SOFT BACKER ROD – HOW IT WORKS AND ITS IMPORTANCE

In the construction industry, the importance of soft backer rod cannot be overlook. As you see beautiful glass skyscrapers and walk along the strong sidewalks, you always fail to notice the materials that give these structures their qualities. Numerous materials are rarely noticed but play a major role in ensuring that the structures are durable and reliable. One of these materials is the soft backer rod. It is used in the building of sidewalks, homes and masonry. It is also known as the expansion joint filler and is a very pervasive material in the construction world despite its relative anonymity. Even though the soft backer rod is always unseen in the end state because of being covered by other materials, its stability, strength and durability is always felt as part of the structure.

Concrete has variances in ground angle and it is inflexible this is why it is usually divided into tiles and slabs when covering a large area. The regions between these slabs are small joints that give the concrete room to expand and contract, shift and settle without the risk of breaking apart. However, if these spaces are left uncovered moisture might penetrate the concrete joints and slowly fracture, damage and degrade the entire structure. The answer to this problem is soft backer rod that is flexible and waterproof. Thin strips or rods of foam, mostly cylindrical in shape, are inserted into the joints before a sealant is applied. This might look like some unnecessary task but if you take into consideration the damages that will occur if this material is not inserted then you will realize just how important it is.

When the joints are sealed using a sealant then a bond is formed to the substrate besides bonding the two slabs. This means that when the concrete expands and contracts, the sealant will keep it in place. The insertion of the backer rod into the gaps before the sealant is used ensures that the concrete is fully protected. This is because the softness of the material will allow concrete to move without breaking. In addition to that, it will manage to keep moisture away and ensure it does not penetrate the structure. The material will not absorb any moisture itself because it is made of waterproof elements. It is cheaper as compared to the sealant and works perfectly when it comes to ensuring durability of your structures.