There’s a long list of mishaps and influences that can compromise the integrity of even the strongest concrete floors, whether that floor is installed in a heavy industry commercial setting or a quiet, private home. Thankfully, there are ways you can protect the investment that goes into a quality concrete surface.
At Runyon, we offer an extensive catalog of surface prep equipment, tools, and accessories for purchase or rent. We understand the full extent of ways your surface may be compromised and what you can do to prevent serious harm to it. This post will cover the potential damages to polished and coated concrete floors as well as the products and tricks of the trade that can help you maintain them.
Factors That May Threaten Your Concrete Floor
First, we’ll take a look at the broader ways that concrete floors may be damaged. Then we’ll get into examples more specific to manufacturing and other commercial endeavors.
Extreme Temperatures
Extreme temperatures not only threaten the initial curing process of your floor, but they also pose a threat throughout the floor’s length of use post-installation. In some cases, extreme temperatures—especially if they’re going back and forth—can cause cracking and shifting in concrete floors. This is known as thermal cracking of concrete.
Water-Related Damage
Water is one of the greatest threats—if not the greatest threat—to concrete floors. That’s not to say that a simple spill or leak will immediately cause damage. But left unchecked, water or hidden moisture causes the concrete’s very makeup to alter. This will result in cracks, holes, chips, or even an unlevel surface. Water can be especially dangerous to the initial curing process. Without the proper prevention, the concrete will not set adequately and its final state will be much weaker if not completely unusable.
Wear and Tear
This factor has a way of subtly threatening your surface. Because wear and tear is a more general damage type that property owners come to expect, they may not consider taking measures to prevent the pitfalls.
Thus, what may be a longer lifespan for the floor—with the right measures—is compromised. Some examples of wear and tear on concrete floors include that which results from heavy foot traffic, everyday oil or chemical spills, and weather.
Heavy Machinery
Specific usually to manufacturing companies, heavy machinery and equipment can be the root of craters, scrapes, and cracks in the operation’s floor. Some experts suggest that the concrete floor in a heavy machine-laden environment has a thickness of at least 6 inches—or, in cases of lighter weight machinery, 4-inch thickness.
Measures for Concrete Damage Prevention
First, to prevent excess moisture around your concrete floor you may need to invest in a dehumidifier for moisture-laden environments or a wet vac in the case of leaks or spills.
When it comes to the initial concrete surface installation, products like Ram Board are engineered specifically to allow for proper curing on new floors; its spill guard technology also provides protection from water, mud, and paint.
For heavy machinery and equipment, diamond plating floor mats are a go-to for long-term damage prevention and should be underneath just about every heavy machine you have.
In a similar vein, commercial investors with heavy machines and everyday traffic would do well to consider investing in a hardening finish with spill and wear resistance.
Ways to Repair Your Concrete Floor
While some damages may be beyond basic repairs and will require renovation to the flooring, others may be fixed with the proper care. Typical go-to repair products for cracks or small craters in concrete are fast-setting concrete mixes.
Runyon, for example, carries Rapid Set DOT Repair Mix which may be applied as general concrete repair, highway repair, sidewalks and steps, and much more. Other means of quick repair include epoxy or polyurea joint fillers
One-Stop-Shop for Everything Concrete Surface Prep
Runyon Surface Prep provides more than just concrete repair and prevention products. From floor scrapers to ride-on power trowels and heavy-duty dust extractors, we offer equipment and tools that meet a wide range of concrete surface demands.
We have locations in California and Indiana, and we have the capability to ship our products internationally. Ready to learn more? Give us a call or send us an email today.