Moisture tolerant decorative flooring that’s thermal shock resistant, seamlessly sanitary and slip-resistant is the impressive package of benefits you provide to facility customers when you install cementitious urethane floor coatings like FloroCrete SLX with Decorative Chips.  You give your clients the reliable performance properties they need, the aesthetic appeal they want, and a cure time that fits their tight schedule.

Installing Commercial Flooringat Lower Temperatures

Now that many regions are experiencing cooler temperatures, FloroCrete cementitious urethane floor coatings are more advantageous than ever.  They cure relatively quickly at room temperature.  And as we head into winter, just a touch of catalyst can bump up the cure time, when desired.

Applications for Cementitious Urethane Floor Coatings

FloroCrete SLX with Decorative Chips is ideal for any facility that favors the look of FloroChip or even terrazzo flooring, but needs the additional properties of a FloroCrete urethane mortar basecoat.  FloroCrete SLX provides moisture tolerance, thermal shock resistance, antimicrobial properties — and even MVT protection when installed as part of the FloroProof System.

Consider FloroCrete SLX cementitious urethane floor coatings with MacroChips or MicroChips for applications like:

Food and beverage processing areas Restaurant, hospital and school kitchens Correctional facility food service Restrooms and locker rooms Retail and hospitality Sports and entertainment venues Healthcare clinics, offices, foyers and hallways

These and other slab-on-grade commercial flooring installations benefit from the unique properties of the FloroCrete SLX with Decorative Chips System.

Additional Options for Cementitious Urethane Floor Coatings

In the above commercial flooring video, FloroSpartic Polyaspartic Coating is used to grout the floor after the colored chips are broadcast.  Like SLX, FloroSpartic is a good topcoat choice for cool weather.  It’s ready for foot traffic in just 1 hour in moderate temps and only slightly longer as the mercury drops.

Both FloroCrete SLX and FloroSpartic are low odor commercial flooring products that alleviate the concern for air management during installation in occupied structures.  All FloroCrete products contain FloroSeptic Antimicrobial protection.  To get a floor that inhibits pathogen growth throughout, request that FloroSeptic be added to the grout and topcoats when ordering.

Other great finish coats for cooler weather include:

Floropoxy 4905 Standard Cure – Faster than Floropoxy 4805, with excellent hardness FloroCryl MMA – Ready for foot traffic in approximately 2 hours in moderate temps.  Like all MMAs, air/ odor management is required. More Information about Cementitious Urethane Floor Coatings

The first lower seasonal temperatures can sometimes catch even the most experienced industrial flooring professional off guard.   If you live in a region with four – or even three – seasons, you’re probably starting to hear about nighttime lows at 40° – 50° F (4.5° – 10° C). Ouch!

Bring industrial flooring products indoors when you leave for the day Do not allow concrete coating liquids to remain in a cold vehicle overnight

During mixing and installation, stay alert to any signs of cold product, such as:

Liquids appearing thicker than normal in the can An installed floor curing slower than normal

It’s always good practice to measure the temperature of industrial flooring liquids prior to mixing – but for many areas of the Northern Hemisphere, it becomes especially important from the month of September forward.   It’s never been easier, thanks to the laser temperature guns that are now the norm in our industry.  The instruments offer great accuracy and easy point-and-shoot technology, and are available online or at most hardware stores.

At this time of year, it’s the liquid product itself that is most vulnerable. However, as the season progresses, concrete floors cool down, such that indoor slab temperatures also become critical.   When slab and air temperatures cannot be brought up to a minimum of 55° F (approx. 13° C), our faster curing polyaspartic and MMA resinous flooring can help.

The following products exhibit very quick cure times at 70° F (21° C), and demonstrate a more “standard” cure, as slab and air temperatures drop:

FloroSpartic  Polyaspartic Midcoat and Topcoat

FloroCryl MMA Systems:

FloroCryl SL  – Self Leveling FloroCryl Shop – Sand Broadcast FloroCryl Quartz – Colored Quartz Broadcast FloroCryl Chip – Colored Chip Broadcast FloroCryl Deck – Elastomeric Deck, Underlayment and Joint Filler FloroCryl Build – Trowelable Graded Aggregate Mortar

Whether you’re installing a decorative colored chip or quartz commercial floor, or a more utilitarian looking, solid-colored system, cooler temps need not stop you. And of course, slip-resistance must be part of every concrete flooring application.

A new floor polymer floor offers commercial, retail, industrial and institutional environments a variety of benefits including a beautiful appearance, high-performance and durability. Are you looking to paint or refinish your industrial or commercial floors? Not sure what the best method is to install a resinous floor? Professional polymer floor installers use a variety of methods. Today we’ll discuss four different installation methods.

