Cement Floor Seals Are Not All Equal
Many cement floor seals are saturates that soak into the pores
of the floor. These saturant-type floor seals may work fine in
some, but not all, situations.
Looking through a microscope can
reveal just how porous a cement floor can be. Saturant-type
seals soak into the pores and then harden, bringing the pores
level with the surrounding cement. This type of seal helps to
reduce dusting and wear on the floor by providing more surface
area for wheels and foot traffic to rest on. Problems, however,
can arise later when the floor gets wet, causing the saturants
to wash out of the cement and allowing liquids to penetrate and
dissolve the cement.
In contrast to saturant-type seals, laminate floor seals create a barrier between the floor and the liquids, wheels, and foot traffic that impact it. The use of laminate floor seals is critical in environments where chemicals, diesel, or oils are likely to
contact the floor.
Laminates also create a wear-barrier that prevents friction being applied to the underlying cement. Epoxy or urethane laminates create a particularly durable, seamless membrane, or plate, which isolates the cement surface from contact with machinery and
liquids. The coatings can be re-applied as needed, a process that is considerable less expensive than repairing a worn or damaged concrete floor.
Unlike saturant-type coatings, epoxy floor seals are
moisture-resistant as well as compatible with damp humid areas
and flooding. These qualities result from the catalysis that
epoxy undergoes when applied, changing into a plastic that will
not re-liquify if its carrying solvents are reintroduced.
Floor
saturating seals are carried in water or solvent bases that
evaporate to leave the finish. If those carriers are
reintroduced to the floor, the saturant seal can re-dissolve
back into a liquid state and wash away.
In contrast, water and
most solvents have no effect on sealed epoxy surfaces. Epoxy
flooring goes on at the job site and produces no seams. When
there are no breaks in the surface coating, the result is a
continuous membrane that seals what is above from what is below.
These epoxy surfaces have been used in food processing plants
for over 50 years now. Mold, mildew, and other contaminants
cannot penetrate the epoxy membrane and are easily washed off.
Preparation is everything when applying finishes. A surface can
be expected to stay in place only if its substrate is permanent.
Naturally, if the substrate crumbles or moves, the surface will
move with it.
New floors are especially vulnerable and require
extensive preparation. It is well known that new concrete is
dusty for the first few years while the latents of concrete on
the surface are kicked, rubbed, or driven off. Those latents
must be removed before quality epoxy topcoats are applied or the
topcoats will move with the latents as they break free from the
substrate.
One should not rely on retail store clerks to help with a floor
that will be used for 10 to 20 years. As a result of 40 years of
application experience, flooring experts have developed
application preparation procedures that help minimize the risk
of substrates moving.
Factory-direct kits of materials including
step-by-step instructions and a 24/7 help line are now available
online. With these resources, anyone can put a quality floor
down in their garage that will last for decades. Like a car
finish, you may get some scratches and marks, but also like a
car finish, a little touching up can keep those finishes looking
great for decades.
Durall Industrial Flooring offers no-cost,
no-obligation quotes for its fully customized kits of materials,
including all preparation materials and procedures, for
installing industrial quality epoxy or urethane coatings at
www.concrete-floor-coatings.com. These beautifully sealed and
easy-to-maintain floors come in over 20 colors. The floor finish
can be gloss, flat, or satin and may be easily accented with
decorative chips. Additionally, the floors may be skid-resistant
like emery paper, yet still easy to sweep or squeegee.
For photo examples and more detail, visit
www.concrete-floor-coatings.com For more information, contact
Harvey Chichester at harvey@durallfmg.com Phone: 800-466-8910 or
952-888-1488 (24/7)
Harvey Chichester is a principal of Durall Industrial Flooring,
a company with more than 40 years experience in developing
special flow-coatings for industrial and residential floors. For
15 years, he has overseen product development and field testing
for the company. He has personally directed the installation or
restoration of more than 6,000 floors.
Back to Articles Page |
