Technical FAQs

Flooring in an industrial environment is subjected to many harsh elements such as forklift traffic, chemical spills as well as mechanical wear and tear. If a floor is uncoated the concrete can become severely damaged. The cost of replacing the concrete slab far outweighs the cost of installing a protective resin coating.

There are a number of different resin flooring options available and each of the options have their own benefits.

Cementitious Polyurethane Systems – These systems are a popular choice for clients working in the food industry. A typical polyurethane material used in this application comes in mortar form combining cement and water based technologies that exhibit a high cross-linked density, making them ideal for abusive environments subject to prolonged chemical attack.

Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) – These systems offer certain performance advantages compared to alternative resin materials, most notably their ability to cure at an incredible speed and be installed at extremely low temperatures.

Epoxy – Epoxies are typically trowel or roller-applied, two or three-component systems that are available in a wide variety of colours. Epoxies can also be broadcast with aggregates to deliver a slip-resistant finish.

There is a vast array of criteria to take into account when specifying a resin flooring system. You need to decide what is important according to your particular requirements. Here are a few factors to consider:

•        Hygiene
•        Type and degree of traffic
•        Slip resistance
•        Aesthetic requirements
•        Chemical attack
•        Cleaning and maintenance
•        Temperature exposure

Resin flooring materials form Flowcrete are solvent free, low in VOC’s and present no environmental hazard.

Flowcrete is constantly looking for ways to become more sustainable. Flowcrete has formulated some of its products using recycled materials. Most of our flooring systems have a lifecycle in excess of 10 years.

Where possible Flowcrete supplies products in reusable Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC’s). This reduces packaging supplies, improving energy consumption and transportation usage.

The use of thermosetting plastics as a surface coating to protect concrete has several advantages:

• Long service-life
• Hygienic advantages
• High wearing strength
• High mechanical and chemical strength
• Low maintenance costs
• Antistatic characteristics, etc.

These coatings are executed to a high quality standard and allow adaptation of functionality and aesthetic appearance to meet client requirements. Thermosetting plastic coatings can be applied in very thin layers (100 μm) up to several centimetres in thickness.

Polyurethane plastics can be both single and two component products.

Single-component products consist of an isocyanate that is moisture-hardening, which means that it absorbs moisture from the air resulting in it hardening, whereas two-component products are mixed together from a base component, which is generally a naturally modified vegetable oil, and the hardener, which is an isocyanate.

Primers are designed to perform three main tasks; seal the substrate to reduce penetration and air release from concrete pores and pin-holes, consolidate and strengthen an otherwise weak or dusty substrate and to improve adhesion of the flooring system.

A floor seal can often act as its own primer, two coats usually providing the full system. Flow applied flooring for example benefit from the use of a primer (double priming in some cases) by sealing small air pockets in the concrete base due to pores and pin-holes and therefore reducing the risk of these bubbles rising to the surface and spoiling the smooth, impervious finish which is the ultimate goal.

Resin screeds tend to be dry mixes which are almost impossible to apply and compact satisfactorily unless the material is applied into a tacky primer or one that has been 'seeded' with a material like dry silica sand. Even the heavy duty flooring will normally benefit from a primer by reducing pin-holes and increasing adhesion.

Primers also serve to seal contaminated substrates, again increasing adhesion and prevent contaminants damaging and de-bonding the whole system. Special primers are available to deal with problems such as oil contamination and damp substrates.

To smooth the background surface for application of resin coatings; to clean soft composition background surfaces; to remove adhesive and levelling compounds (not exceeding 1mm in thickness); for removal of surface contaminants i.e. oil, grease and / or to key existing resin surfaces and screeds.