The tasks associated with consolidating natural stone are not usually limited to structural strengthening, but also go much further depending on the type and intensity of the weathering.
Due to the high affinity of the silicic acid ester to most natural stones, and the frequent layer problem caused by the use of different materials, the wish to solve all problems in the same material is understandable. The KSE Modular System by Remmers does just this.
In order to treat material loss with injection material, slurry or a glaze in addition to structural reinforcement, the Remmers KSE module system has been developed. Starting from an elastic stone reinforcer, a natural-looking binder has been composed, which can be modified on site by all sorts of additives and subsequently processed as injection material, slurry or glaze. It is thus possible to fully adapt the modified materials to the substrate with regard to the physical-mechanical, moisture-technical and optical properties. In this way, the problems of transitions between the different layers are also meticulously solved in very critical cases.
REMMERS KSE 100 / 300 / OH / 510
Consolidation based on ‘classic’ stone strengtheners
Conventional stone strengtheners are made-to-measure products whose properties result from the targeted use of differently sized KSE molecules, different catalysts and possibly special solvents. Thanks to the targeted combination of these ‘classic stone strengtheners’, a wide number of different subsurfaces requiring consolidation can be restored successfully.
REMMERS KSE 300 HV
Stone strengthening with modified strengtheners
Solving specific problems
Silicic acid ester-based stone strengtheners demonstrate two interlacing effective mechanisms on siliceous surfaces. Firstly, the silicic acid ester bonds chemically to the quartz of the surface, and it also forms a three-dimensional silicic acid ester structure in the pore space of the surface: this also stabilises the surface even without direct chemical connection. The second named mechanism is only used on pure calcified surfaces.
Specially developed bonding agents can be used to achieve the chemical connection of the silicic acid ester, even on calcified subsurfaces. These substances ‘mediate’ between the covalent bonding of the quartz and the polar bonding of the limestone in which both mechanisms are combined.
Special strengtheners for limestone
The Remmers KSE 300 HV (HV = bonding agent) is the first stone strengthener to apply this functional principle. The effectiveness of the product has already been verified in a pilot project for limestone preservation on the Halberstadt Cathedral that was funded by the German Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBA).
REMMERS KSE 300 E / 500 E
Consolidation based on ‘elasticised’ stone strengthener
Limits when using‘classic’ stone strengtheners
The size of gel particles of the ‘classic’ stone strengthener, some of which are very small, limits their use on subsurfaces with ‘normal’ pores and/or hollow space radius. The conventional strengtheners are only partly suitable for consolidating building materials with larger or natural hollow spaces or those caused by weathering. These ‘problematic building materials’ include e.g. tuffs, renders but also natural stone with swelling properties such as sand-blasting. The causes are either the natural pore radius distribution of the natural stone (e.g. tuff) or micro-crack zones created by weathering (e.g. in swelling capable natural stones like sand-lime bricks).
KSE modula system
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Article No. 065405
Special, solvent-free strengthener for limestone on a silicic acid ester (KSE) base with special adhesion promoters
