ADVERTORIAL
DON’T RISK SAFETY! CHOOSE THE RIGHT COATING FOR YOUR FLOORING
Coating systems are not just a beautiful addition to a building’s floor, but an essential component to support functionality. When it comes to future-proofing your building, choosing the right material will come a long way. Coating needs to be specifically designed to tackle each building’s unique challenges. In commercial buildings, for example, the main consideration is usually the aesthetic, seamlessness and ease of maintenance; whereas in industrial buildings, the focus is more on the durability and safety.
Each variety of coating has specific properties that are best used under different circumstances. Two popular options are epoxy coating and polyurethane (PU) Screed; and the decision to choose one over the other really depends on the end goals.
Meeting the food safety standards of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)
EPOXY VS POLYURETHANE SCREED Although epoxy and PU Screed are often viewed as interchangeable, they are actually different types of coating with their own distinct properties that are designed for floors with high traffic and heavy loads from equipment such as heavily-laden pallet trolleys and forklift trucks. These activities can cause damage to the surface. Floors with inappropriate coating may result in defects and unevenness, which can cause safety hazard to the workers. For instance, when operating a forklift passing through the area, any instabilities are safety hazards just like roads with potholes, which can damage cars and cause accidents. To prevent such risks, business owners, manufacturers and consultants are constantly on the lookout for protective floor coating.
Epoxy has been one of the most popular flooring choices for concrete surfaces, as it can be applied in many ways, using a range of additives and aggregates that will increase its strength and slip/abrasion resistance. However, the application is generally limited to dry, clean floors to maintain the structure and integrity of the slabs.
PU Screed, on the other hand, offers performance beyond epoxy in more challenging situations. It is particularly suitable for industrial facilities that face heavy footfall, physical impacts, extreme temperatures and corrosive chemicals on a daily basis. It has a higher cross-linked density to ensure that floors will have better strengths, durability and resilience to deal with a variety of harsh environments. A fully loaded truck alone could weigh in excess of one tonne, which puts considerable pressure through
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its wheels and into the floor. PU Screed provides protection from such industrial operations.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT FLOORING SOLUTION However, the question then rises, how do we know which solution is suitable? To put it simply, the decision-making boils down to the moisture levels, humidity conditions and changes in temperature. For facilities that experience dramatic changes in air and floor temperatures as part of their normal operation, PU Screed is a clear winner. All things being equal, under a thermal shock, PU Screed floor will perform better as it has the ability to expand and contract at the same rate as the concrete substrate, which contributes to its ductile bonding.
When it comes to hygiene, health and safety, the qualities of PU Screed clearly outweigh epoxy coating. Food processing facilities that produce or work with milk, dairy and cheese, will greatly benefit from the PU Screed as it boasts unrivalled resistance to corrosion, inorganic alkalis, organic alkalis and solvents.
Speaking about the cold and thermal shock tolerance, a standard two-pack, 100 per cent solid epoxy coating has a heat resistance of only up to 65 °C, whereas PU Screed can withstand up to 140°C. In a food and beverage facility, thermal shock is high, such as when a room is steam-cleaned, hot oven doors are opened, or boiling substances spilling onto the floor. PU Screed trumps over epoxy in these situations.
Within the pharmaceutical industry, regulations are even more stringent in times of health crises like in the current COVID-19
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