Attaching fabric or carpeting to a concrete surface presents problems because the concrete can transmit moisture to the surface where the adhesive bonds with textile material to the concrete. The moisture and alkalinity of the concrete degrade the adhesive and cause the bond to fail, separating the carpet from the concrete. A group of inventors including the late Dennis L. Bean of Vicksburg, Miss., Philip G. Malone of Vicksburg, Miss., and Andries D. Sebastian of Hixson, Tenn., has developed a new methodology to solve this problem. Their "Method for Attaching Fabric and Floor Covering Materials to Concrete" uses a metal framework that appears as though it can be added to existing concrete or precast into new panels, although it technically is designed for adhesive attachment to concrete.
The device essentially consists of two components. The first is a corrugated type of metal structure that is attached to a second segment: a flat metal sheet with grooves for a covering material. The metal sheet may have holes that run parallel to the grooves so that the adhesive that anchors the metal sheet to the covering material also anchors the metal sheet to the concrete.
The corrugated side of the assembly attaches to a concrete surface with an adhesive, which is ostensibly a waterproof adhesive. Once set in place, the covering material also attaches to the upper surface with an adhesive. The interposing steel construction provides a moisture barrier between the covering and the substrate.
The article also refers to a previously published article in THE CONCRETE PRODUCER titled "Qualifying Quick-Dry Concrete."