More and more homeowners and businesses are creating that warm, easy-to-live-in feeling by taking advantage of their facilities’ largest single surface, their floor. They are using new materials, including artistic stains, to give their concrete floors great individualized looks as well as the easy maintenance qualities of a Class III laboratory.

A recent example is provided by a project Durall Industrial Flooring undertook for John Engstrom Photography (www.engstromphotography.com) near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The goal of the flooring redevelopment work was to enhance the coffee house atmosphere of the photo studio.

Before the development began, Durall created a custom kit of materials tailored for this specific project. The first step was to use Durall’s adhesive remover to remove the glue that remained from the carpeting and tile that formerly covered the warehouse-type facility floor. Because cement is so porous, even floors that look almost free of glue will yield great quantities of adhesive under the leaching action of the chemical removers, preventing future interference with the bonding of the new coatings.

A high-alkaline cleaner was then applied using a rotary scrubber with a stiff nilo grit brush. The high-alkaline degreaser brings the pH of the floor up to nearly 12 as it removes the leftover adhesive and contaminants. Following up with another scrubbing using Dura Klean, an acidic cleaner with water softeners, detergents, and rinse agents, shocks the floor with a pH of 3.5, thereby forcing contaminants and vulnerable cement particles to release from the floor. The acidic cleaner also opens the floor up, allowing the epoxy top coats to create a strong, long-lasting bond. A final scrub rinse and drying left the floor ready to accept repairs and artistic coloring.

The new look for the studio floors was produced using black and red stains shot downward with weed sprayers to give an alternating color look. Before staining began, masking tape was used to simulate a grid pattern, holding stain off mock grout lines. The pattern was laid diagonally across the floor to heighten dimension and interest. Two people, two sprayers, two colors—but just one artist—as the red was laid with the artist’s eye and the helper followed, filling in unsprayed areas with black. Once dry, the tape was removed and two top coats of clear, flat catalyst epoxy were applied, leaving a soft, non-glare surface that is easy to keep clean and lets light softly dissipate.

The resulting floor brings together beautifully the grand wood, soft leather, and natural greenery of a studio that is functional, easy to keep up, and comfortable for those long hours of artistic development.

Durall Industrial Flooring supplies kits of materials that are customized to owner specification and delivered directly to the job site. Kits include full directions and 24/7 help lines staffed by seasoned flooring experts, so professionals and amateurs alike can successfully install a quality floor.

Web visitors can obtain free, job-specific quotes on materials or nationwide turnkey installations by completing a simple questionnaire at http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com.

For a high-resolution photo example, visit: http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com/photos/artistic

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at: harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com

Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)

###

Ultra smooth floors (glass-smooth) are often a “required” look for showing off quality operations and merchandise. As is frequently the case in obtaining a high-end result, glass-smooth floors are achievable but at a cost in materials and effort. Of course, it helps to start with a smooth floor but even highly damaged floors can be brought back to glass-smooth with some hard work and…epoxy.

If you are going to invest in achieving a showroom quality smooth floor, you want to first make sure that your efforts are not spoiled by lifting or pealing. This means care must be taken to do a good prep job that will assure maximum adhesion to the concrete base. One good way to obtain a professional preparation is to use one of Durall Industrial Flooring’s kits of materials that are customized to owner specification and delivered directly to the job site. These kits include full directions and 24/7 help lines staffed by seasoned flooring experts, so professionals and amateurs alike can successfully install a quality floor. See www.concrete-floor-coatings.com for details.

After the preparation work is done, all of the low spots in your floor should be filled. Joints and concrete cracks from sagging can be filled with the grout provided in the Durall kit. Mixing the grout to a peanut butter consistency and working it into the cracks with a gloved hand or putty knife is the first step. Try not to smear too much on the surface and strike the cracks flush before they harden.

Next come those dreaded holes from tack strips or walls that were removed, or stones showing through from water erosion. These all need to be filled with 100% epoxy for maximum adhesion. Make sure all of the holes are dry and dirt had been sucked out of them during the preparation process. Mix up the epoxy and pour a small amount in each crater and hole. Note that the surface tension of the epoxy will create a little edge to each pour, like honey poured on a counter top. Once the epoxy has set up (12-15 hours) use a grinder with a masonry wheel to bring the edges flush to the surrounding concrete. Then use a vacuum to remove all the ground off powder and loose grout that may be on the floor.

