Reviews
W.R. Meadows 1600 White Curing Compound Review
W.R. Meadows 1600-WHITE is a water-based, wax-based white pigmented cure that meets ASTM C309 Type 2, Class A, at about 200 ft²/gal (4.91 m²/L) and 59 g/L VOC. It suits exterior paving with wheel traffic in sun. Keep it off residential work and any slab that will be painted, tiled, hardened or sealed.
The verdict
Buy it if
- You are curing highway, airport, street or curb paving in full sun
- The spec calls for a white pigmented C309 Type 2, Class A
Skip it if
- It is a house, patio or other residential job; W.R. Meadows does not recommend it there
- The slab will be painted, tiled, hardened or sealed
Consider instead
- W.R. Meadows 1100 for a clear cure that dissipates
- Our clear, dyed or white guide to pick a type
This review is built from the W.R. Meadows data sheet dated August 2024, not from field trials or star ratings. No affiliate links are on this page. To see 1600-WHITE next to six other products, use the best curing compounds roundup.
What is W.R. Meadows 1600-WHITE?
1600-WHITE is a white curing compound for paving. W.R. Meadows describes it as “wax-based dispersions with selected white pigments,” and the pigment “reflects the sun’s rays to help keep the concrete surface cooler” and limit heat buildup that can cause thermal cracking (W.R. Meadows).
The white film is the point and the problem. It shows you where you sprayed and keeps the slab cooler, but it stays on until traffic wears it off. For how white compounds compare with clear and dyed ones, see clear vs dyed vs white curing compound.
What does the 1600-WHITE data sheet say?
These are the numbers W.R. Meadows publishes. “Not listed” means the sheet gives no figure.
| Item | 1600-WHITE data sheet |
|---|---|
| Standard, type and class | ASTM C309, Type 2, Class A; AASHTO M 148, Type 2, Class A; FAA Spec. Item P-610-2.11 (e) |
| Base | Water-based wax dispersion, white pigment |
| Solids | Not listed |
| VOC | 59 g/L |
| Application rate | About 200 ft²/gal (4.91 m²/L); adjust in wind |
| Dissipation | Does not dissipate; wears off under wheel traffic |
| Reflectance | Not listed |
| Dry time | About 2 hours; no foot traffic for at least 4 hours |
| Minimum temperature | 40°F (4°C) air and concrete; keep from freezing |
| Sizes | 5 gal (18.93 L) pail, 55 gal (208.20 L) drum |
| Shelf life | Best used within 2 years of manufacture, stored indoors at 40 to 90°F (4 to 32°C) |
| Sheet date | August 2024 (supersedes August 2016) |
Distributors still post the August 2016 sheet, which gives one year of shelf life instead of two. VOC (59 g/L) and the specs are the same on both. Submit the 2024 sheet.
Where does 1600-WHITE fit, and where does it not?
1600-WHITE fits exterior paving in sun with wheel traffic. The sheet calls it “ideal for application on exterior, horizontal surfaces, such as highways, airports, and street and curb paving.” Everything else on the slab is limited by one line: “Do not use on surfaces that are later to be painted, tiled, hardened, sealed, or treated in any manner.”
| Job | Fit | Why, per the sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Highway, street, airport, curb and gutter paving | Yes | Listed uses; FAA P-610 item named |
| Hot, sunny pours | Yes | White pigment keeps the surface cooler |
| Patios, sidewalks, no wheel traffic | No | No traffic to wear the white film off |
| Residential driveways and slabs | No | “Not recommended for use on residential applications” |
| Slabs that get paint, tile, hardener or sealer | No | Excluded by the sheet |
| Interior floors that get flooring | No | Same exclusion; see the curing compound and flooring guide |
| Specs that require Class B (resin solids) | No | 1600-WHITE is Class A (wax) |
How do you apply 1600-WHITE?
Spray one even coat as soon as the surface water is gone. These steps come from the sheet:
- Stir out any settling with gentle agitation. Do not mix hard (it foams) and “DO NOT THIN.”
- Use clean equipment, such as a Chapin 1949 hand sprayer or a power sprayer, with a tip that flows 0.5 GPM (1.89 LPM) at 40 psi (0.276 MPa).
- Spray at about 200 ft²/gal (4.91 m²/L). The sheet says the rate may need adjusting in windy conditions.
- Keep foot traffic off for at least 4 hours. It typically dries in about 2 hours.
- Clean tools and overspray right away with soap and warm water.
Do not spray below 40°F (4°C) air or concrete temperature, and do not mix it with any other product.
How much does 1600-WHITE cost?
On 2026-11-08, a 5 gal pail of 1600-WHITE was $92.58 at EMI Supply, with an estimated ship date of November 18. That is $18.52 a gallon, or about $0.09 per square foot at 200 ft²/gal.
No 55 gal drum price showed on a retailer page that loaded, so ask your supply house for a drum quote on paving work.
If 1600-WHITE went on a slab that needs a finish
On a sidewalk or patio, the problem is looks. The sheet warns against areas “where there is typically no wheel traffic to abrade the white film surface,” so without traffic the white film stays. Tell the owner up front rather than after the walkthrough.
What are the alternatives to 1600-WHITE?
If your spec calls for a white Class B, look at the W.R. Meadows 2200-WHITE series. It is a poly-alphamethylstyrene resin compound, Type 2, Class B, “developed for various departments of transportation,” with listed reflectance of 68 to 70% and VOC of 214 to 319 g/L by grade.
If anything goes on the slab later, skip white entirely and use a clear dissipating resin cure. The best curing compounds table lists W.R. Meadows 1100, Kurez DR VOX and others side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use 1600-WHITE on a driveway, patio or sidewalk?
W.R. Meadows says no. The sheet says not to use it on patios, sidewalks or other areas with no wheel traffic to wear off the white film, and that it is not recommended for residential applications.
Can you seal or paint over 1600-WHITE?
Not per the data sheet. It says not to use 1600-WHITE on surfaces that are later to be painted, tiled, hardened, sealed or treated in any manner. Use a clear or dissipating cure there instead.
Is 1600-WHITE Class A or Class B?
Class A. It meets ASTM C309 and AASHTO M 148, Type 2, Class A, because its solids are wax. If your spec calls for Class B (resin solids), W.R. Meadows sells the 2200-WHITE series, which is Type 2, Class B.
What is the VOC content of 1600-WHITE?
59 g/L on the August 2024 data sheet. W.R. Meadows says it complies with federal, CARB, OTC, SCAQMD and several state VOC rules.
How long does 1600-WHITE keep in the pail?
The August 2024 sheet says best use is within two years of manufacture, stored indoors unopened at 40 to 90°F (4 to 32°C). Keep it from freezing. Older 2016 copies of the sheet say one year.