10 Things To Know Before Installing Gator Nitro
Gator Nitro is an air-cured resin-based jointing material that can offer a number of benefits to a hardscape installation: it provides top-to-bottom strength within the paver joint, it can be installed rain or shine, and it’s permeable when installed. In this post, we’re going to highlight 10 important things you should know prior to installing Gator Nitro on your project.
1. WATER IS YOUR FRIEND.
You simply can’t use enough water on a Gator Nitro job. You’ll want to pre-wet your surface prior to installing Gator Nitro and keep it wet throughout the process. You’ll also want to saturate your tools and the areas surrounding your pavers with water. Remember, this product is extremely strong and becomes very hard once it dries. Water will be the key to working with it (and making sure you can clean it off surfaces that you don’t want it sticking to).
2. THE PAVERS MUST BE SECURE.
Gator Nitro offers very little in terms of flexibility because it hardens from top-to-bottom. It’s an extremely strong and rigid jointing material. To avoid cracking, it’s imperative that you ensure stability of the pavers or stones. Any movement can potentially cause cracks in the joints.
3. It CAN BE USED FOR RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAYS.
Paver applications that receive heavy vehicular traffic are prone to movement by nature. A joint filled with Gator Nitro will be hard from top-to-bottom and can crack from movement. This is why we only recommend Gator Nitro for residential driveways only.
4. CHECK THE TEMPERATURE.
Gator Nitro should be installed in temperatures above 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE IDEAL JOINT WIDTH.
Gator Nitro is best suited for joint widths that are a minimum of 3/16 in. and a maximum of 2 in. Because of the consistency of the product, Gator Nitro would be very challenging to install in tight, hairline joints. For these types of applications, polymeric sand would be the best choice!
6. BE MINDFUL OF THE JOINT DEPTH.
A Gator Nitro joint needs to be at least 1 in. to perform optimally. You can go up to a maximum of 6 in. for the joint depth.
7. WATCH THE CLOCK.
The working time for Gator Nitro is about 45 minutes.
8. YOU NEED A DRAINAGE BASE.
Because Gator Nitro is permeable, it can only be installed on top of a drainage base. Never use Gator Nitro on a concrete overlay!
9. GIVE IT TIME TO SET UP.
Keep off the surface for at least 18 hours after installing Gator Nitro.
10. HOLD OFF ON POWER WASHING.
Avoid power washing for at least 28 days after installing Gator Nitro. However, do keep in mind that routine power washing is a must if you want to keep the joints permeable!
To Summarize
Gator Nitro makes a great fit for several types of hardscape applications. Understanding how the product performs and what applications it’s best suited for will guarantee a successful installation. Curious how Nitro differs from traditional polymeric sand? Be sure to download our free guide.
