About Fosroc Concure LP90(M)

Fosroc Concure LP90(M) is a ready-to-use concrete curing compound supplied as an aluminised polymeric resin solution that dries to a silver-coloured film once sprayed onto a fresh cementitious surface. It belongs to Fosroc’s well-established Concure family of membrane-forming curing aids, and the “(M)” denotes the aluminised, solar-reflective variant within the LP90 range. The product is engineered for a single purpose that is deceptively critical to concrete performance: keeping the mix water inside the slab during the first vital days after placement so that the cement can hydrate completely.

When concrete is poured and finished, its surface is exposed to sun, wind and low humidity. In much of India, ambient temperatures above 40 C, dry loo winds and direct solar radiation can pull moisture out of the top layer faster than bleed water rises, leaving the surface starved of the water it needs to gain strength. The result is a tell-tale set of defects: plastic shrinkage cracks, a soft and dusty wearing surface, higher permeability and reduced abrasion resistance. Concure LP90(M) addresses this by forming a continuous, non-penetrating barrier film over the freshly finished concrete. This film is impermeable enough to hold back evaporation, while the aluminium flakes dispersed through it reflect a significant portion of incident solar radiation, lowering the peak surface temperature the slab reaches during the day.

The membrane approach is particularly suited to large, exposed horizontal areas where traditional water curing, by ponding, wet hessian or continuous sprinkling, is impractical, labour-intensive or wasteful of water. A single pass with a spray lance covers vast areas quickly, locks the curing regime in place and removes the round-the-clock labour that wet curing demands. Because LP90(M) is part of a curing-compound family rather than a structural coating, it is intended as a temporary curing membrane rather than a permanent protective layer, and it should not be confused with the corrosion-protection or anti-carbonation coatings also offered under the Fosroc umbrella. For projects specifying solar-reflective, membrane curing on pavement-grade concrete, LP90(M) is a purpose-built, code-referenced solution that Space Arc Engineering supplies and supports across Delhi NCR and pan-India sites.

The technical insight

The mechanism rests on two physics working together. First, the polymeric resin coalesces as the solvent flashes off, knitting into a continuous, low-permeability film tight against the concrete surface. This film throttles the rate of water vapour escaping from the capillary pores, so the relative humidity at the concrete surface stays high and cement hydration continues unhindered for the critical first week. BS 7542, the British Standard the Concure LP90 range is formulated against, classifies efficient curing compounds by their water-retention index; a high-efficiency membrane retains the large majority of the water that would otherwise be lost from an uncovered control slab, which is exactly the regime LP90(M) is designed to deliver. Second, the aluminium flakes give the dried film its reflective, silver appearance. Rather than absorbing solar radiation the way a dark or clear surface does, the reflective skin bounces a meaningful fraction of it away, so the slab does not spike to the same peak temperature. That matters in India because lower peak temperatures mean a gentler thermal gradient between the hot top and cooler core of the pour, reducing thermal-differential stresses and the risk of early-age cracking on thick pavement slabs. The low specific gravity of 0.81-0.83 reflects the solvent-borne, lightweight nature of the carrier, which lets the product atomise into a fine mist and spread thinly and evenly. Coverage of roughly 3.5-5.0 m2 per litre is the practical sweet spot: thin enough to be economical over hectares of pavement, thick enough to form an unbroken film once the spray pattern overlaps correctly.

Where it is used

• Curing of pavement-quality concrete (PQC) for national highways, expressways and rigid road pavements
• Airport runways, taxiways and aprons where large exposed areas must be cured uniformly and quickly
• Bridge deck slabs and approach-slab concrete subject to sun and wind exposure
• Canal linings, spillways and other large hydraulic concrete surfaces
• Industrial ground-floor slabs, hardstandings and warehouse floors poured in hot weather
• Precast yards and large casting beds needing efficient, labour-light curing
• Concrete placed in hot, dry or windy ambient conditions where solar-reflective curing is specified

Key advantages

• Solar-reflective aluminised film lowers peak concrete surface temperature, reducing thermal-gradient and plastic shrinkage cracking risk
• High water-retention efficiency formulated to BS 7542, ensuring full cement hydration and stronger, more durable concrete
• Single-coat spray application covers large areas fast, cutting curing labour versus ponding or wet hessian
• Conserves water, a major advantage on remote highway, airport and canal sites with limited water supply
• Produces a harder-wearing, lower-permeability, less dusty surface with improved abrasion resistance
• Silver film gives a clear visual check that the surface has been treated and the coat is continuous
• Ready to use straight from the container, no mixing or thinning required on site

Limitations & considerations

• It is a temporary curing membrane, not a permanent decorative or corrosion-protection coating, and degrades over time under traffic and weathering
• Must not be applied where a bonded overlay, screed, paint, tile adhesive or membrane will later be placed, the film acts as a bond-breaker unless removed
• Solvent-borne, so adequate ventilation, fire precautions and standard PPE are required during spraying
• Application timing is critical, spraying too early into bleed water or too late after the surface has dried impairs film formation and efficiency
• Even, overlapping coverage at the correct rate is essential, gaps or thin spots leave the concrete locally under-cured
• The silver film alters surface appearance, so it is unsuited where the natural concrete colour must be preserved as a finish
• Not a substitute for good mix design, finishing and joint cutting, it complements rather than replaces sound site practice

Selection & best practice

Specifications

Industry use cases

How we position Fosroc Concure LP90(M)

Concure LP90(M) sits at the membrane-curing end of Fosroc’s surface-treatment offering and is best understood alongside its siblings: the clear and dyed Concure LP90 grades suit projects where solar reflectance is not required, while water-based options such as Concure WB are chosen where solvent-borne products are restricted or low-VOC curing is preferred. Where the goal shifts from temporary curing to permanent durability, the relevant Fosroc products are anti-carbonation and protective coatings like the Dekguard range, not a curing compound. Against the wider Indian market, LP90(M) competes with Sika Antisol and Antisol E aluminised and wax-emulsion curing compounds, MYK Laticrete and Dr. Fixit curing compounds, and STP and other domestic membrane-forming curing aids; many BASF MBS curing products now sit under the Master Builders Solutions MasterKure line. The honest position is that LP90(M) is not a do-everything coating, it is a specialist, solar-reflective, BS 7542-referenced curing membrane that excels on large, exposed, hot-weather pavement pours. Specifiers choosing between brands should compare verified water-retention efficiency, solar-reflectance behaviour, coverage economics and local technical support rather than headline claims. As an authorised Fosroc distributor, Space Arc Engineering supplies LP90(M) with current TDS and SDS documentation and can advise objectively on when a clear grade, a water-based grade, or a competitor product would in fact be the better technical or commercial fit for a given project.

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