Making Sense of Concrete Flooring
With the demand for decorative concrete
floors on the rise it seems apparent that as demand
increases, so does an individuals choice of alternatives.
Concrete floors are increasingly becoming
the material of choice and a design statement in
their own right. Concrete is evolving as an
artistic medium which provides unparalleled advantages
in design flexibility, longevity, strength, low
maintenance, hygiene and cost effective flooring.
These new trends have however, been
coupled with growing uncertainty as to specifications,
applications and quality and expectations of finished
products.
So what alternatives do you have
and which one will work best for you?
How do they look? How much will
they cost and how good a job do they do of protecting
your concrete floor?
There are currently three main methods
of concrete floor finishing and protection currently
on the market. Each of these has its own characteristics,
advantages and disadvantages, they are:
1. Chemically resistant epoxy coatings,
solvent based acrylics and moisture -cured urethanes,
referred collectively as "high build/solids coatings"
as well as water based "thin film coatings / sealers"
such as Terrazzo polish.
2. Chemical hardeners and densifiers
and finally,
3. HiPERFLOOR T
FILM COATINGS
Film coatings are shiny, colourful,
very resistant to chemical attack and stains and
generally resist dusting. While thin film
coatings are durable by nature they are only temporary.
Over time discolouration, scratches, chips and general
wear take their toll. Until now, owners have
had little recourse but to schedule periodic reapplications
of these products. Due to the competitive nature
of most industries, it is increasingly difficult
to schedule time to maintain these floors. Working
around sealers needing generally up to 1 week to
fully cure before they can accept full traffic,
as well as the potential exposure toxic, odors associated
with most of these products poses problems for most
owners.
The longevity of such a floor is
another question which is directly related to the
conditions it is exposed to. In the norm one can
expect a lifespan of between 2-5 years for film
coatings. The rejuvenation of such coatings can
involve as little as re-sanding and applying a topcoat
or if the coating has deteriorated significantly,
entire removal of the old coating and application
of the new.
The cost of epoxy coating can be
deceptive. Starting from around $14per square meter
for the application, the cost of downtime, removal
of fixtures and equipment needs to be added to this.
It makes sense to run your calculations on a ten
and thirty year maintenance program of repeating
the same process over time, as well as including
a significant amount for the charge of old coating
removal and disposal.
Bottom line: Film coatings are great
to look at and very durable in the short run. However
the long term cost can be high and they are costly
and difficult to remove and replace.
LIQUID HARDNERS AND DENSIFIERS such
as HiPERFLOORT Hardener
Liquid hardeners and chemical densifiers
change the molecular structure of the near surface
wear zone of concrete making it denser and stronger.
They can effectively eliminate dusting and create
a relatively pleasing looking floor whilst maintaining
the natural slip resistance of concrete. With regular
cleaning the appearance of the floor can actually
improve with wear and age. Although an improvement
over bare concrete, densifiers do not deliver the
shine of epoxy or urethane.
Since liquid hardeners do not leave
a film, they are dependent upon the finish of the
concrete for the final visual appearance. The importance
of a flat and smooth surface is imperative if you
choose this alternative for your floor. If your
surface looks average to start with it will not
change much over the course of the application of
the product. Nevertheless a treated floor
will prove to be a more hardwearing, maintainable
surface with less tendency of dusting for a very
long time when compared with film coatings which
progressively wear thinner.
First time application is relatively
inexpensive at around $6m2.
HiPERFLOORT
HiPERFLOORT is a new method employed
by PRO GRIND AUSTRALIA for the grinding and polishing
of old and new concrete floors. It is not only a
method for protecting a concrete floor - in as much
as a process for turning a concrete floor into a
highly abrasion resistant, incredibly dense, smooth
and visually appealing surface. HiPERFLOORT eliminates
the need for epoxy or thin film coatings, guaranteeing
a surface that can withstand even the toughest traffic.
Using the King Concepts HiPERFLOORT
process, PRO GRIND offers a range of outcomes which
can be achieved, depending on the purpose
for the floor, all with the inherent benefits of
strength, abrasion resistance, non-dusting, spill
resistance that make HiPERFLOORT the new choice
for concrete flooring.
- These finishes can be categorized
as being:
- Industrial finish ideally for
use in a factory or industrial non-decorative
situations
- Semi- gloss finish where a
mirror-like finish is not required
- High-gloss finish producing
an almost mirror-like floor.
Each of these alternatives can be
created with a revealed aggregate or non-exposed
aggregate finish.
The HiPERFLOORT process moves through
a succession of steps of diamond grinding using
progressively finer grit sizes, application of a
liquid densifier and deep penetrating invisible
sealer with final polishing and buff. The result
is a smooth, glossy, durable and attractive HiPERFLOORT.
With the durability and strength
of up to 10 times higher than that of a standard
polished concrete floor and incomparable advantages
in abrasion resistance and non marking properties,
HiPERFLOORT produces a floor exceptionally resistant
to:
- Wear
- Dusting
- Marking, such as Forklift tyres
- Water, Industrial Chemicals,
Oils, Food stains, Greases, Hydraulic fluids,
Fuels, Fatty materials.
- Abrasion
- Heat
HiPERFLOOR T can be used in new
or old construction for manufacturing, warehouses,
automotive factories and showrooms, retail, commercial
and domestic environments.
Additional benefits of the HiPERFLOOR
T system include its odourless application and environmentally
friendly properties (VOC free) promoting a healthier
working environment with no immediate or continual
toxic emissions. HiPERFLOOR T can be installed without
costly down time normally associated with epoxy
and urethane coatings
| HiPERFLOORT brings out the beauty
of concrete and combines it with the unparalleled
advantages of an easy maintenance. It eliminates
the need for epoxy or thin film coatings will improve
over age guaranteeing a surface that can withstand
even the toughest traffic and add years to the expected
life of the floor.
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In essence HiPERFLOOR T is a better
floor at a lower cost.
Still not certain as to which product
is best for you? Pro Grind Australia offers its
customers years of experience in decorative concrete
and floor refurbishment. We understand your challenges,
we are staffed to help you meet them, and we have
the products and services that offer you superior
finishes, great flooring alternatives, performance
and value, time after time. Call one of our
representatives now for effective and efficient
solutions for your current project needs on: 03
9761 7474
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