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Properties of the substrate
| 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. |
 | 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.  |
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| Most floor treatments are not water vapour permeable and act as a barrier to
rising damp. This pressure results in the systematic destruction of the treatment. It is
therefore necessary to make sure that the substrate is protected against rising damp.
If moisture is present in the substrate and cannot be prevented, then a system must be
chosen that is water vapour permeable (cementitious system or a water-based coating).
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Impact resistance test
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Measuret of moisture % |
Schmidt hammer test |
Pull-off test
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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. |
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| Gritblasting: the most used
pre-treatment |
| 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.
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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. |
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| 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. |
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Joints and Skirtings
[ Floor coatings ] [ Self-levelling toppings ] [ Decorative floor treatments ] [ Conductive floor systems ] [ Trowel floors ] [ Cementitious floor systems ] [ Chemical resistance ] [ Selection criteria ] [ Substrates ]
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