STP ShaliCure AL SB
A ready-to-use, solvent-based aluminised resin curing compound that dries to a silver reflective film, locking mix water into fresh concrete on highways, runways and large slabs in India’s hot, windy conditions.
What is it?
A single-component, solvent-based curing compound from STP loaded with aluminium pigment. Sprayed onto green concrete, it dries within about two hours to a continuous silver membrane that stops mix water escaping before hydration is complete.
Where is it used?
Highways, taxiways and aprons, RCC pavements, bridge decks, retaining walls, columns, roofs, canals, dams and water-retaining structures, and general concrete floors exposed to sun and wind.
Why use it?
It conforms to ASTM C-309-81 Type 2 and BS 7542, holding water-retention efficiency above 90%, while the reflective aluminium film bounces solar heat away and cuts the risk of plastic-shrinkage cracking on large pours.
How is it applied?
Once the surface sheen has disappeared, stir the drum and spray at 50-60 psi in a thin uniform coat at roughly 0.300-0.375 L/m2. No water or dilution is added; the film forms as the solvent flashes off.
About STP ShaliCure AL SB
Concrete gains most of its strength and durability in the first few days, and it only does so if enough water stays in the mix to keep the cement hydrating. On an open highway slab or a bridge deck under the Indian sun, that water can be gone in hours. ShaliCure AL SB is STP’s answer for exactly those exposed pours: a ready-to-use, solvent-based curing compound carrying fine aluminium pigment. It is sprayed straight from the drum onto freshly finished concrete, where the solvent flashes off and leaves behind a thin, continuous silver membrane bonded to the surface. That membrane does two jobs at once, holding mix water in and reflecting sunlight back out.
For site teams, the appeal is that it removes the need for constant ponding, hessian or round-the-clock water tankering on jobs where water is scarce or the surface is simply too large to keep wet. One spray pass replaces days of manual curing labour, and the reflective finish keeps peak surface temperatures down so the concrete does not bake and crack. The trade-off is honest and worth stating up front: this is a membrane-forming compound, so the film has to be dealt with before anything bonded goes on top. Used on the right structures and stripped where needed, it is a dependable, standards-compliant way to cure large areas fast.
The technical insight
The mechanism is straightforward physics done well. As soon as ShaliCure AL SB is sprayed, the hydrocarbon solvent evaporates and the synthetic resin coalesces into a continuous, low-permeability film across the concrete surface. That film chokes off the evaporation path, so the water the mix needs for hydration stays trapped inside rather than wicking away into hot, dry air. STP rates its water-retention efficiency index above 90% to BS 7542, which is the practical measure of how well a curing membrane does its one job. The aluminium pigment adds the second effect: the flakes orient near the surface and give the dried film its silver, mirror-like finish, which reflects a large share of incoming solar radiation. Lower solar gain means a lower peak surface temperature and a gentler thermal gradient between the hot top face and the cooler core, which is precisely the gradient that drives plastic-shrinkage and early thermal cracking on big daytime pours. Because the resin sits on the surface rather than soaking in, it is non-penetrating by design; that is what makes it effective as a moisture seal and also why it must be removed wherever a later bonded layer needs to grip the concrete itself.
