PU Concrete Flooring for Heat and Wash-Down
Polyurethane concrete is the resin build we specify when a working floor has to take heat, cleaning chemistry and repeated wash-down rather than simply look tidy. At 6 to 9 mm it is a different proposition from a thin epoxy coating. The survey starts with the concrete, the traffic and the cleaning regime so the finished floor is designed around the hardest part of the day.
Where this works
- Food and drink production areas exposed to wash-down
- Chill stores and cold working spaces
- Warehouse aisles carrying loaded trucks and cages
- Production floors exposed to heat or cleaning chemicals
- Wall-to-floor junctions that need a hose-clean cove
How we install it
- 1Read the operation before choosing the floor
We record wheel types, turning points, cleaning products, hot-water use and the hours each zone can be closed. PU concrete earns its place where a thin roller coating would be under-specified. Where the duty is lighter, we say so and price the thinner system instead.
- 2Prove the slab can carry the build
Pull-off strength and moisture readings come before the final specification. Weak areas, spalled edges and damaged joints are cut back and repaired. The slab is then mechanically prepared to the profile required for a 6 to 9 mm build rather than treated as a decorating surface.
- 3Form the cleanable junctions
Where floors are hosed, a separate wall junction creates a vulnerable seam. A polyurethane concrete cove can be poured with the floor so the junction is continuous, cleanable and not dependent on a bead of sealant to survive daily use.
- 4Install in a sequence the site can use
Live sites are divided into bays. One area is prepared, built and handed back before the next is opened, reducing how far stock or equipment has to move. Slip aggregate and any safety markings are agreed by zone, because a dry aisle and a wet wash area do not need the same texture.
Common pitfalls we prevent
Frequently asked
Is polyurethane concrete the same as a polyurethane top coat?+
No. The floor described here is a heavy 6 to 9 mm resin concrete build. A polyurethane top coat is a much thinner sealing layer used over other systems. They solve different problems and are priced differently.
Why not use ordinary epoxy?+
Epoxy remains a sound choice for lighter dry duty. PU concrete is selected when the floor also has to tolerate heat, repeated wash-down, stronger cleaning chemistry or loaded wheeled traffic.
Can the building stay open?+
Usually in part. We phase work by bay and hand completed areas back before opening the next. The programme is agreed around access, cleaning and vehicle routes before installation starts.
How is slip resistance chosen?+
Published options run from R10 to R13. We match the aggregate to the wetness, contamination risk and cleaning method of each zone rather than making the whole floor equally coarse.
What happens at damaged joints?+
Joints and arrises are repaired before the main build. Live joints remain live and are carried through the finished floor rather than buried beneath a rigid layer that will crack again.
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