Next comes your 100% solid Dura Poxy coating. To achieve a glass-smooth finish you will need to plan on three coats. The first coat is rolled and brushed on at about 125 to 150 sq. ft. per gallon. When mixing, be sure to do at least 200 strokes or 2 minutes with a drill mixer. Then transfer from the mixing container to another container before application to assure that no material remains unmixed. Use a 9-in. 3/8″ nap roller and a 4-in. china bristle brush on broomstick handles to apply. Mix the epoxy as you go to assure that it remains as liquid and fluid as possible. Mixing and applying the epoxy within 30 minutes will help it flow well. After 15 hours, you screen the entire floor with a 60-grit screen on a rotary scrubber. Then check all of the patched areas. If the filled holes or cracks show imperfections, applying additional epoxy to low spots, allowing them to harden, and regrinding may be necessary for that final glass-smooth finish.

For the second coat, plan on about 90 sq. ft. per gallon. Be sure to vacuum the floor thoroughly before proceeding with an additional coat. Again, mix the epoxy as you need it and pour it at the far edge of the floor and then use a 16-in. notched squeegee to pull the material over the entire surface. The notched squeegee will allow extra material to flow into any low spots to make them level. Pull back about 6 ft. and then use a 3/16″ nap roller and pull it over the squeegeed areas to remove any rack marks or pools that may appear. Fifteen (15) hours later, screen again, vacuum well, and repeat the process to arrive at your final floor.

Web visitors can obtain free, job-specific quotes on materials or nationwide turnkey installations by completing a simple questionnaire at www.concrete-floor-coatings.com

For a high-resolution photo example, visit www.concrete-floor-coatings.com/photos/flood

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com or phone 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7).

###

Many heavy industrial settings, including paper warehouses, steel and other heavy-weight or high-traffic applications suffer from shaking concrete floors. The source of the vibration is most often caused by rolling equipment crossing expansion joints cut in the concrete when poured. Cement contractors place these expansion joints in the floor in order to allow for the shrinkage that occurs in the concrete slabs as they cure. The joints are also helpful if the slab experiences major temperature changes.

Bridges, highways, and sidewalks may expand and contract considerably. Most modern buildings, however, are climate controlled with temperature variations within a 10-15 degree range. As a result, these expansion joints are more of a problem than a solution.

Flexible caulks have been used in expansion joints to help transition between the slabs yet allow for some movement. Unfortunately, that movement can become a problem and cost if frequent or extensive.

A better solution is to epoxy the slabs together with 100% solid epoxy and color quartz. The epoxy-quartz filler levels the rut between slabs, thus eliminating the vibration, wear, and structural damage that would otherwise be caused by moving equipment. The quartz-epoxy mix withstands test strengths of 22,000 psi.

A recommended first step in the application process is to set a masonry blade on a skilsaw at 1/4 to 1/2 inch and run it down the expansion joints, cleaning both sides. Flexible chalk will melt out of the joints during this operation. Once the joints are cleaned, color quartz is swept into the joints until slightly lower than flush with the floor surface. Clear or colored 100% epoxy is then poured over these joints until saturating the quartz and rising level with the floor. 12 hours later the joint will need to be re-inspected and topped off.

Often these joints have openings at the bottom and some epoxy may leak through. The wetted color quartz will remain and block leak-through on the second application. It is important to come back to the floor between 10 and 12 hours later to scrape off excess epoxy. Too long a wait and the epoxy becomes hard to shave; too little setup time and the epoxy may be tacky or sticky. Using a 4-inch razor scraper with a long handle allows each side of the joint to help guide the scraper and provide a smooth, even filling over the joint between the slabs. If done well, the rolling equipment may never notice joints again and the floor life will be extended with reduced need for maintenance and repair.

The cost of filling deep holes and badly eroded floors can be reduced by using color quartz and a filler and wear inhibitor. Mixing 100% epoxy with color quartz to 28 lb. per gallon gives a trowel mix with a peanut butter consistency. This mix can be placed in holes using a trowel or putty knife. Small vertical surfaces are best filled by using a heavy rubber glove and applying the mixture by hand with a rubbing motion.

One floor coating manufacturer that has taken the lead in joint repair is Durall Industrial Flooring of Minneapolis, MN. Durall is the only industrial flooring manufacturer that also makes over 500 specialty cleaners, allowing them to produce special preparations of cleaners and application systems designed to assure optimum flooring adhesion and wear results.

Photo examples of the joint sealing process are available at www.concrete-floor-coatings.com/photos/jointsealer

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com

Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)