About Fosroc Dekguard E2000

Fosroc Dekguard E2000 is a high-performance elastomeric anti-carbonation coating engineered to extend the service life of atmospherically exposed reinforced concrete. In the Indian context – where structures face intense UV, monsoon-driven wet-dry cycling, urban air pollution and, along the coastline, airborne chlorides – it addresses the single biggest durability threat to RC: corrosion of embedded reinforcement. Carbonation and chloride ingress steadily lower the alkalinity of the concrete cover and depassivate the steel; once corrosion begins, expansive rust spalls the cover and accelerates deterioration. Dekguard E2000 works as a barrier coating, dramatically slowing the diffusion of carbon dioxide, chlorides, oxygen and water into the cover concrete so the passive layer around the steel is preserved. What separates it from an ordinary acrylic facade paint is that it is genuinely elastomeric. Based on a special aliphatic acrylic polymer, the cured film stretches and recovers, accommodating static substrate cracks up to 2 mm and ongoing cyclic movement, so hairline cracking in the concrete does not immediately open a path for aggressive agents. The complete system is two parts: a clear, penetrating silane-siloxane primer (branded Nitoprime DG, Dekguard Primer or Dekguard Primer DG depending on market and vintage) that consolidates and hydrophobises porous substrates, and the pigmented Dekguard E2000 topcoat that delivers the protective and decorative film. Both are water-based and ready for site use, with the topcoat being non-flammable – a practical advantage on occupied or sensitive sites. Because the film is breathable, water vapour can still escape from the structure, avoiding blistering and trapped-moisture problems common with impermeable coatings. As an authorised Fosroc distributor and applicator serving Delhi NCR and Pan-India, Space Arc Engineering supplies Dekguard E2000 alongside the matching primer, fairing coats and repair mortars, and supports specifiers and contractors with substrate assessment, system selection and on-site guidance.

The technical insight

The protective performance of Dekguard E2000 is best understood through its diffusion data. Anti-carbonation coatings are rated by the equivalent air-layer thickness for CO2 diffusion (R, in metres) and the equivalent depth of good-quality concrete cover they replicate (Sc). Fosroc TDS data shows R values ranging from over 50 m (DIN EN 1062 Part 6) to over 175 m by the Taywood method, equating to an Sc of more than 240 mm and, in some test reports, over 500 mm of 30 N/mm2 concrete cover – meaning a coating film a few hundred microns thick behaves, for CO2, like an extra half-metre of dense concrete. Crucially, that barrier is paired with breathability: water vapour transmission resistance is low (SD around 1 m at 200 micron DFT, well within the SD < 4 m breathability threshold), so the coating blocks liquid water and gas ingress without trapping vapour. Chloride resistance is equally relevant for coastal India – the measured chloride ion diffusion coefficient is approximately 2.3 x 10-14 m2/sec at 147 days, with reductions in chloride penetration above 90 percent reported. The elastomeric behaviour comes from the acrylic film’s high elongation (greater than 200-300 percent at break, ASTM D412) and static crack-spanning capability of 2 mm at 200 micron DFT (modified ASTM C836). The system is specified at a total dry film thickness of not less than 200 microns – typically two coats at 200 microns wet film each – which is the figure that underwrites the quoted diffusion and crack-bridging numbers. Volume solids of about 50 percent and a theoretical topcoat coverage of 2.5 m2 per litre are what let applicators back-calculate material quantities against achieved DFT. Getting the DFT right is the single most important field control: under-application linearly erodes the CO2 and chloride barrier the structure was specified to receive.

