You’ve just been hired to install new flooring in a commercial space in your town. It’s an exciting project with the potential to get your work in front of a lot of eyes, which means you could receive a big boost in business. Thrilled about the opportunity, you’re ready to jump right in. But wait! Don’t overlook surface preparation, which is the key to a successful installation.
If the old floor has not been cleaned and prepared before you begin coating the new project, you’ll set yourself up for failure.
Most concrete floors have cracks and other imperfections from normal wear and tear over time. If ignored, these flaws can cause the new floor coating to be uneven and weak, leading to premature breakdown and the need for replacement a lot sooner.
As a result, you’ve spent your time and energy (and your client’s money!) on a project that under delivers. If this happens, it is unlikely they will hire you again or recommend you to anyone else.
That’s why surface preparation is so important before you start the installation process. The most common failure of floor coatings comes from improper or insufficient substrate preparation leading to a bond failure.
Our recommended method of prep is diamond grinding. Using closely-spaced diamonds, a diamond grinder cuts through a thin layer of the concrete, correcting any irregularities and leaving a level surface. Diamond grinding also opens up the concrete, creating a rougher surface for the coating to penetrate and bond to. Shotblasting using a shotblaster on the concrete is also a great way of preparing the concrete prior to coating.
In addition, if there was a previous coating, a diamond grinder can remove that layer as well.
Upon completion, it is important to clean up any leftover residue and dust that was churned up when grinding. A clean surface is the key to maximum flooring adhesion.
If there are any cracks or imperfections that need to be corrected, our Fast Patch patching material does a great job of fixing this.
The final result is a smooth, like-new piece of concrete ready for you to install one of V-8’s High Performance Floor Coatings.
If you have any questions about diamond grinding, shotblasting or surface preparation in general, give us a call today.
