[Steve E]

Koi-san asked about using permaflex to seal a koi pond in another thread. Permaflex is one component coat of the Sani-tred concrete sealant products. They have been around for over 20 years. For a concrete, gunite, block wall & concrete floor, or wood walled above ground qt, etc it is a good alternative to polyurethane. It is not normally applied over dirt with or without a geotextile fabric underlayment.

The sealing process consists of three layers or coats. The first is a coat of permaflex. Similar in viscosity to latex paint. This can be applied with a paint roller. The coverage is 240 sq ft per gallon. After this coat becomes tacky (1 - 2 hours or so) the next layer/coat is applied. This is a product called LRB (Liquid Rubber Base). It is a thicker product similar to toothpaste in consistancy. This is applied at a minimum of 40 mils. After this layer/coat dries to a tacky feeling another layer/coat of permaflex is applied. The company, Sani-Tred, has a web site with more information.

I have seen the product applied and am impressed with the ease of application. The pond I saw is owned by Bob (BobinCA) who lives in Vallejo. Dan (Danzcool) is going to use the product in his pond. If anyone wants to contact either of them, pm me and I will tell you how to get in touch. I am writing this from memory and do not have their information readily available right now. I think those of you in the Bay Area who can get to either of their ponds will find it worth your time.

This product is definitely less expensive to apply than polyurethane. The pond owner can apply it themselves. It is a forgiving product and easy to work with. I will be using it to seal my shotcrete/concrete pond and the block filter chambers. The cost difference is the reason I will be using it. At prices of $10 per sq ft it would cost me $15,000.00 US to seal my pond. Sani-Tred will cost approximately $3,000 US.

This product is an alternative to polyurethane, each has strengths and weaknesses (and that is not the purpose of this thread). I would recommend the pond owner do some reading and find someone who will discuss the merits of one or the other without condeming either one. Since polyurethane has been pretty well explained/discussed elsewhere in this forum I did not include anything about it here. If you have not read either of the two threads that show its' application please do so, they are filled with good information.

Steve