers?

It’s the goal of Global Environmental Solutions to offer a line of products that harness the advantages of latex acrylic polymer emulsions. Compared to other latex polymers like Polyvinyl Acetate (PVAs) or Vinyl Acetate Ethylene polymers (VAEs) that are used in the same industry, pure acrylics offer crucial and industry relevant advantages:

  • Superior bonding strength (more durable film, tougher crust).
  • High UV resistance (increased longevity).
  • Superior hydrophobicity (extremely water resistant).

In order to use acrylic polymer effectively, GES decided to address two functional attributes. First, the temperature range in which acrylic polymer could cure sufficiently was felt to be too narrow. Second, although acrylic is less susceptible to water reabsorption than the other latex products, it was felt that improvement was necessary.

GES has spent years researching and developing our unique, eco-friendly suite of products to study and improve the performance of the acrylics for soil stabilization while keeping the substantial advantages already inherent in the product. Our research and development efforts involved fine tuning a blend of the acrylic polymer with proprietary additives. The result of these efforts has created a powerful acrylic polymer with the
following outstanding characteristics:

  • High resistance to UV degradation.
  • Superior bonding strength in all applications.
  • Expanded temperature range, applications are also successful at low temperatures.
  • Enhanced flexibility of cured product, brittleness has been eliminated, and durability has been 
increased in freeze-thaw cycles.
  • Extreme water resistance – the cured products are nearly impervious to water.
  • Smooth and consistent film forming capabilities at low temperatures.

Despite the obvious advantages of pure acrylic polymers for the soil stabilization industry, most other companies use vinyl based polymer emulsions and copolymer blends of vinyl like PVAs or VAEs.

These vinyl-based products are slightly cheaper, offer relatively good flexibility, and have certain bonding capabilities. However, the disadvantages outweigh these characteristics.

Disadvantages of vinyl based products:

  • Low UV resistance.
  • Average bonding strength for most applications.
  • Susceptible to water reabsorption after long-term, continuous exposure to water weakening the 
product substantially (poor hydrophobicity).

There is another, lesser-known product that is used in the soil stabilization industry. This product is known as ultra filtered (UF). Its only advantage is a very low cost. It is typically made up of a blend of latex polymers, which is derived from the wash water of the polymer tanks between batches of the polymer making process.

The process involves extracting clean water from polymer-contaminated water that has been used to flush the tanks and lines after making the various latex polymers. Once most of the water has been extracted the remaining water that is contaminated with a blend of various latex polymers is either disposed of or sold extremely cheaply to the dust control industry.

There are several problems with this product:

  • The major that it’s made of a blend of many different materials and is always different. There is no consistency of product and therefore no consistency of application quality.
  • The market strategy of most, if not all other vendors is to buy huge quantities of the UF product for extremely low cost. They keep reapplying, which in most cases is many times due to the weakness and inconsistency of the product.

What have we learned?

We believe that DirtGlue® is the only polymer soil stabilization company that goes through an extensive testing program of all of the polymer before it becomes DirtGlue®. We have several very specific characteristics that the polymer must have in order to become DirtGlue®. Some of these are film forming quality, film forming temperature range, film strength, bonding strength, UV stability, hydrophobicity, and unconfined compressive strength (wet & dry). We have a chemist that has developed tests for all of the above to ensure consistent product and therefore consistent application and performance.

Global Environmental Solutions has positioned its products differently than all other latex polymer emulsions in the soil stabilization industry. We use only acrylics for superior UV stability and strength. These desirable characteristics are enhanced through the use of proprietary additives. Additives also permit the use of these better quality acrylics at a wide range of temperatures. Additives give the superior flexibility to an otherwise brittle product and create a tough, flexible film that is nearly impervious to water reabsorption. For these reasons DirtGlue® is a superior choice for any soil stabilization solution.

At a glance:

DirtGlue DVA Acrylic Ultra Filtered UF
% Solids: 50 35 –55 40 – 50 05 – 30
UV Stability Excellent Poor Good Poor
Flexibility Excellent Good Poor Fair
Bonding Strength Excellent Good Very Good Poor – Good*
Film Forming Excellent Good Fair – Good Poor – Fair
Application Temperature Range (ºF) 38 – 120 50 – 110 70 – 110 unknown*
PH 7 – 8 4 – 6 8 – 10 unknown*
Hazard Rating none none none unknown*
Resistance to Water (completed application) Excellent Poor Fair unknown*

*UF latex polymer products have a wide variation in quality and consistency due to their origins.
The above information is typical of the various latex polymers. There may be variations that fall outside of the typical range.

Feel free to give us a shout if you have any further questions or are in need of further information on Global Environmental Solutions and our DirtGlue® line of products!

Prepare Yourself (and Your Budget) for Proper Park and Recreational Facility Care

Prepare Yourself (and Your Budget) for Proper Park and Recreational Facility Care

Though we’ve been inundated with snow lately here in the Northeast, spring is, as they say, right around the corner. Well, from a technical standpoint, it’s here. That said, Parks and Recreation organizations here and around the country are prepping a piece of their annual budget to repair damaged and/or weathered elements of their facilities. There’s a lot of moving pieces and parts to a Park and Rec destination, and, quite literally, depending on environmental factors, these moving pieces and parts actually move.