Photo courtesy of Epoxy, Inc. of Florida

Trowel Applied Flooring

This method uses hand-troweling (using a flat bladed trowel) or power-troweling to install aggregate-filled polymer mortars. The aggregate is applied as a single mortar blend. Typical application is 3/16ths to 4/16ths of an inch in thickness.

General steps for trowelled application:

Prime Screed Apply material with trowel Apply topcoats as necessary Broadcast Applied Flooring

Similar to troweling, broadcast applications use a liquid resin and aggregate component. However, unlike troweling, the two are applied separately in alternating layers. Examples of aggregate components include Colored Quartz or Colored Chips.  Typical application of each layer is 1/16th of an inch in thickness.

Steps for broadcasting application:

Prepare substrate (Note – any floor imperfections must be properly corrected or they will be visible through broadcast floor) Apply primer Apply basecoat and broadcast aggregate Sweep off loose aggregate after basecoat has cured Apply a second basecoat and broadcast aggregate Sweep off loose aggregate after final broadcast is cured Apply grout coat to seal aggregate Slurry Applied Flooring

Slurry is another common technique for installing resinous flooring. It is economical and a great way to add strength and wear into any floor. In this case, liquid resin is combined with powders and/or aggregates and applied as a fluid mixture. Typical application ranges from 1/8th to 3/16ths of an inch in thickness.

Basic steps for a slurry-applied floor include:

Prepare substrate (including any crack repairs) Prime Apply slurry mix with notched squeegee Apply optional topcoats

For floors that require additional thickness, a broadcast floor may be installed on top of the slurry.

Resin Only Flooring Application

Unlike slurry or broadcast floors, resin only floors do not contain fillers, resulting in a thinner cured finish. Final thickness ranges from 13 mils to up to 32 mils.

Installation of resin only floors requires:

Prepare (including crack repair) Apply primer Apply topcoats as needed

Choosing the right application method for installing your resinous floor depends largely on the desired result and overall environment of your floor. Consult with a knowledgeable polymer flooring specialist to provide you with the best method for your particular flooring needs.

What’s New

Unique features offer improved convenience and time-savings.  See these fun and useful ways to access important concrete flooring information:

Streamlined flooring selection – simply click on your Industry, System or Requirement to get the product recommendations for your project Product Detail Pages provide all you need to know on any given system – conveniently access a product’s sales brochure, colors/ blends, architectural specs and tech data sheets in one location All new Floor Gallery, with commercial floor coating photos categorized by industry Expanded Detail Drawings collection, downloadable for your use Real life Case Studies discuss concrete flooring challenges and solutions Demonstration & Training Videos let you learn the ropes online

What you see is only the beginning!  We’ll be adding to these regularly – fresh inspiring photos, skill-enhancing videos, enlightening case studies and of course, always the latest concrete flooring product innovations.

What’s the Same, Only Better In Resources, quickly access: Downloadable product brochures Product technical data sheets Architectural specs in multiple formats Selector charts for colors and blends MSDs Indexed by Part Number or MSDs by System The dedicated Architect Center continues to offer: AIA Approved Continuing Education, free to members and non-members alike USGBC LEED information, including point contribution Technical data, detail drawings and more

So take a minute to explore and enjoy. Finding the commercial concrete flooring information you need has never been easier or more fun!

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In a healthcare environment, floors must be free of bacteria that could result in disease or infection before, during or after a procedure. By using a bacteriostatic epoxy flooring, a hospital can ensure that its floors help prevent the spread of pathogens that can be harmful to patients and their families. Learn more about how epoxy flooring works for medical establishments.

Why Epoxy Flooring?

Flooring for healthcare centers must meet additional specifications that other industries do not. First and foremost, hospital floors must be hygienic, easy to clean and supportive of infection control. Floors must be chemically resistant to the many substances utilized by medical professionals during patient care, including acids, alkalis and more, that can potentially cause floor damage or decay. An epoxy floor coating can effectively meet all these requirements. Floors covered with epoxy can resist chemical exposure, harsh solvents and staining. With epoxy floor coatings, hospitals can conveniently and effectively extend the life of their flooring.

How FloroSeptic Works for Medical Flooring Other Healthcare Flooring Considerations

As professional floor installers consider which systems would be best for a hospital, they also consider factors related specifically to a given space. For example, the right epoxy flooring for a medical facility should be comprised of materials that are durable and able to support pathogen control.

Healthcare floors must also be slip-resistant and stain-resistant for both practical and aesthetic purposes. High compressive strength epoxy systems to support heavy equipment, plus indentation and puncture resistance are additional considerations. With FloroSeptic antimicrobial flooring, hospitals can achieve these important goals, effectively increasing the longevity of their flooring, while knowing that their new flooring is contributing to all-important infection control efforts.