Case Study: BELDEN / PPC
Poured Flooring Installation and Corrective Action
Background:
A manufacturing facility, PPC, a Belden company, needed to repair and replace its failing epoxy Mortar floor system. The project was undertaken to enhance the facility’s safety and hygiene standards. The installation was managed and completed by NUFLORZ INC., a company specializing in industrial floor coatings for 30 years.
Project Details:
- Scope: Removal of the failing floor system and the application of a 3-layer Poured flooring system.
- Timeline: Scheduled for completion in 5 weeks
Issues Encountered:
- Bubble Formation: Shortly after the topcoat application, bubbles began to form on the surface. This was observed in several areas of the floor.
- Delamination: Sections of the epoxy mortar began to chip and delaminate away from the concrete substrate.
- Slippery Finish: Some areas of the floor were worn and slippery presenting the potential for a slip fall accident.
- Uneven floor surface. The failing epoxy mortar flooring caused unsafe fork truck travel.
- Oil saturated surfaces. The concrete substrate was saturated with process oils and coolents moving outside of the designed containment areas.
Analysis:
Upon investigation, several issues were identified:
- Improper Material: The epoxy mortar floor system had one grout coat. Once the contaminated contacted the epoxy mortar, the product began to breakdown and becom pliable and soft. The single topcoat was not a chemical resistant product and one coat did not saturate the basecoat leaving it pourous and vulnerable
- Substrate contamination: The failures were also attributed to oils and moisture within the concrete not being removed priar to applying he epoxy system.
- Floor abuse: The epoxy components were not capable or designed to withstand the harsh manufacturing environment where it was installed.
Corrective Actions Taken:
- Removal of the entire floor surface: The failing epoxy mortar floor was removed. This involved scraping off the existing floor coating system.
- Surface degreasing and preperation: The concrete was cleaned with an environmentally friendly degreaser. Once dry, the floor was shot blasted utilizing a Blastrac 2020 global to remove the top layer of contaminants and open up the concrete for the next step.
- Oil Easting enzymes: Nuflorz applied oil eating enzymes formulated for this process. It took several days for the enzymes to complete it process of digesting and neutralizing the contaminants.
- Floor Application Procedures: NUFLORZ INC. utilized a Cementitious urethanr coating system ¼ “ with three topcoat of chemical resistant novolac to prevent the future safety and failure problems.
Outcome:
After following the appropriate floor preparation, cleaning, andoil eating enzymes, the new high performance floor system designed for this environment was a success. Nuflorz implemented the corrective actions, and the resinous floor was successfully installed. Belden reported increased satisfaction with the quality of the finished floor and observed improved maintenance, safety and fork truck travel conditions.
Lessons Learned:
- Correct product selection is Crucial: The correct floor system for the job is essential for ensuring strong adhesion and preventing issues like peeling and failure.
- Monitoring Environmental Conditions: Paying attention to temperature, humidity, and moisture levels can prevent common problems associated with epoxy flooring installations.
This case study highlights the importance of thorough preparation, precise application, and continuous improvement in ensuring the success of epoxy flooring installations.