PREPARATIONS

ADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES OF FLOOR PREPARATION

By preparing your floor before any new installations, you ensure that all your surfaces will be levelled, cleaned and at their most optimal state. Not only that, it will improve the longevity and durability of the newly installed flooring .

By having the concrete surface professionally prepared before the installation of new tiling, vinyl, timber or carpets, you will also reduce the amount of maintenance required for the newly installed floor – a very cost-effective flooring solution. Your flooring will require less repairs or replacements.

Download the document here for Surface Preparation for Coating Application.

GRINDING

Shimicoat offers concrete grinding and polishing to create gorgeous floors. We are experts in the concrete surface preparations and coating industries. We offer our services to residential, commercial and industrial sectors on new or existing floors.

Surface Preparation for Resin Systems – Grinding

CONCRETE SUBSTRATES

Surface preparation and grinding is considered to be the most important step of any resinous flooring application. Improper surface preparation could turn what seems to be a simple process into a lengthy, difficult repair. The following conditions will dictate the type of surface preparation:

• Concrete must be a minimum of 30 days old for resinous flooring applications.
• Clean surface is necessary to establish a strong bond between the resinous flooring and concrete.
• Resinous flooring systems are only as sound as the concrete they are applied to, so, ensure the best foundation for your flooring system.
• All unsound concrete should be repaired or replaced prior to resinous flooring applications.
• Self Leveling resinous flooring materials should be applied to level concrete substrates.
• Grind or fill high and low spots prior to application.
• Repair cracks prior to resinous flooring applications.
• Consult your Shimicoat Technical Service Department for specific information.

Mechanical Prep vs. Acid Etching

Resinous flooring materials ideally bond to concrete with a rough, sand-paper finish. This finish can be best achieved by mechanical methods such as grinding and sanding. At Shimicoat, we never recommend Acid Wash unless there is presence of excessive oil and grease on surface.

Contamination and other foreign materials must be mechanically removed (Grinding and Sanding) to ensure a satisfactory bond. All dust and debris must be thoroughly removed.

OLD CONCRETE

Old concrete surfaces must be structurally sound. Any unsound areas must be repaired prior to proceeding with the resinous installation. For proper patching and repairing, use Shimicoat Technical Service Department. Remove existing paint, scale and loose concrete by rough sanding, sandblasting, shot blasting, or grinding. In some cases where floor conditions allow, a stripper may be used to remove excessive build-up of paints or sealers.

Structurally sound concrete should be mechanically prepared to remove any contamination. Vacuum shot blasting is the best method for achieving a good profile for bonding and should be used where possible.

NEW CONCRETE

New concrete must be well cured and dry prior to coating. Allow to cure a minimum of 28 days unless using green concrete primer. No curing agents or sealing compounds should be used at any time prior to coating.

Any oil, grease, laitance, or other foreign material must be removed. Steam clean with a strong degreasers, consulte Shimicoat Technical Department. Laitance and other foreign material are best removed by mechanical methods such as vacuum blasting, scarification, or grinding.

All new concrete can be acid etched or mechanically prepared by vacuum shotblasting, sand blasting, scarifying, or grinding. Vacuum shot-blasting provides the cleanest environmentally safe area during cleaning. It also provides a mechanically rough surface to achieve a good bond.

Before the installation of any Shimicoat resinous system, the surface should be examined for moisture.

REMOVAL

Surface Preparation – Removal of old Surface

When it comes to your floor longevity and durability are important. That’s why it is vital to have a surface that is prepared the right way before any flooring material is installed or fitted.
Shimicoat offer flooring solutions to residential, commercial, and industrial capacities.

Shimicoat Grinding has extensive experience in floor preparation using the latest equipment to provide our clients with the best services possible.

Tile Removal

Whether it’s the family bathroom or commercial premise, we provide tile stripping for all types of properties throughout Perth and the surrounding areas.

Timber Floor Removal

Getting rid of timber surfaces can be a challenge. Allow us to take away the hassle and get the job done in the shortest time possible.