If you’re in repair mode, what are the best solutions to avoid further damage and/or future washout and compromised hiking trails, ballparks, bike paths, landings, beachfronts, playground elements, etc.? If you’re in the process of planning a new facility or expanded facility offerings, how do you combat these potential environmental factors at the outset?

Global Environmental Solutions. That’s right. GES. Our suite of environmentally friendly DirtGlue® products are the ideal tool for tackling environmentally difficult obstacles.

There are myriad challenges with regard to how to treat the terrain in different parts of the park depending on how utilization of the varying pieces will be used.

You want to:

  • Eliminate dust
  • Have firm soil that isn’t being dispersed all over the place due to inevitable movement (of both the earth from wind and water erosion, as well as all of the various types of traffic pounding throughout the park, from feet to bikes, to cars, trucks, trailers and RV’s in parking areas…)
  • Have clean, aesthetically pleasing landscaping
  • Avoid potholes and other applicable dangers for people utilizing your facility

There’s lot to it.

Luckily, we’ve got the solution to best outfit all of the many “environments” that exist within the environment of a parks and recreation facility.

Consider the following:

DirtGlue Polymer® – Our flagship erosion control product fit for solid use in vast applications around a park and recreation facility. DirtGlue® polymer emulsion is a powerful, high-tech soil stabilization bonding agent specifically engineered to bond soil particles together. A non-hazardous product, DirtGlue® polymer contains no harmful chemicals, will not adversely affect people, animals or aquatic life.

TerraDry® – The ultimate solution to making the road less traveled, a safer and more stable option. The benefits of using TerraDry® are enormous. The use of “in-situ” cohesive and inferior soils saves time, expense, and resources. No longer is there a need to remove tons of inferior soil and haul it away to a landfill. Additionally, the cost of purchasing expensive aggregate is also eliminated. Your project costs are greatly reduced with roads back in service sooner with less disruption to the local infrastructure and population.

DustLess® – The name says it all. Where there’s dust, make it dustless. DustLess® soaks into the individual soil/dust particles and making them too heavy to move, thus eliminating dust and providing fugitive dust control. It does not form a crust and never evaporates, thereby being unaffected by traffic. DustLess® lasts a very long time, often giving you 9-12 months or more of dust control with one application.

ArenaKleen® – ArenaKleen®, like the aforementioned DustLess® product, eliminates dust. With this product, it makes for healthier environments around high impact, highly traveled paths and tracks. ArenaKleen® is formulated to absorb into each individual soil particle, meaning that soil particles remain in direct contact with each other, ensuring firm footing, and excellent traction with no stickiness, and thus no tracking.

DirtGlueDry® – Ideal for paths adorned with pavers, tiles, brick, whatever you’re using for footing and aesthetics. DirtGlueDry® is a powerful, high-tech polymer specifically engineered to be mixed with sand to eliminate washouts and erosion between pavers, bricks, patio blocks, and flagstones in walkways, driveways, patios, etc. The added strength helps keep the pavers in place and helps prevent weeds and all types of vegetation from growing in the joints and eliminate insects such as ants.

PotHoleGlue™ – Don’t just fill in potholes. Eliminate their existence and while you’re at it, their future existence as well. The three-component system boasts excellent bonding capabilities to fine particles, asphalt, aggregate, and other applicable substrate – sealing to the edge of the break. PotHoleGlue™ possesses superb curing characteristics at or above freezing temperatures, which is ideal during the winter months – the peak season for such road blemishes.

DGE Polymer Pavement System™ – If you’re thinking about paved surfaces for travel, think no further than our cutting-edge DGE Polymer Pavement System™. A road is not merely “pavement’. The DGE Polymer Pavement System™ consists of a solid foundation, a waterproofing agent (TerraDry® ) and a powerful, high-tech bonding agent (DirtGlue® Industrial). It is significantly less expensive to construct and maintain than Asphalt or Concrete while producing a permanent, hardened driving surface that equals or exceeds the strength and lifespan of Asphalt at the sample application thickness. It requires less construction equipment than asphalt or concrete by reducing the need to remove inferior soil and haul in aggregate base material, thus reducing construction time! It insures a durable smooth surface that resists erosion and traffic shear. This fully functioning system prohibits mud in the wet season and dust in the dry season.

MasonProof™ – If you’re looking for protection on any of your park and recreation facility structures at the foundation level, MasonProof™ is the answer. Engineers, construction contractors and builders deal with the destructive chemical reactions cement-based building materials suffer due mainly to the exposure to water, which acts as a reaction medium or solvent in this destruction. Film formers/barrier type technologies (coatings) have been widely used, but due to weathering and ultra violet exposure these coatings have limited lifespan and thus periodic reparative applications are required. This issue has been revolutionarily remediated with the all-inclusive protective properties of MasonProof™.

In short, we’ve got a whole lot of answers to your existing and/or potential troubles. All you need to do is give us a shout and we’ll get to work.