Where it is used

• Anti-carbonation protection of atmospherically exposed RC columns, beams, soffits and facades on new and existing buildings
• External protective and decorative coating for bridge decks, piers, abutments and flyover structures
• Coating of external surfaces of concrete water and effluent storage tanks (above any permanently wet or submerged zones)
• Durability coating for structures in coastal and marine-spray environments where airborne chlorides attack the cover concrete
• Finishing and protective layer over Fosroc Renderoc patch-repair and concrete-reinstatement systems
• Crack-accommodating coating for substrates prone to fine thermal or shrinkage cracking
• Protective and aesthetic recoating of car-park facades, stadiums, industrial sheds and infrastructure during refurbishment

Key advantages

• Crack-accommodating elastomeric film bridges static cracks up to 2 mm and cyclic movement, unlike rigid acrylic facade paints
• High CO2 diffusion resistance (Sc greater than 240 mm of concrete cover) directly counters carbonation-driven rebar corrosion
• Strong barrier to chloride ions, oxygen and water – valuable in coastal and polluted urban environments
• Breathable film lets entrapped water vapour escape, reducing blistering and osmotic failure
• Water-based and non-flammable topcoat – lower odour, easier site handling and safer on occupied sites
• UV-stable aliphatic acrylic chemistry maintains colour and elasticity through long-term weathering
• Low dirt pick-up keeps facades cleaner for longer between maintenance cycles
• Available in a wide range of decorative colours, combining protection with finish in one system
• Applies by airless spray, roller or brush, and can over-coat Fosroc Nitobond AR and Renderoc systems without removal

Limitations & considerations

• Not suitable for trafficked or trafficable surfaces – use a dedicated deck/floor coating instead
• Must not be used in permanently submerged or ponded-water conditions; Dekguard S is the recommended option there
• Achieved performance is DFT-dependent – under-application below the specified 200 micron minimum erodes the CO2 and chloride barrier
• Requires thorough substrate preparation (grit-blasting, biocide treatment of algae/moss, filling of blow-holes with Renderoc FC) for reliable adhesion
• Application is weather-sensitive: should not be applied if rain is likely within about 2 hours, in high winds, or when relative humidity exceeds 90 percent
• Substrate temperature limits apply (varies by regional TDS – minimum around 5C in some markets; substrate not below 20C or above 60C in others) and the coating must be protected from frost during cure
• Over-coating previously painted or coated surfaces needs a trial area to confirm compatibility and bond
• The penetrating primer (Nitoprime DG / Dekguard Primer DG) is solvent-carried and flammable, requiring normal flammable-liquid precautions even though the topcoat is not

Selection & best practice

Specifications

Industry use cases

How we position Fosroc Dekguard E2000

Within the Fosroc range, Dekguard E2000 is the premium, elastomeric tier of the Dekguard anti-carbonation family – chosen over the rigid acrylic Dekguard S and Dekguard AC specifically when the substrate is expected to crack and the coating must bridge movement. It is typically specified together with the Nitoprime DG / Dekguard Primer DG primer and Fosroc Renderoc repair mortars and FC/ST 06 fairing coats, so it most often appears as the protective topcoat completing a full concrete-repair-and-protect specification rather than as a standalone paint. Against the wider Indian market, its closest credible alternatives are Sika’s anti-carbonation elastomeric coatings (the Sikagard range, e.g. elastic Sikagard grades), MBCC/Master Builders Solutions MasterProtect elastomeric anti-carbonation coatings, Dr. Fixit’s protective coating range from Pidilite, and STP Limited’s protective coatings – all of which offer crack-bridging anti-carbonation systems with broadly comparable CO2-diffusion and elongation claims. The right specification usually comes down to the published Sc and crack-bridging values at a defined DFT, regional availability, applicator familiarity and the rest of the repair system being used. Where a project is already built around Fosroc Renderoc repairs, Dekguard E2000 is the natural, fully compatible protective finish. As an authorised Fosroc distributor and applicator across Delhi NCR and Pan-India, Space Arc Engineering supplies Dekguard E2000 with the matching primer and repair products and supports specifiers in matching the system to the actual exposure and substrate, rather than coating alone.

Related Protective Coatings products

View all Protective Coatings products →