4061 Clough Woods Drive 4061 Clough Woods Drive 4061 Clough Woods Drive 4061 Clough Woods

Drive Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103
Selecting The Proper Coating For Concrete Floors
By: Robert R. Cain
During the last thirty years, the protection of concrete
floors has gone from essentially nothing to a fairly
sophisticated process of some type of protective
coating or surfacing. The main purpose, of course, is
to provide protection to the slab from deterioration or
contamination, or to provide some added benefit such
as aesthetics, wear, non-skid, chemical resistance,
ease of maintenance, physical performance, and a
myriad of other properties.
We must remember that no other surface in a building
takes more abuse than floors, regardless of the type of
building, whether it be industrial or commercial. Floors
are subjected to just about every kind of abuse -
impact, abrasion, chemical attack, and thermal shock.
Concrete floors are not designed to take this continual
abuse.
Concrete floors are porous and tend to create dust
from wear and abuse. They are also subject to
abrasion and chemical attack. It's for this reason that
all concrete needs some sort of protection regardless
of where it's located. The problem, in the overall
picture, is to determine what type of protective material
to choose for the various conditions.
This article does not concern resilient tile, ceramic tile,
carpet, or wood, which are placed on top of concrete
floors. These do add a benefit, but are primarily used
aesthetically for residential and highly commercial
areas. We are focusing on coatings that are bonded
directly to the surface and offer long term protection
and may or may not have some aesthetic value.
The problem for most decision makers today, whether
it be architects or facility managers, is to choose the
most effective material and application that will result in
the best performance and lowest life cycle cost. It is
increasingly clear that these individuals must rely on
knowledgeable people to assist in proper selection,
application, and maintenance of the floor coating. The
flooring specialist can guide the owner in proper
material, application, and long-term performance,
thereby reducing the long-term cost of floor
maintenance.
Total floor protection should be part of any study or
evaluation for new or old concrete floor protection.
The thorough process for selecting a coating or
topping system, the writing of a detailed specification,
and the preparation of detailed application procedures
and final acceptance criteria will give the owner a basis
for choosing the right system.
There is a very complete selection process to narrow
the search for the right product and application for floor
coatings. Remember, you must not only select the
material, but also a total system in terms of application,
total thickness, and aesthetics.
Material Selection Process
(1) Evaluate the surface
The flooring specialist must be able to provide a
complete program from conception to long-term
maintenance. The process should include the
following.
The first step in the selection process is to
evaluate the existing surface to determine
what you are working with. The surface must
be structurally sound, clean, and must not be
contaminated with any foreign material that
could interfere with the bond of a new coating
system. This includes concrete curing
compounds.
Is the surface distressed in any way? Does it
have cracks, spalls, or unevenness? Does the
coating system require a level floor or one that
slopes to a drain?
Patching, repairing, and leveling are as
important as the coating system and would
require a whole separate article to discuss
thoroughly. It is important to say, however,
that any material used to level, patch, or slope
must be compatible with the total system. A
cheap, low-performance patching and leveling
material can ruin an otherwise good coating. It
is also good practice to allow the same
contractor that is doing the final work to make
any needed repairs.
KRC Associates, Inc. KRC Associates, Inc. KRC Associates, Inc. KRC Associates, Inc.
4061 Clough 4061 Clough 4061 Clough 4061 Clough Woods Drive Woods Drive Woods Drive Woods Drive Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 (888)943-4532 (888)943-4532 (888)943-4532 (888)943-4532
2
What type of surface preparation is needed for
the area in question? Surface preparation is
the most important step in the installation
process and is critical to long-term
performance of the total system.
Unfortunately, there is no one "best way" to
prepare the surface. The coating selection
(thin film or thick) will have a bearing on the
type of preparation. Or, to put it another way,
the required surface prep can dictate the type
of system from a thickness standpoint. A thin-
film coating will require preparation that will not
leave a heavy profile. A heavy profile may
require a leveling or fill coat before the thin film
installation. This could double the estimated
material cost.
It is also important to remember that new concrete
requires proper preparation just as does any old
surface. Curing compounds must be removed, a
proper profile or roughness achieved, and any surface
laitance removed.
(2) Consider the Performance Conditions
There are four major areas of abuse that will dictate
what a flooring system needs:
Chemical exposure. Severity of exposure and
types of chemicals are both very important.
Materials differ widely in chemical resistance,
making identifying the exposure very
important. Common splash and spills also are
far less critical than constant immersion.
Abrasion. The amount of wear or traffic a
surface will take is an important criterion.
Whether there will be steel-wheeled traffic or
rubber-wheeled traffic is critical. Any surface
exposed to steel-wheeled traffic requires
special treatment for long-term wear.
Impact. Heavy loads and direct impact require
a heavier build or thicker floor system.
Thermal Shock. Temperature fluctuation or
thermal shock is an important condition that
must be considered. Thermal shock, such as
steam cleaning of the floor surface, will cause
a loss of bond from thermal expansion if the
floor system is not chosen properly. The
coefficient of expansion of most coating
systems is much higher than for concrete and
must be carefully considered when selecting a
material.
Once you have identified the degree of severity of the
major areas of abuse, you must rank them in order of
importance for the particular project. This will provide
a major focus for what is needed in terms of material
and applied thickness.
