Over the last three decades or so, protection of concrete floors has become quite a sophisticated process of some type of protective surfacing or coating. The main aim is to protect the slab from contamination, or provide added benefits such as ease of maintenance. No other surface is subjected to more abuse than floors in a building, irrespective of whether it is industrial or residential. This article examines how to choose the best abrasion resistant coatings for 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 a basis of floor protection, both old and new. The step by step process of getting a coating will give the building owner something to guide him in the selection. To facilitate the search for an ideal application for floor coating, a process that is very complete has to be observed. One should however bear in mind that in addition to choosing the coating, the system must also be complete on a basis of thickness, applications 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 a number of abuse areas that dictate what coating a concrete floor needs. One is chemical exposure, with types of chemicals and exposure being very important. When it comes to chemical resistance, materials differ widely, making the identification of exposure quite important. Common spills and splashes are far less critical when compared to 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 a basis of floor protection, both old and new. The step by step process of getting a coating will give the building owner something to guide him in the selection. To facilitate the search for an ideal application for floor coating, a process that is very complete has to be observed. One should however bear in mind that in addition to choosing the coating, the system must also be complete on a basis of thickness, applications 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 a number of abuse areas that dictate what coating a concrete floor needs. One is chemical exposure, with types of chemicals and exposure being very important. When it comes to chemical resistance, materials differ widely, making the identification of exposure quite important. Common spills and splashes are far less critical when compared to 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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