Gasket Kit - When Do You Need Gaskets?
When do I need to use the Gasket Kits with the Titan Post Anchor?
There are two situations when you will want to consider using the anchor to deck surface gasket kits; on waterproof decks or on concrete installations where you have freezing and thawing.
I am going to explain each situation.
Waterproof Decks
A lot of decks have a deck surface that is impervious to water. Its waterproof. The space under the deck stays dry. These decks are covered with a lot of different types of materials.
On the west coast where it rains a lot vinyl flooring membrane that is heat welded at the seams is quite popular. So are fiberglass coated surfaces. Ceramic tiles with waterproof grout and thin set mortar. There are EPDM surfaces and the list goes on.
In these cases if you are using a surface mounted railing system you have to think about how you are going to stop water from entering the screw holes.
Concrete Installations
Some places have real winters with freezing and thawing. If you are installing the Titan on to concrete and you want to ensure that the concrete below stays healthy and strong use the gasket kit. Here’s why…
Water and moisture will track down along the concrete screw. During freeze cycles this water will expand and exert immense force on the concrete. The concrete will eventually start to crack.
Don’t believe me? Just hop in your car and drive down a highway and take a look at the concrete close to the steel guardrails.
Ignore all the rust stains because I only sell GRK Fasteners or other high quality corrosion protected fasteners. But do pay attention to the cracks in the concrete. Notice it crumbling away.
Follow the end the crack back to its origin. That’s right. It goes straight to the bolt in the concrete at the base of the guardrail post.
With the gasket system you are going to either eliminate that from every happening or greatly reduce the chances of that. In either case you get piece of mind and a longer lasting stronger post connection.
One Other Benefit for Concrete Installations
Concrete is usually an uneven surface. The rubber acts as a cushion filing up the gaps and also protects the finish of the anchor. But the anchor is still galvanized and powder coated so it will still remain rust free anyway unless you really scratch it so hard you start do thin out the zinc coating.
Designed Specifically for the Titan
So the gasket kit is designed to perform optimally with the Titan Post Anchor. The gasket is made of high quality EPDM rubber, not neoprene. There is a difference in longevity. And I only want to sell something of high quality to my customers.
Then there are they spacers which are designed to be actually a little taller than the cavity underneath the anchor base.
When you tighten the you really create a ton of pressure directly on top of the spacer and the gasket which in turn create a perfect circular seal around each and every screw entry point.