Vinyl Floor Removal

Our team can provide you with all your vinyl floor removal needs.

Carpet and Carpet Tile Removal

No matter what type of carpet is installed in your residential, commercial, or industrial building, we can remove them for you and prepare the floor for its replacement.

Glue, Paint, and Coating Removals

We offer complete removal of glue, paint, epoxy, or any other coating that is attached to your concrete surface. After we have completed the project, the floor will be cleaned and ready for the installation of the new flooring material.

Concrete Grinding

We have a broad range of equipment to take on projects no matter what the floor area might be. Our goal to ensure that each job is completed on time and within budget.

Concrete Cutting

We have the ability to cut your concrete and prepare the area for any new installations.

Bathroom and Kitchen Strip-Outs

We will remove all floor coverings, ceilings, temporary floors, non-load bearing partitions, cables, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, just to name a few.

Commercial and Retail Strip-Outs

Retailers who need to renovate their stores can count on us to do a complete strip-out of the space so that you can easily transform it into something else.

CLEANING

Surface Cleaning Prior to Epoxy Application:

Epoxy Flooring Systems are commonly used on concrete/cement floors because of their durability and versatility. They resist oil, dirt, water and debris that can stain other types of paint and flooring. Not all cement floors are ideal for epoxy coating. Moisture in the cement can prevent the epoxy from thoroughly adhering to the floor, so you’ll need to perform a moisture test before beginning this project. For the best results, complete a thorough cleaning and acid-etching before applying the epoxy coating.

A few Useful Hints:

• Tape a plastic bag to the floor for 24 hours. Lift the bag and look at the underside. If the bag is completely dry, it’s safe for epoxy coating.

• Scrape hard debris from the concrete/cement floor with a flat shovel or scraper. Sweep the floor thoroughly with a stiff-bristled broom.

• If oily, fill a 5-gallon bucket with degreaser or all-purpose cleaner and water according to the instructions on the bottle. Scrub any grease or oil stains on the cement floor with a stiff-bristled brush dipped into the cleaning solution. Blot the cleaned areas with cotton rags.

• Dampen the concrete floor thoroughly with a hose. Attach a brush or coarse scrubbing pad to an electric floor scrubber. Pour some of the degreaser or cleaning solution from the bucket onto the floor as you clean with the scrubber to keep the floor wet. Move the scrubber back and forth as you clean. For areas that the scrubber won’t reach, scrub with a stiff-bristled brush.

• Vacuum up any remaining cleaning solution from the floor with a wet/dry vacuum. Flush the cleaning solution down the drain to dispose of it.

• Carry our acid wash, only if oily and greasy, and only if necessary. Rinse the cement floor thoroughly with the hose to prepare it for acid etching. Attach a new or rinsed cleaning brush or coarse scrubbing pad to the floor scrubber.

• Pour enough Hydrochloric Acid solution to cover a thin film oll over your floor. Scrub the area for five to 10 minutes with the floor scrubber. Move to a new section, sprinkle the solution and scrub the floor. Repeat this until you scrub the entire floor.

• Make sure windows are open and there is enough air circulation.

• Rinse the floor thoroughly with a hose. Scrub the floor completely and rinse again.

• Repeat the scrubbing and rinsing two more times to ensure no acid residue remaining and allow the floor to dry overnight. Squeegee the water off of the cement and ventilate the area to aid in the drying process. The floor should appear white and feel rough like sandpaper when it’s dry. If not, repeat the acid-etching process.

• When dry, repeat the moisture test and if dry, proceed with epoxy application.

SURFACE CARE

How to take care for of your Floor Coating

Whether you are remodelling, renovating or relocating, installing a new flooring system in your place of business is a big decision.
Installing residential, commercial or industrial flooring always means committing a large amount of time and a considerable amount of money to the project. Once the new floors have been laid, any sensible business-minded person would want to protect their investment. With a little care and some basic maintenance, you can ensure that your floor will stand the test of time.