The last of the material selection process is possibly
the most important. It involves how the coating project
is going to look aesthetically, how it's to be applied,
what the time frame for installing the system may be,
and last, but certainly not least, what are the budget
parameters.
(3) Other considerations
Other considerations are often overlooked when
selecting or specifying a floor coating system. These
lesser considerations don't necessarily contribute to
the function of the system, but are important as far as
being able to install a particular system and assuring
owner satisfaction.
Aesthetics. The final appearance of the floor
surface is more important than many people
perceive it to be. How an owner thought the
floor was going to look versus the final
appearance is sometimes widely divergent.
Today, the same performance characteristics
can be obtained with a variety of decorative
appearances and surface textures.
Installation parameters. In many cases, a
flooring project has a very tight installation
schedule. This limits many systems in how
long it takes to install a given material. In
occupied areas, the odor of some solvent-
based systems or the inherent odor of the
material itself will limit its use.
Temperature of the surface at the time of
installation is critical in selecting a material.
Some systems, such as epoxies, are very
temperature-sensitive and can vary widely in
cure time at lower temperatures.
Life expectancy. Owners want a flooring
system that will last forever, and will be
guaranteed. In actuality, a given system will
require maintenance periodically.
Maintenance procedures must be clearly
outlined and understood for a realistic life
expectancy.
Economics. Economy is the top requirement.
At times, low-cost systems will prevail at the
expense of more durable systems. Generally,
when other parameters are exhausted, you get
what you pay for. Another generally accepted
maxim is that the thicker the applied system,
the better the performance.
KRC Associates, Inc. KRC Associates, Inc. KRC Associates, Inc. KRC Associates, Inc.
4061 Clough 4061 Clough 4061 Clough 4061 Clough Woods Drive Woods Drive Woods Drive Woods Drive Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Batavia, Ohio 45103 (888)943-4532 (888)943-4532 (888)943-4532 (888)943-4532
3
Review material properties and
application procedures
The primary reason to go through a material selection
process is to get the proper material for the application
under consideration. It is critical to review technical
data, performance characteristics, and installation
procedures for those that have survived the elimination
process thus far. The technical data and performance
review can be difficult for most engineers, owners, and
specifiers because there is a lack of standard form of
data presentation. The following table will provide
some differences in technical data and performance
based on applied thickness. Various ASTM test
methods, Federal Standard Test Procedures, Corps of
Engineers test methods and others are used by
formulators to best present their products. In many
cases, the reviewer must compare test method to test
method to find the differences in the reported values.
Professional assistance is suggested to completely
understand the data. Remember the key conditions
they must meet for best performance.
Specify type and thickness
At this point in the selection process, the type of
material, application, and thickness should be taking
shape.
Coatings for concrete can be classified by:
Thickness
Thin film 1-10 mils
High build 10-30 mils
Slurries 40-125 mils
Toppings and Overlays 125 mils-1/2 inch +
Polymer type: epoxy, polyurethane, polyester,
vinyl ester, acrylic, methyl, methacrylic, or
others.
Appearance. Is the floor both functional and
decorative?
Finish. Is a smooth or textured finish
preferred?
The selection process can narrow the thickness and
the appearance requirements. Polymer type, however,
becomes more difficult and may require assistance to
review data and compare performance.
There are thousands of formulations for various
polymer coatings for concrete. Each one is different
from the next one. Epoxies and polyurethanes are the
most commonly used polymers. In each type,
performance and data vary significantly. As a very
general comparison, however, urethanes are used for
thin film to high build coatings, have excellent abrasion
and wear resistance, excellent gloss retention, and
good to excellent stain and chemical resistance.
Some urethanes have excellent elastomeric properties
and, together with their low permeability, are used
extensively in waterproofing applications. Most
urethanes are solvent-containing coatings. Recent
governmental mandates by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration and the Environmental
Protection Agency have made it necessary to lower
their volatile organic compound content.
Epoxy formulations used in concrete floor coatings
typically are 100% non-volatile (no solvent), have
excellent adhesion, good to excellent chemical and
abrasion resistance, and excellent mechanical
properties. Applications include bonding adhesives,
crack repair, concrete coatings, toppings, and
overlays.
Recently, combinations and epoxy/urethane hybrids
have given polymer materials good to excellent
thermal and stress relieving properties and impact
resistance. To more specifically compare polymer
types would require discussing each thickness
classification individually.
Installation and inspection
Once the system has been chosen, the material must
be applied and the job inspected and approved. The
choice of an appropriate contractor to install the
system is just as important as the material used. A
contractor trained to install a particular system (thin
film versus thick overlay) is critical. Once the system
and the contractor have been selected, coordination
among parties must be maintained for best
performance and user satisfaction. The job does not
end with the application of material. A long-term
review, maintenance, and repair program should be
established for continued performance and
satisfaction. Floor surfaces take continuing wear,
abrasion, and impact. Even the most durable surface
will show areas of distress that require attention. A
small amount of attention before installation will
prolong the life of a flooring system. As years go by,
the success of the project will depend upon the
coordination between the flooring specialist and the
facilities manager. The result will be a trouble-free
floor at lower cost.
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