Stonhard's Textured Epoxy Floor System from Ascoat Contracting

Seamless Floors Improve Production at Vegetable Processing Facility

Stonhard's textured epoxy floor system keeps wet processing areas safe, maintains high levels of sanitation and is unparalleled in design and appearance.

Redi-Cut Foods, Inc. operates a 120,000 square foot facility in Franklin Park, Illinois. They receive, clean, chop, size and package farm fresh vegetables for their customers in the fast food industry. This is also where Redi-Cut's customers and prospects come to observe the company's processing procedures.

This food environment offers some unique conditions and challenges for plant and maintenance personnel. There is a wet processing area which, if not properly maintained can result in employee accidents. Cleanliness in addition to safety is imperative for this food company.

The food acids present in the processing of fresh vegetables can cause severe damage to the floor. Finally, as a focal point of the building, the floors have to perform and impress.

Redi-Cut chose to be proactive by addressing floor concerns before they became serious problems. They tried using other floor coatings in another facility, but found that they needed something more durable to withstand the harsh conditions.

This desire led them to look at epoxy flooring as a solution. The Stonhard floor systems selected provided specific features to combat each of the environmental challenges present in this wet processing facility. Textured systems were installed to safeguard employees and visitors against slips and falls.

Seamless floors allow for easy cleanability with no seams to trap bacteria. Stonhard's floors prevent the need for repairs and recoating by providing a long-lasting solution. The systems considered were available in a variety of standard and custom tweed colors.

The substrate was prepared using metal shot to remove the surface of the concrete to ensure a secure bond between the fresh concrete and the new epoxy overlayment. Aprimer was then installed over the level concrete.

Stonshield HRI, a textured epoxy flooring system was selected in a green tweed color for the main production and packaging areas. The first layer of the system is an epoxy mortar, which is hand-troweled directly over the wet primer. This base layer is four to five times as strong as concrete and provides an impact and crack resistant foundation. A 100% solids epoxy undercoat is applied to the base and broadcast with brightly colored quartz aggregate giving the floor its attractive appearance and textured surface. The final coat is a 100% solids, clear, UV resistant epoxy sealer that improves cleanability and provides a textured surface for slip resistance.

Stonclad GS was specified for the traffic aisles, battery storage, chemical storage and trench drain areas in a matching shade of solid green. Stonclad is troweled over the same epoxy primer that is used with Stonshield HRI. The graded Stonclad aggregates provide high physical strengths (10,000 psi compressive) to this overlayment. A final coating reinforces the chemical and abrasion resistance of the system.

Some additional areas in the facility also received floor makeovers. Stonshield SLT was installed in the cafeteria, locker rooms and restrooms of the facility. Stonshield SLT is a textured system, much like Stonshield HRI. Since the SLT is a thinner system, however, it requires a smooth substrate and at 9,000 psi compressive strength. Instead of a troweled mortar base, quartz aggregate is sprayed directly into the epoxy primer, which acts to seal off the concrete substrate.

In addition to the floors, cove bases were installed to increase the sanitation and cleanability benefits of the floor system by eliminating seams between the floors and walls.

Several years have passed since this installation and Stonhard's floors continue to live up to expectations and provide food processing environments for others to model. Brian Hill, Vice President of Operations at Redi-Cut Foods, declares "Our Stonhard floors are durable, sanitary, safe and aesthetically pleasing."

Stonhard completed an additional 13,000 square feet at this facility and 6,500 square feet in Redi-Cut's Kansas City, Missouri plant. Other epoxy flooring manufacturers were invited to place a bid, but Stonhard won the job based on competitive pricing, proven product performance and flexibility of scheduling.

It would be no surprise if more projects were to come along. Brian Hill states, "We will definitely use Stonhard again."

The Stonhard Difference

Stonhard is the unprecedented world leader in manufacturing and installing high performance polymer floor, wall and lining systems. Stonhard maintains 300 product engineers and 175 application crews worldwide who will work with you on design specifications, project management, final walk through and service after the sale. And, Stonhard's single source warranty covers both products and installation.

Ascoat Contracting Profile

03 9587 7433

80 Industrial Drive, Braeside, VIC, 3195

VISIT WEBSITE

Video