Depending on the type of floor you have chosen, there are many different ways to make sure your working space stays pristine, safe and easy to navigate. At Shimicoat all the commercial or industrial floor coatings are offered by the professionals and require specialised care to keep them looking their best. While not always an involved process, knowing just how to best care for your floors will help you to protect your initial investment and get the most from our products.

Here are some of the best ways to ensure your floor is in great condition:
1. Keep your Epoxy floors in excellent shape
Good standards of industrial/commercial hygiene can only be maintained if the integrity of your epoxy floor is complete. Making sure that you know the right way to care for your epoxy flooring is vital. Proper maintenance of epoxy floors will enhance their longevity and keep them looking glossy and new for years. Epoxy Floors should be regularly swept with a soft bristled broom. We recommend at least once a day. Any spills should be dealt with straight away to prevent chemicals scoring or marking the floor or creating sticky patches. It is advisable to wash your epoxy floors at least once a week. Although epoxy floors are well known for their durability and strength, it is not advisable to drag sharp or rough-edged materials across them.

Like with most smooth floor types, the care is simple but should be carried out on a regular basis.
• Avoid dirt
Through integrated floor mats and grilles, the ingress of dirt is reduced to a minimum. Installation of such zones should be planned in advance.

• Protection of newly applied floor
If an epoxy floor is installed at an early stage during new or refurbishment projects, the floor may be subjected to usage very different from those expected during service.

These include
• Heavy lifting equipment,
• Movement of heavy cumbersome machinery,
• Spillage of paints, mastics, sealants etc.

Because of this, it is important to consider the following carefully:
1. The installation of temporary covers of a cardboard type material, and hardboard if other trades are to work in the area,
2. Covering the area to be subjected to traffic and additional trades with plywood sheets with heavy duty masking tape at the seams,
3. The avoidance of early usage particularly with rubber-wheeled vehicles.

This will minimise the risk of dirt being embedded into the surface of the floor before it reaches full hardness. A period of 48 hours is advised at lower temperatures before full service is permitted

Maintenance cleaning

The frequency of the maintenance cleaning depends on the degree of the dirt contamination and the standard of the cleanliness required and can be daily to weekly. Loose dirt or dust is removed by appropriate methods, such as vacuum, damp mop or specialist machinery. Shoe and skid marks can be removed with a suitable cleaner. Clean the general floor area using a pH neutral, non-film forming water. Cleaners are best used in conjunction with specialist machinery, followed by flushing with clean water. Specific soiling may require specialist cleaners e.g. in kitchens for oil and grease.

Heavy soil cleaning

This type of cleaning has the best results when a specialist cleaning product manufacturer is consulted, thereby forming a cleaning plan that suits the individual needs of your particular facility. Shimicoat suggests that pH neutral, non-forming, non-abrasive products are used.

Reapplication of sacrificial polishes

These should be reapplied in accordance with the amount of traffic your facility encounters and the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Maintenance and repair

Even the most assiduously cleaned epoxy floor may suffer damage to its integrity by some unforeseen incident in the workplace, which could result in a consequential risk of bacteriological build-up in cracks etc. If this situation arises, the damaged epoxy floor should be repaired without delay. Contact Shimicoat for advice and assistance.

Water used for cleaning must not exceed 50C. Cleaning products must not contain abrasive media or solvents. Best results are obtained by consultation with cleaning suppliers, many of whom will visit your facility and develop a custom cleaning package and regime.

Caring for Polyurethane Floors

Polyurethane Floor Coating is a highly resistant and incredibly durable flooring option. However, even the toughest floor needs to be properly maintained. Keeping your floor free of grit or rough materials will ensure it stays level and even. For this reason, regular washing or mopping of the floor is recommended. Do not use detergents as they can leave deposits on the floor that can impair the glossy finish.

Polyurethane Floor Toppings are a hard, impervious, non-absorbent and non-dusting flooring system. This ensures not only their durability but the ease of cleaning when a suitable cleaning regime is used. The cleaning and maintenance of a Polyurethane Floor Topping is considered vital and integral.

Not sure still on how to keep your floor coatings in good condition?
Talk to Shimicoat for further assistance and technical advice.