Friday, December 21, 2018

Free DeWalt® Drill Driver With Qualifying Earth Shield® Retrofit Waterstop Orders

DeWalt DCF885C2 Drill Driver
The DEWALT® DCF885C2 20 V MAX lithium-ion 1/4-in impact driver kit is compact and lightweight for fitting in tight spaces and increasing productivity. Belt hook allows the user to be mobile.


  • DCF885C2 kit includes one 1/4-in impact driver, two 1.5 Ah 20-volt MAX Li-ion battery packs, one DCB107 fast charger, and belt hook
  • High-performance motor delivers 0-3,200 BPM
  • Variable-speed trigger (0-2,800 RPM) provides control, and the impact mechanism produces 1,400-in-lbs max torque
  • 1-handed, 1/4-in hex accepts 1-in bits
  • Two 20-volt lithium-ion batteries with 1.5-Ah and 30-min charge
  • Lightweight 2.8-lb design reduces user fatigue
  • 3 LED lights provide visibility without shadows
  • Made in USA with global materials
  • Convenient belt hook keeps the tool close at hand

Beginning now through while supplies last, every Earth Shield® Retrofit Waterstop order $5000 or greater will receive a free DeWalt® DCF885C2 Drill Driver. Contact your Earth Shield® sales representative for more information.

Sunday, December 02, 2018

PVC Caps for Metal Keyway

PVC158 installed on metal keyway.
If you use metal keyway in your project, you probably need our JPS PVC Caps. All of our PVC caps are manufactured with a specially formulated, UV stabilized flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The caps are grey, blending perfectly with the cast concrete.

Sunday, September 30, 2018

I am proud to announce that J P Specialties, Inc. now manufactures PVC waterstop. Earth Shield® Polyvinyl Chloride Waterstop (PVC) is the perfect solution for most water and wastewater applications. Earth Shield® PVC Waterstop is manufactured from prime virgin resin and is the trusted choice for environmental engineered concrete structures.

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Understanding Waterstop

To understand what a waterstop is, it is helpful to understand what it is not. Waterstop will not prevent the migration of moisture through a concrete slab, protecting the installed flooring system (such as tile or hardwood) from adhesion failure or deterioration. Nor will waterstop have any effect on capillary water migration through concrete walls. Vapor barriers, drain boards, concrete admixtures, bituminous wraps, flashings, and multiple other construction products are available to the specifier, contractor, or end-user for these criteria and there are many good books written on the subject.

PVC Waterstop
Waterstop has a singular purpose: To prevent the passage of fluids across and along concrete joints. Waterstop does all of its work at the joint. Because concrete joints are frequently open and subject to hydrostatic loads, a strong case states that waterstop has the most critical role in fluid-proofing a concrete structure. A pinhole or imperfection in a vapor barrier will have little to no noticeable effect, but even the slightest defect in a waterstop product or its installation can be truly catastrophic to the fluid-tight integrity of the building envelope. 

The first waterstops used in construction were strips of lead or copper. In the early 1900s, the preferred waterstop material shifted to vulcanized rubbers such as neoprene or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). While rubber waterstops had excellent mechanical properties (high tensile strength and elongation) they had one major weakness: they were challenging to fabricate as the rubber was vulcanized, meaning it had already taken a “set” (thermoset) and could not be heat welded together like the metals used previously.

In 1926, Waldo Semon of the B. F. Goodrich Company invented plasticized PVC. Semon was attempting to dehydrohalogenate (non-plasticized) PVC in a solution of boiling solvent to create an unsaturated polymer that would be useful for bonding rubber to metal. The results of Semon’s experiment was the creation of a thermoplastic with properties very similar to rubber.  

It took many years for plasticized PVC to find suitable commercial applications, and was first used as a waterstop material in the early 1950s. Back then, the material was properly labeled as fPVC or flexible PVC. The first wide-scale test of any waterstop was performed in 1954 by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, Canada. Many manufacturers still use the results of this test as a benchmark, and other than some new polymers, waterstop has not changed that much since then.


Sunday, September 09, 2018

HDPE Waterstop for Hydrocarbons

Earth Shield® HDPE Waterstop is a specialized thermoplastic that is ideally suited for hot petroleum oils, diesel fuel, aromatic hydrocarbons, industrial solvents, and other aggressive, non-polar fluids that would cause significant softening and swelling of other waterstop polymers.


Earth Shield® HDPE Waterstop is available in many of the same shapes and profiles as our industry-leading, chemical resistant, Earth Shield® TPV polymer.

