Protecting and preserving your workshop’s concrete floor


Concrete floors are commonly damaged
by wear and tear, heavy objects being dropped on them, things being dragged
across their surface causing scuffing and scratching, hot tyres turning on
them, oils, petrol, and other nasties being spilt on them, and moisture damage.
It’s incredible how much abuse a concrete floor can be subjected to.
A common
sign of moisture damage is the development of damp patches or wet spots on the
surface of your concrete. Your
concrete’s structural integrity may be compromised by wet areas, and they
may also make it difficult for protective coatings to adhere. This is why it is
crucial to check the concrete’s moisture content.
If you
live in a climate subject to freezing temperatures, the freeze/thaw cycle can
slowly break down your concrete. The
freezing of water that has impregnated your concrete structure is of particular
concern as water expands about 9% in volume and causes concrete cavities to rupture.
The steel reinforcement within the concrete
structure can deteriorate via pitting corrosion when de-icing laden water penetrates
through cracks and pores in concrete and chloride ions start attacking the
steel. Corrosion damage of the steel
reinforcement is one of the biggest causes of concrete deterioration. In some severe cases of this type of damage,
concrete sections can completely break away from the reinforcing steel bars.
Protecting your workshop concrete floor is
important
Proactive
measures need to be taken to lessen the likelihood
of corrosion damage to the steel reinforcement of your concrete floor and
one of the best solutions available is a protective coating of the concrete.
A high-quality concrete coating will not
only protect your floor from corrosion damage but will also protect it from
various other forms of damage/deterioration.
Polyurea protective coatings will
preserve and protect your concrete floor for around 10 years.
Polyurea
is a type of elastomer made from step-growth polymerisation. Step-growth polymerisation is produced when
there is a reaction from synthetic resin and Isocyanate materials.
Isocyanates are a class of chemicals
with a low molecular weight and high reactivity. They are commonly used in the
manufacture of flexible and rigid foams, paints, varnishes, elastomers, building
insulation materials, auto body repair filler.
Various formulations of resins and Isocyanates
can provide differing setting times, moisture resistance abilities, colours,
flame retardant, and other unique properties of the polyurea coating your
purchase. Generally speaking, polyurea protective
coatings are very tough and up to 20 times stronger than epoxy.
However, if your concrete floor is old, damaged, or
pitted, the use of epoxy may still be necessary. To get a nice smooth
finish, they may need to build it up with epoxy first, and then apply the Polyurea
coating.
Polyurea coatings bond extremely well
to concrete surfaces, and because of their chemical resistance and durability,
they are scratch and abrasion resistant, resists chemicals, hydrocarbons and
salts and prevents rising damp. The extremely effective seal it creates over
the concrete surface helps to delay any corrosion of the internal concrete
reinforcement.
Polyurea floor coatings provide a high class finish,
have fantastic durability qualities and cure quickly and are ready to walk on
in within 24hrs. Polyurea has a higher
resistance to chemicals than epoxy and is U.V. stable. It’s unlikely that you will be resealing or
re-doing a polyuria floor coating within 10 years
Brilliant
for both internal & external Floors, they are light reflective, easy to
clean, and very long-lasting
Polyurea coatings will be more expensive than epoxy
because they are more durable and will last longer. A single-bay garage Polyurea
concrete coating costs about $8-13 per square foot on average.
Polyurea
coatings offer a number of advantages when it comes to outdoor use. They are
highly resistant to weathering, UV radiation, and abrasion. Polyurea coatings
use vinyl chips to increase traction and create a non-slip texture on your
garage floor, lowering the risk of you slipping and falling.
A
Polyurea floor creates a watertight surface that shields the floor from impact
damage as well as the hydrocarbons, nasty chemicals, heat, and sunlight
deterioration.
Cleaning
a Polyurea floor is simple; all you need is about 40 millilitres of clear
ammonia per litre of water to remove soiling. Rinse thoroughly. Alternatively,
you can spray the floor with your Australian made Spitwater pressure cleaner, and
then use a floor squeegee to move the dirty water off the workshop floor.
Epoxy floors are non-slip, reasonably priced &
cheaper
Epoxy coatings should not be underestimated;
they are an excellent choice for workshop floors because they can withstand
most activity and different types of punishment, such as dropped tools and
parts, and will protect your floor far better than a painted surface. Epoxy
coatings are tough and one of the most durable concrete finishes available.
There is one coating option better than Polyurea
Although polyaspartic is a type of Polyurea,
polyaspartic coatings have been modified to overcome the difficulties that Polyurea
coatings face. If you require a very tough coating, the project must be
completed quickly, and the finished product flooring must have high elasticity
and abrasion resistance, will be subjected to wide temperature ranges, or will
frequently be exposed to direct sunlight under the harsh Australian sun, then a polyaspartic coating is more than likely
for you.
Polyaspartic floor coatings are more durable than polyurea
coatings. The lifespan of a polyaspartic coating is
determined by the amount of wear and tear it endures as well as how well it is
applied. With those factors aside, you could easily expect a polyaspartic floor coasting to last 10-20 years, but as I
previously stated, it all depends on how much punishment it has to withstand.
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