Where it is used
- Curing of new highway, expressway and RCC road pavements
- Airport runways, taxiways and aprons where large areas must be cured quickly
- Bridge decks and elevated slabs exposed to full sun and wind
- Retaining walls, columns, beams and roof slabs in general RCC construction
- Canals, dams, spillways, water channels and other water-retaining structures
- Industrial and warehouse floor slabs before subsequent treatments
- Ready-mix concrete placements needing curing without water tankering
- Any large exposed pour cast in hot, dry or windy weather
Key advantages
- Conforms to ASTM C-309-81 Type 2 and BS 7542, with water-retention efficiency above 90%
- Silver reflective film cuts solar heat gain and lowers peak surface temperature
- Single spray pass replaces days of ponding, hessian and manual water curing
- Ready to use straight from the drum, no mixing, dilution or added water
- Fast-drying, typically touch-cured in around two hours at 25 degrees C
- Reduces plastic-shrinkage and thermal cracking on large daytime pours
- Reduces surface dusting and improves frost resistance of the hardened concrete
- Ideal where water is scarce or the pour is too large to keep continuously wet
Limitations & considerations
- Membrane-forming and non-penetrating, so the film must be mechanically abraded or chemically stripped before any bonded overlay, screed, tile, paint or waterproofing coat
- Solvent-based and flammable, requiring good ventilation, no naked flames and proper PPE during application
- Not for use below 4 degrees C ambient; material should be warmed to at least 10 degrees C before spraying
- Cannot be applied over bleed water or free-standing water, and no water may be added to the compound
- Application gear must be flushed with STP Thinner, not water, especially when switching from a water-based product
- Short shelf life of six months in sealed condition and a single 200 L drum pack, so ordering should be matched to the pour schedule
Selection & best practice
Time the spray to the concrete, not the clock: apply as soon as the surface sheen of bleed water has disappeared after finishing, never over standing or bleed water. Stir the drum with a slow-speed paddle to redisperse the aluminium pigment evenly, then spray at 50-60 psi in a single thin, uniform coat at about 0.300-0.375 L/m2, keeping the gun moving to avoid heavy patches. Do not thin with water or add any water. Protect the fresh membrane from rain for at least 2-3 hours and keep traffic off for 4-6 hours until it has dried. In cold weather, warm the material to a minimum of 10 degrees C and do not apply below 4 degrees C ambient. Crucially, plan removal in advance wherever a bonded finish will follow: mask or skip those zones, or programme mechanical abrasion or chemical stripping of the film before the overlay goes down. Clean all spray equipment with STP Thinner before the resin hardens, and store the drum cool, dry and shaded away from heat and ignition sources.
Specifications
| Product type | Aluminised, solvent-based synthetic resin curing compound |
| Standards | ASTM C-309-81 Type 2 and BS 7542 |
| Colour / finish | Metallic aluminium, dries to a silver reflective film |
| Density | 0.81 plus/minus 0.05 kg/L |
| Theoretical coverage | 0.300 to 0.375 L/m2 (approx. 2.7-3.3 m2 per litre) |
| Water retention efficiency | Greater than 90% (BS 7542) |
| Drying time | Approx. 2 hours at 25 degrees C |
| Packing | 200 L drum |
| Shelf life | 6 months in original unopened sealed condition |
Industry use cases
Highways & Roads
Cures long stretches of RCC pavement and expressway slab in a single spray pass, so paving trains keep moving without water tankers shadowing every pour.
Airports
Seals runway, taxiway and apron concrete over very large areas quickly, with the reflective film holding down surface temperatures during hot-weather placement.
Bridges & Infrastructure
Protects exposed bridge decks and elevated slabs from rapid drying and solar heat gain, reducing early shrinkage cracking on structures that are hard to keep wet.
Water-Retaining Structures
Cures canals, dams, spillways and reservoir walls where sustained hydration is critical to long-term watertightness and durability.
Industrial Flooring
Cures large warehouse and factory floor slabs efficiently, with the film later abraded off before power-floated finishes, coatings or screeds are applied.
Frequently asked questions
Is ShaliCure AL SB the same as a wax-based curing compound?
Do I have to remove the film before tiling, screeding or coating?
How much do I need per square metre?
When exactly should it be sprayed after placing concrete?
Can it be used in cold weather?
What packs and shelf life does it come in?
How we position STP ShaliCure AL SB
Within STP’s own ShaliCure range, choose the variant to the exposure: ShaliCure AL WB is a water-based aluminised alternative for teams that want a low-odour, non-flammable option with a similar reflective finish, while ShaliCure AL SB 10 is the closely related hydrocarbon-resin solvent grade. Where a clear or white film is preferred over silver, ShaliCure SS Transparent and ShaliCure SS White cover resin-based curing without the aluminium reflectivity. If a bonded overlay will follow and you would rather avoid stripping a membrane, a water-based emulsion curing compound is often the easier path. Across the brands we distribute, Fosroc offers a direct aluminised equivalent, and MC-Bauchemie and Dr. Fixit carry comparable curing membranes we can specify alongside our repair, flooring and waterproofing lines for a complete pour-to-finish package.
Fosroc Concure LP90(M) — Choose the Fosroc Concure LP90(M) when the specification calls out a BS 7542 aluminised silver-reflective membrane by name, or when the rest of the pavement package is already Fosroc and single-source consistency matters.
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