Install Earth Shield® HDPE Waterstop in all concrete joints. Waterstop should be centered in, and run the extent of the joint. All changes of directions should be prefabricated (see Shop Made Fittings), leaving only butt-welding for the field. If installing in an expansion joint, keep center bulb unembedded to allow it to accommodate movement as designed. Use our factory-installed brass eyelets or #3 hog rings and tie wire to secure waterstop to reinforcing steel to avoid displacement during the concrete pour. Splice straight lengths of waterstop and Shop Made Fittings to straight lengths, with an ST-10® In-Line Waterstop Splicer with the iron temperature set to 410°F to 430°F. More detailed installation instructions are in our Standard 3-part Specifications.


Friday, September 07, 2018

Flat Strip Waterstop

Flat strip waterstop is installed most often in below grade applications, with limited movement. Flat strip waterstop functions in construction and contraction (control) joints. Both JP637 and JP937 are all 3/8” thick... The largest and thickest profiles available in the industry! Like all our thermoplastic waterstops, Earth Shield® flat strip waterstop can be heat-welded using a standard waterstop splicing iron allowing for easy field fabrications and enable the waterstop to function as a continuous, homogeneous, fluid-tight diaphragm. Waterstop directional changes are available along with straight roll stock. Custom, fit-to-print waterstop modules are produced to order. Prefabricated ells, tees, tank pads, column fittings, and many others are in stock and ready to ship.

Wednesday, September 05, 2018

We're Hiring

We currently have two positions to fill: Welder/Fabricator and Extruder Operator. Great pay and benefits included. If you're interested in learning more, please contact us at jpspec@jpspecialties.com

Tuesday, August 07, 2018

JP216L Retrofit Waterstop for Chemical Containment

Earth Shield® part no. JP216L Retrofit Waterstop is designed to provide a fluid-tight seal between existing and new concrete construction, without resorting to the labor-intensive and structurally destructive saw-cut-and-grout method. It is ideal for joining a new slab to an existing wall. Special profile fabrications are available for columns and pipe penetrations. All of our retrofit waterstops are sold as a complete system, and include all the necessary stainless steel bars and bolts. We also offer a high-quality chemical resistant novolac epoxy — VEN 1000. Earth Shield® retrofit waterstops are manufactured with our proprietary thermoplastic vulcanizate compound, which provides for unsurpassed chemical
JP216L Retrofit Waterstop
resistance. Like all our thermoplastic vulcanizate waterstops, Earth Shield® retrofit waterstop can be heat-welded using a standard waterstop splicing iron. This allows for easy field fabrications, and allows the waterstop to function as a continuous, homogeneous, fluid-tight diaphragm. Waterstop change of directions can be purchased along with straight roll stock, and custom, fit-to-print waterstop modules are produced to order. Prefabricated ells, tees, tank pads, column fittings, and many others are in stock and ready to ship.


JP216L in a construction joint.

Monday, April 30, 2018

TPV Waterstop for Secondary Containment


Earth Shield® Thermoplastic Vulcanizate Waterstop is used as a fluid-tight diaphragm, embedded in concrete, across and along the joint, for primary and secondary containment structures. Earth Shield® Chemical Resistant Waterstops are resistant to a wide range of oils, solvents, and aggressive chemicals. Alcohol, ketones, glycols, esters, and aqueous solutions of acids, salts, and bases have little effect on Earth Shield® Thermoplastic Vulcanizate Waterstop.

Unlike polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waterstop, Earth Shield® waterstop contains no plasticizer, stabilizer, or filler to leech out when exposed to chemicals, fuels, and aggressive industrial fluids. Also, unlike PVC waterstop, Earth Shield® can withstand prolonged exposure to high and low temperatures (-78°F to 275°F long term) without detrimental effect.

Earth Shield® TPV Waterstop is NSF Standard 61 Certified for use in drinking water and is made of a recyclable polymer, so it is good for health and the environment.

The superior chemical resistance of Earth Shield® Thermoplastic Vulcanizate Waterstop is enhanced by the use of a ribbed centerbulb configuration, which is available in a 4, 6, and 9-inch width. This provides for greater mechanical bonding with the concrete and a barrier against migration of liquid flow around the waterstop. The ribbed centerbulb style also allows for joint movement and may be used in above or below grade applications. Additional shapes are available for retrofit, extreme expansion, stainless steel and base seal applications. 


