Repair of pavement in mechanical workshop

Descripción sistema

Mechanical workshop located in the city of Manresa (Barcelona), in which, due to the passage of time and the wear and tear that this entails, it was decided to repair the floor with a material capable of withstanding the mechanical and chemical demands of the activity carried out in this type of premises.
These mechanical demands, due to the abrasion of the vehicles that move around on a daily basis, as well as the wear and tear produced by the materials that may be spilt and the materials used for subsequent cleaning, mean that this type of flooring must be repaired with high quality materials and qualified personnel, as the use of epoxy materials requires a specific work methodology.

Challenges and constraints

“Need to find an application system with very resistant materials, given the continuous use of some areas of the mechanical workshop.
“Need for speed in the execution and subsequent commissioning of the flooring, since due to the pandemic situation that existed at the time, the workshop was closed, but could be reopened at any time.
“Due to the daily activity of the workshop, the materials used had to be highly resistant mechanically (abrasion) and chemically (acids, fuel, oils…).

Molins Solution

“Thorough cleaning and preparation of the substrate by diamond grinding and subsequent vacuuming.
“In those areas of the pavement where it is necessary to remove the current pavement until the resistant substrate is found, carry out a more abrasive diamond grinding.
“Application of BETOPOX® PRIMER epoxy primer.
“Application of a first coat of BETOPOX® 92 AR epoxy coating (grey colour).
“After 24 hours, apply a second finishing coat with BETOPOX® 92 (grey colour).

Execution

Preparation of the substrate
First of all, all the areas of the previous flooring that were not sufficiently resistant were checked and eliminated, until the substrate was sufficiently resistant.

Two types of diamond grinding were carried out, a more exhaustive one to eliminate those areas of pavement that were very degraded and a more superficial one where the pavement was not very affected.

Once the pavement had been diamond-coated, it was thoroughly cleaned to obtain a surface that was completely free of dust and loose particles from the previous pavement.
Next, the Multilayer System recommended by Molins was applied:
” BETOPOX® PRIMER, a low viscosity, 100% solids, transparent epoxy primer of 300 gr/m2, was applied by roller to achieve perfect adhesion of the system to the substrate.

BETOPOX® PRIMER is supplied in pre-dosed 2-component sets. Partial mixing is never recommended as the mixing ratio is strict. For mixing, the contents of component B (hardener) were poured into the container of component A (resin) and both components were mixed with the aid of a low speed mechanical agitator (<400rpm), ensuring that the agitator reached the sides and bottom of the container and taking care not to incorporate air into the mixture, until both components were completely homogenised.

The pot life of the mixture inside the container is approx. 35 min at 20 ºC, so they were mixed as they were applied.

“2. After 24 hours, once the primer was dry to the touch, a first coat of BETOPOX® 92 AR, SR-AR1-B1,5-IR4 synthetic resin-based screed and floor finishing mortar, in accordance with EN 13813, was applied with a 200-250 g/m2, using a short nap roller.

BETOPOX® 92 AR is supplied in pre-dosed 2-component sets. Partial mixing is never recommended, as the mixing ratio is strict. For mixing, the contents of component B (hardener) were poured into the container of component A (resin) and both components were mixed with the aid of a low speed mechanical stirrer (<400rpm) ensuring that the stirrer reached the sides and bottom of the container and taking care not to incorporate air into the mixture, until both components were completely homogenised.
The pot life of the mixture inside the container is approx. 30 min at 20 ºC.

“3. After 24 hours from the first coat, a second coat of BETOPOX® 92 AR was applied, at a rate of approximately 150 g/m2, to finish and seal the proposed system.

Technical note

Classification of chemical resistance
Depending on the use of the floorings, the chemical requirements may vary. In the case of mechanical workshop floorings, these are subject to constant spillage, generally accidental.
For this reason, floors that have not been adequately protected or have been insufficiently maintained, end up becoming contaminated concrete over the years, and can become hazardous waste, as they become impregnated with oils, liquids (such as ATF from gearboxes, paints, solvents, etc.), etc. This circumstance, apart from compromising the safety of the people who work in them, entails an environmental problem.
For this reason, they must be protected with suitable coatings that facilitate cleaning and adequately protect the floor, both chemically and mechanically.
Below, we attach the chemical resistance table of BETOPOX® 92 AR, a highly resistant epoxy finish coating, in which we can see how this type of material is suitable for protecting the floor:

Fernando Martinez (technical office)