faq's

1. What is epoxy flooring?

An epoxy flooring is a smooth, monolithic flooring formed by pouring a two to four component mixture over the concrete floor. If the epoxy is self levelling, then it shall tend to spread across the floor, in a manner so as to minimize the undulations and bring about as level a floor as possible.

Epoxy flooring promotes the Clean Room concept by providing a jointless finish and minimal undulations. This prevents accumulation of dirt and makes the floor highly washable. Epoxy flooring is also extremely tough and has strengths ranging from 60 N/mm² to 80 N/mm², which makes it much tougher than ordinary concrete floors which are typically of 20-40 N/mm² strengths.

2. What are the Good practices for epoxy floor maintenance?

Do's:

1. Clean immediately with detergent and warm water, in the event of chemicals/ oil grease spillage.
2. Vaccum clean regularly. Clean floor with detergent and warm water using soft bristles to avoid scratches. Polish as per manufacturer's recommendation.
3. Regular maintenance of trolleys and forklifts. Prevent locking of wheels.
4. Use polyurethane or penumatic wheels with wider contact area to reduce frictional stresses.
5. Please allow proper curing of the coating as per manufacturer's recommendation before exposing the floor to any loading / movement.
6. Keep mats underneath before placing heavy weights on the floor.
7. Check the pallets and ensure that no nails are protruding in trolleys / forklifts.
8. Maintain reasonably constant temperature in the rooms.
9. Repair leakages in water pipes and air ducts immediately to avoid pressure beneath the substrate, which could lead to blisters on the floor.

Donts:

1. Spill chemicals / oil / grease the floor.
2. Let sand inside - use air lock or air curtain
3. Store reactable solvent wothout proper instructions.
4. Use imbalance wheels.
5. Use black rubber / metal wheels on trolleys and forklifts, it will lead to scoring and marking on the floor.
6. Drag heavy objects on the floor, as it will lead to scratches.
7. Drop sharp and heavy objects on the floor, as it will leave dents and marks.

Surface preparation is probably the single most important determinant in determining the life of a coating; all other things equal.

There are two aspects of surface preparation: surface cleanliness and surface profile. Surface cleanliness refers to the extent of rust and other contamination on the surface; the cleanest surface being a surface close to white metal. Swedish standards are used to measure surface cleanliness of a metal.

Surface profile refers to the roughness profile on the surface of the substrate. For any coating to succeed, mechanical anchoring with a substrate is the first bonding; chemical cross-linking through polymerization is the second stage of bonding (as illustrated). It is essential that both stages of bonding are successful. For a 200 micron coat, the minimum surface profile recommended is 100 microns.