Different varieties and grades of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are commercially available. On the low-end there is thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), which has a rubber phase that is not cross-linked. On the high-end there is thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV)... Earth Shield® has chosen a fully cross-linked TPV as our standard elastomer compound, which provides superior mechanical properties, retention, and chemical resistance. In fact, when compared side-by-side, no competitive product is even close to achieving the physical properties of Earth Shield®

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Ribbed Centerbulb Waterstop

Earth Shield® Waterstop part no. JP636
Ribbed centerbulb is the most versatile type of waterstop available. The centerbulb accommodates lateral, transverse, and shear movement. Ribbed centerbulb can be used in expansion, construction, and control joints. Ribbed centerbulb waterstops provide superior anchoring abilities and a long fluid-flow path because of the multiple ribs on the exterior flanges. Under stress, the multiple ribs will distort less than a dumbbell type waterstop. This is because the stress is first applied to the inward-most anchoring rib, and decreases to the subsequent ribs. The centerbulb allows for joint movement beyond the ultimate elongation of the material (530%), without causing distortion to anchoring ribs. All of our ribbed centerbulb waterstops are manufactured with a large outer diameter centerbulb. This centerbulb, coupled with the outstanding mechanical properties of our proprietary TPV elastomer (ultimate elongation, tensile strength, etc.), provides for unsurpassed joint movement and sealing abilities. Like all our thermoplastic vulcanizate waterstops, Earth Shield® ribbed centerbulb waterstop can be heat-welded using a standard waterstop splicing iron. This allows for easy field fabrications, and allows the waterstop to function as a continuous, homogeneous, fluid-tight diaphragm. Waterstop change of directions can be purchased along with straight roll stock, and custom, fit-to-print waterstop modules are produced to order. Prefabricated ells, tees, tank pads, column fittings, and many others are in stock and ready to ship.


Saturday, February 24, 2018

An Introduction to Waterstop

For the complete presentation, please visit HERE.


The first waterstops used in construction were comprised of strips of lead or copper. In the early 1900s the preferred waterstop material shifted to vulcanized rubbers such as neoprene or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). While rubber waterstops had excellent mechanical properties (high tensile strength and great elongation) they had one major weakness: they were extremely difficult to field fabricate as the rubber was vulcanized, meaning it had already taken a “set” (thermoset) and could not be heat welded together like the metals used previously.


In 1926, a new plastic compound was invented by Waldo Semon of the B. F. Goodrich Company: plasticized PVC. Semon was attempting to dehydrohalogenate (non-plasticized) PVC in a solution of boiling solvent in order to to create an unsaturated polymer that would be useful for bonding rubber to metal. The results of Semon’s experiment was the creation of a thermoplastic with properties very similar to rubber.  
It took many years for plasticized PVC to find suitable commercial applications, and was first used as a waterstop material in the early 1950s. Back then, the material was properlylabeled as fPVC or flexible PVC. 

The first wide-scale test of any waterstop was performed in 1954 by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, Canada. The results of this test are still used by many manufacturers as a benchmark, and other than some new polymers, waterstop has not really changed that much since then. 

For the complete presentation, please visit HERE.


Thursday, February 15, 2018

Chemical Resistant Waterstop Trench Modules

Earth Shield® Waterstop manufactures complete drop-in-place trench modules for the petrochemical industry. Learn more HERE.



Thursday, January 11, 2018

The Importance of NSF 61 in Waterstops

NSF/ANSI Standard 61 was developed to establish minimum requirements for the chemical contaminants and impurities that are indirectly imparted to drinking water from products, components, and materials used in drinking water systems.

Standard 61 is intended to cover specific materials or products that come into contact with drinking water, drinking water treatment chemicals, or both. The focus of Standard 61 is evaluation of contaminants or impurities imparted indirectly to drinking water.

In the U.S., 47 of 50 states have legislation that requires compliance with NSF/ANSI Standard 61. Products that are NSF Certified against NSF/ANSI Standard 61 demonstrate compliance with both Canadian and U.S. Plumbing Codes. NSF Certification and Testing is widely accepted. NSF data is recognized by ASSE, BOCA, IAPMO, ICBO-ES, SBCCI, City of Los Angeles and many others.

Water is arguably the most valuable resource in the world. Today’s water treatment, distribution, and storage projects are under ever-increasing layers of regulations and requirements, one of the foremost being that components and materials that contact potable water not have potential adverse human effects.

Earth Shield® TPV Waterstop, with NSF 61 certification, is the perfect choice for today’s critical water projects, and in particular drinking water projects.