Over the last thirty years, concrete floor protection has changed to a sophisticated process involving protective coating or surfacing. The major aim is protection of the slab from being contaminated, or provision of more benefits like maintenance ease. No other part of a building undergoes more abuse than the floor, no matter whether the building is residential or industrial. This is a look at how to select the most suitable abrasion resistant coatings for concrete floors.
Floors are subjected to all types of abuse, ranging from chemical attack, impact, thermal shock and abrasion. Floors made from concrete are not designed to take such continual abuse. They are porous and tend to create dust due to abuse and wear. It is because of this reason that concrete floors require some sort of protection irrespective of where it is located. The problem occurs when it comes to determine the type of protective material to select from the various conditions.
Total floor protection should form part of evaluation for any old or new concrete floor protection. The thorough process of choosing a coating will give the homeowner a basis for getting the right system. There is quite a complete process of selection to narrow down the search for proper applications for floor coatings. It is worth remembering that one not only selects the coating, but also a complete system in terms of total thickness, application and aesthetics.
Concrete coatings can be classified by thickness, polymer type, appearance and finish. The process of selection can narrow the appearance requirements and thickness. However, the polymer type can be somewhat difficult and thus require assistance to compare performance and review data. Thousands of formulations exist for various polymer coatings to be used on concrete floors. Each one is quite different from the other.
Some of the most commonly applied polymers are epoxies and polyurethanes. For each type, performance and data vary significantly. Urethanes are utilized for thin film to high build coatings, have outstanding abrasion and wear resistance, good gloss retention as well as excellent stain and chemical resistance. Some of the polymers have good elastomeric properties, making them ideal for waterproofing uses as a result of their low permeability. Most coatings made from urethanes contain solvents.
To coat concrete floors, the epoxy formulations used are typically not volatile, exhibit notable chemical and abrasion resistance, good adhesion and mechanical properties. They are applied in repairs of cracks, bonding of adhesives, toppings, coating of concrete materials as well as overlays. Nowadays, hybrids made from the two polymers have been used to manufacture materials with notable stress relieving and thermal properties, together with impact resistance.
There are several abuse areas that dictate the coating the coating that a concrete floor requires. One of them is exposure to chemicals, with types of exposure and chemicals being quite important. Materials differ significantly when it comes to resistance to chemicals, making exposure identification quite important. Common splashes and spills are less critical by far than constant immersion.
Thermal shock or temperature fluctuation is a vital condition that must be put into consideration when choosing abrasion resistant coatings. Thermal shock like steam cleaning of the floor might lead to a loss of bond.
Floors are subjected to all types of abuse, ranging from chemical attack, impact, thermal shock and abrasion. Floors made from concrete are not designed to take such continual abuse. They are porous and tend to create dust due to abuse and wear. It is because of this reason that concrete floors require some sort of protection irrespective of where it is located. The problem occurs when it comes to determine the type of protective material to select from the various conditions.
Total floor protection should form part of evaluation for any old or new concrete floor protection. The thorough process of choosing a coating will give the homeowner a basis for getting the right system. There is quite a complete process of selection to narrow down the search for proper applications for floor coatings. It is worth remembering that one not only selects the coating, but also a complete system in terms of total thickness, application and aesthetics.
Concrete coatings can be classified by thickness, polymer type, appearance and finish. The process of selection can narrow the appearance requirements and thickness. However, the polymer type can be somewhat difficult and thus require assistance to compare performance and review data. Thousands of formulations exist for various polymer coatings to be used on concrete floors. Each one is quite different from the other.
Some of the most commonly applied polymers are epoxies and polyurethanes. For each type, performance and data vary significantly. Urethanes are utilized for thin film to high build coatings, have outstanding abrasion and wear resistance, good gloss retention as well as excellent stain and chemical resistance. Some of the polymers have good elastomeric properties, making them ideal for waterproofing uses as a result of their low permeability. Most coatings made from urethanes contain solvents.
To coat concrete floors, the epoxy formulations used are typically not volatile, exhibit notable chemical and abrasion resistance, good adhesion and mechanical properties. They are applied in repairs of cracks, bonding of adhesives, toppings, coating of concrete materials as well as overlays. Nowadays, hybrids made from the two polymers have been used to manufacture materials with notable stress relieving and thermal properties, together with impact resistance.
There are several abuse areas that dictate the coating the coating that a concrete floor requires. One of them is exposure to chemicals, with types of exposure and chemicals being quite important. Materials differ significantly when it comes to resistance to chemicals, making exposure identification quite important. Common splashes and spills are less critical by far than constant immersion.
Thermal shock or temperature fluctuation is a vital condition that must be put into consideration when choosing abrasion resistant coatings. Thermal shock like steam cleaning of the floor might lead to a loss of bond.
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