by Jennifer Parker

Created on: October 01, 2008   Last Updated: October 07, 2008

A Brief look at warehouse floor coating failure.

Health and safety rules dominate any warehouse in the 21st century. Although it is considered a trial for maintenance professionals, overlooking details of warehouse floor coating can result in serious consequence's. Any lawsuit that may entail will also damage the company's reputation. If the only consequence is that the coating is re-applied, it can still mean a lot of trouble for you if the finger point's in your direction. To make life a bit easier, we have found some preparation pitfalls to be aware of before you coat your warehouse floor.

Water

Concrete has one major enemy when it comes to coating; water. Concrete retains water for a long time and waiting for it to dry is not always practical. When a coating is applied to damp floor it won't bond adequately. Touching the surface of the floor is not a reliable method for determining dryness. It is better to purchase a flooring moisture meter that tells you how wet the concrete is without breaking the surface. If you don't have the time to wait for concrete to dry then you can choose a solvent-free coating used for submerged surfaces such as docks or piers. This will make sure water is displaced and the floor coating will bond nicely to the concrete.

Sandblasting

This process is used on steel surfaces before applying the coating. Although it is thorough at removing residues it doesn't protect the metal from the salts that appear afterward. Hydro-blasting, which does the same thing using a jet of water, removes any corrosive salts ensuring the floor is protected.

Mixing and Solvents.

Some coatings consist of two components that must be mixed for 5 minutes or you will find undried spots on your floor that are still tacky. Solvents can cause tacky spots under the surface and although regulations are eliminating them in floor coatings they still cause problems. If you apply a thick area of coating, the top layer will release its solvent and dry, leaving undried coating underneath it. All you can do to avoid this is purchase a non-solvent based coating.

Pinholes.

It never pays to cut corners - always make sure you lay down 2 coats on your warehouse floor. You may think one coat will save you time and money, however, it will shorten the coating life and you will be left having to repeat the process sooner than you would like to. Pinholes are tiny holes of floor that have not been protected by coating. Avoid this by applying an extra coat and it is better if you use a different colour for each coat so you can see the bits you have missed.

Having covered the less obvious problem's, it is time to address the blatant; you must use the correct coating for the job. There are many types so you will have to research and ask around. It will depend on many varients; what surface you have to coat, how flexible or porous you need the coating to be and what the surface will ultimately be used for. Remember, if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well. Invest some time in coating your warehouse floor so you don't have to do it again this time next year!

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Parker.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.