Polished Concrete Flooring PermaShine System from LATICRETE

Project Spotlight - BOYER'S MARKET

Situation
Boyer's Food Markets, with 17 locations in northeastern Pennsylvania, recently completed construction on its 18th store in the community of Birdsboro. The store is the first one the company has built from the ground up, and it features a number of functional qualities that make the environment more pleasant for shoppers and reduce maintenance for the owners.

The building boasts approximately 32,000 square feet (2,972 square meters) of space, and the design called for all floors to be polished concrete. The general contractor had to find a polished concrete contractor with the experience and skill to complete the project before the rapidly approaching grand opening. After looking at some of the company's other polished concrete work, Budget Maintenance was awarded the contract.

"A polished, attractive, easy to maintain concrete floor is critical in the retail environment, but getting those results can be a real challenge in the hectic construction phase of the project. The key is to find a contractor with the right products and the experience and flexibility to work around the challenges."
Vic Scotese, LATICRETE Regional Technical Service Representative

Challenge
The polished concrete contractor faced a few significant challenges with this project:

OTHER CONTRACTORS - The crew of four men worked nights and had to work around the equipment and messes of other contractors who were working during the day, dealing with everything from spilled hydraulic fluid from the equipment to paint and plaster that would fall and adhere to the floors.

NEW CONCRETE - As the team began the preparation of the floors, the new concrete proved difficult to open up, so workers had to use a grind aid to allow for an easier cut.

TIGHT TIMELINE - The company had only five weeks to complete the project, and had to do all the work in overnight shifts so that other contractors were not interrupted.

A LATICRETE Solution
LATICRETE solutions that are part of the FGS PERMASHINE® System in the new Boyer's Food Market include:

FGS HARDENER PLUS™ is a proprietary, chemical hardening solution that is formulated to increase the wear resistance and surface strength of concrete floors that have been mechanically ground, smoothed, and polished. Polished concrete floors treated with FGS HARDENER PLUS last longer than conventional concrete floors, cost less to maintain, reflect light better, hold a shine longer, are safe to use, and are guaranteed to resist dusting for a minimum of ten years.

L&M VIVID CONCRETE DYE™ is available in 24 standard colors and is formulated using extremely fine molecules of color designed to penetrate and color any cementitious surface. Created for use with the FGS PermaShine polished concrete floor system, it can be used as a base color or touch up for acid stained concrete or as a coloring agent itself.

PERMAGUARD SPS™ is a topical sealer that effectively protects concrete and other natural stone floor surfaces from the damaging effects of staining, defacing, and deterioration due to contaminant penetration. The resulting floors are easier to clean and keep clean, featuring a long-lasting high-gloss finish that improves light reflectance and eliminates the need for floor waxes, polishes, and conventional epoxy-based coatings.

"This project did test our abilities, but we ended up with results that exceeded our expectations. This store is an important addition to the community, leading everyone involved to search for the best materials to produce a building that is beautiful and will last a very long time."
Jon Jones, Jr., Budget Maintenance Project Manger

Outcome
Boyer's Food Market opened on time to a rush of happy customers and very satisfied owners. The floors are a highlight of the facility and will require very little maintenance while providing decades of service. In the end, community members are the real winners, having gone for more than five years without a local grocery store. Shoppers now have a new facility that is modern, bright, and inviting.

polished concrete floor grocery store