MagicSlab™ History

Typical concrete floors have joints where problems like widening cracks and slab curling can lead to a continuous need for cleaning, grinding and caulking—not to mention the wear and tear on equipment and potential for premature slab failure.

There had to be a solution. Concrete has high compressive strength but is weak in tension and shrinks as it cures. The traditional design solution has been to regulate or control the inherent cracking by pairing rebar with the concrete to overcome the weakness in tension. While testing this solution on a polished floor, it led to some unanticipated flaws. The rebar prevented natural shrinkage of the concrete, but when penetrating stain and polish were applied, it accentuated numerous previously invisible hairline cracks every few inches.

Extensive research was conducted on existing solutions to prevent or control cracking, with nearly 100,000 SF of test slabs poured. Each test revealed small things we needed to change. Finally a process was developed that eliminated more than 95% of typical cracks and saw-cut joints and most of the cold joints. This patented process is called MagicSlab™ and it produces slabs that are seamless, crack-free, durable and easy to maintain. 

The first use of MagicSlab™ was during the construction of Hillcrest Jr High School in Murray, Utah, in 2014, 11,000 SF was poured in the commons and cafeteria area. The construction crews produced a flawless slab that is approximately 125 feet by 90 feet in one continuous pour, without a single saw-cut, joint or crack. Additionally the exposed concrete was polished and integrally colored to display blue, charcoal and natural gray rectangular patterns. Instead of using decorative saw-cuts to separate the three colors, process of tensioned masking developed that created perfectly straight quarter-inch lines where the saw-cuts would have been. The final appearance of these slabs is similar to an expensive terrazzo finish but at a cost that is more comparable to carpet or luxury vinyl tile.

This joint-free, crack-resistant, saw­cut-reduced, polished concrete floor is as suitable for upscale office buildings as it is practical for industrial shop and warehouse spaces. For example, MagicSlab™ was recently used for the office and shop at Mountain West Truck Center in West Valley City, Utah. With one pour of 32,000 SF and another pour of 18,000 SF, this cutting-edge approach eliminated approximately 6,500 LF of saw-cuts while increasing durability of the concrete floor.

Maintenance costs of MagicSlab™ are expected to be a small fraction of the cost of maintaining traditional floor coverings. The joint­-free technology creates a stunning visual impact through the continuous, smooth appearance of unbroken concrete.

 Kent’s Market in Plain City, Utah, has a single 34,000 SF MagicSlab™ pour in its new store, marking the first use of the product in a retail setting. For a slab of approximately 220 feet by 180 feet, more than 9,000 LF of joints were eliminated. With no joints or cracks, shopping carts silently glide across the smooth floor.