Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum: Penetrating Concrete Surface Hardener Seal Hard
We constructed the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum using Seal Hard Premium. I will provide an explanation including actual photos.
We have installed "Seal Hard Premium" on the exhibition room floor of the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum. Among the various specifications of Seal Hard, we chose the highest level, "Premium." The designer, Tsuyoshi Tane, had two key design considerations. The first was the exquisite reflection of the artwork on the black concrete floor, creating a glossy effect. During the exhibition, the lighting is dimmed, and spotlights are directed at the artwork, allowing the pieces to subtly reflect on the floor. Through discussions and repeated testing with designer Tane, we found the solution, expressing that glossiness through our 26 years of experience in polishing techniques. The second consideration was to preserve the inherent texture of the concrete. The texture of the concrete is enhanced with an elegant gloss that minimizes the appearance of sand and stone, which is a specialty of "Premium." While any concrete can achieve gloss through polishing and the application of Seal Hard, this process typically reveals the texture of sand and stone. "Premium" allows for a beautiful gloss while retaining a layer of cement, despite the additional effort required. These requirements aligned perfectly with "Seal Hard Premium," leading to its adoption. We hope you can experience the texture of "Seal Hard Premium," which maintains the character of the concrete, supports the artwork, and is easy to manage and maintain.
basic information
Seal Hard is a colorless, odorless, and environmentally friendly concrete surface hardener that is non-polluting. It is a colorless and transparent liquid primarily composed of sodium silicate. After application, it penetrates the surface of the concrete and undergoes a chemical reaction with the concrete components, generating a glass-like substance on the surface. This chemical reaction continues over time with moisture replenishment from regular washing with water. Concrete strengthened by Seal Hard becomes more beautiful and glossy with use and regular washing over the years. Even when it develops a shine, it does not become slippery. Seal Hard Premium is widely adopted for floors in commercial facilities. In addition to the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Art Museum, it has numerous achievements in public and private projects, including the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa and the new Hitachi City Hall. The application is done in two stages. After the first application, a minimum of two weeks of floor curing is performed before the second application. The second application involves polishing to finish the floor. This results in a stronger and more beautiful gloss than the standard specifications. Additionally, maintenance remains easy, and because polishing is performed, the floor becomes even more resistant to dirt.
Price range
Delivery Time
Model number/Brand name
LATICRETE International
Applications/Examples of results
Large logistics centers and warehouses, as well as factories, low-cost commercial facilities, art museums, and museums, are ideal for floors finished with concrete as is. Adoption results (in no particular order, titles omitted) ◆ Logistics facilities Mediceo, Atoru, Ebarusu, PALTAC, Hokushou, Seikousha, Yaoko ◆ Commercial facilities PLANT Kurobe Store, Paul Smith Ginza Store, Phoenix Sea, Shinmai Media Garden ◆ Public facilities Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum, Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Hitachi City New City Hall, University of Tokyo Dormitory, Aomori New Athletics Stadium, Taga Town Community Center, Minna no Mori Gifu Media Cosmos
Detailed information
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【Seal Hard Application】 The application of Seal Hard is done carefully with a mop. The amount applied is based on the condition of the concrete, reaching the saturation limit. Depending on the condition of the substrate, some floors may absorb more than double the expected amount, while others with dense concrete may only take in about half of what was anticipated. The application is done while also checking the temperature and humidity conditions to ensure the appropriate amount is applied for penetration.
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[Polishing Scene] Seal Hard Premium is the highest specification that involves two applications and polishing. It utilizes polishing techniques developed over 26 years of experience. At the site of the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum, by using both a polishing machine and a polisher, we were able to reduce the glaring shine and achieve a subtle gloss that faintly reflects the artwork on the floor.
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Gloss Meter A gloss meter is sometimes used to measure the level of gloss. This time, the value for a polished concrete floor is "60-80," while at the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Art Museum, we aimed for a gloss level of around "40-50" for a moderate sheen.
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【Outlet Box_After Construction】 During the second application of Seal Hard Premium, we also performed coloring and polishing finishes on the outlet boxes. The target color finish is, of course, the same as the floor of the exhibition room. There are 23 outlet boxes in the exhibition room. The coloring method is challenging due to the difficulty of color matching and requires a series of delicate tasks. The selection of color agents, concentration, and compatibility with surface hardeners are just a few of the many considerations. We conducted numerous tests in-house and arrived at the day of application.
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[Outlet Box_Before Construction] The Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Art Museum, which is particular about its design. The power supply is also integrated into the floor. We have also finished the outlet box. The area around the outlet box was not poured with colored concrete, but with standard gray concrete.
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【Stairs_After Construction】 Due to the bright lighting, a slightly darker black was left compared to the exhibition room floor. A significant amount of time was dedicated to surface preparation. The landing, as well as the treads and risers of the stairs, underwent grinding for surface preparation to achieve the texture of the concrete. Color and gloss adjustments were also made on-site to ensure consistency with the exhibition room.
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【Stairs_Before Construction】 Stairs located next to the elevator in the exhibition room. These were also constructed using a coloring method and polished finish. The original stairs were typical concrete stairs in gray color. The flooring leading up to the second floor from the exhibition room is unified in "black + gloss." Due to the differences in lighting and wall colors in the exhibition room, reproducing the flooring of the exhibition room proved to be quite challenging.
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