The functioning and resistant qualities of a floor treatment are partly dependant on the properties of the substrate. It is therefore important to be familiar with the specific features of the different industrial substrates. In this brochure we leave aside traditional substrates such as concrete slabs, with or without a finishing layer. Floor treatments may also be laid over tiles, wood, steel and bituminous covering. In these situations we advise you to consult the relevant supplier or manufacturer since they are in a position to suggest appropriate solutions.

Index of

Compressive strength
Moisture
Surface preparation
Gritblasting
Milling
Grinding
Flatness and roughness of the support
Joints and skirtings
Joints
Skirtings

Compressive strength  

If a substrate does not have enough resistance, shocks and impacts can lead to the floor treatment coming loose as a result of damage to the substrate. As a rule a substrate must have a compressive strength of at least 25 MPa. If this is not the case, special solutions will have to be looked for in an industrial environment.

Moisture

Impact resistance test	Measuret of moisture %	Schmidt hammer test	Pull-off test

 

surface preparation

To ensure proper adhesion of a floor treatment to the substrate, it is necessary for the substrate to be sound, dry and clean. Existing substrates are often contaminated with oil or chemicals and a new substrate always has a latience over its surface. Whatever the state of the substrate, proper surface preparation is required to obtain proper adhesion between the substrate and the floor treatment. There are various methods of surface preparation. Those most frequently used include:

Gritblasting

This is the most usual method. It consists of pressure-spraying the substrate with metal particles which are then sucked up again in a closed circuit. This system has been developed to meet the growing demand for a dustpoor surface preparation.

Gritblasting: the most used pre-treatment

 

Milling

Milling is carried out using a machine with rotating discs which clean the substrate. This system is very effective, particularly for treating old substrates in poor condition. The milling machine can be fitted with an extractor to reduce the dust problem.

Grinding

Polishing with a polishing disc is only done to remove the latience from new concrete floors. This method is less suitable for large surfaces since it takes quite a lot of time.

 

Flatness and roughness of the substrate

The condition of the substrate is very important in the selection of surface preparation. If the substrate is not level or if the floor has to be made with a slope, then a system has to be chosen that has enough layer thickness to meet the requirements. If the substrate is too rough for the floor treatment selected then a scrape layer must be laid first. This scrape layer usually consists of a resin with the same properties as the final treatment, for instance an epoxy scrape layer for an epoxy treatment.

Joints and Skirtings

Joints

In normal circumstances a concrete floor is provided with joints. The joints allow for movements in the floor and must be continued into the treatment. They are filled with a joint filler. Expansion joints absorb movements which arise as a consequence of temperature differences in the floor fields. Insulation joints divide the floor into separate sections. Constructional joints or non-moving joints do not need to be continued into the final treatment.

(Joints)

 

Skirtings

Skirtings are required in damp environments, particularly in the food industry. These skirtings can be created by various methods. The traditional method is to make skirtings with a mortar with the same properties as the final treatment. If a pigmented mortar is used, the plinth is finished with a coating in the required colour. Where a decorative treatment is employed the skirtings are made using coloured fillers and finished with colourless resin.

Traditional skirtings

Traditional skirtings