Cracking in Industrial Concrete Floor
Cracks in industrial concrete floors can be the result of shrinkage from the initial concrete installation or from settlement over time. Concrete shrinkage is usually evident within 30 days, but concrete settlement may not appear until after years of continual use.
Deco-Coat Flooring has the best tools and products to properly prepare and repair cracks in the industrial or commercial concrete floor.
Concrete cracks can impair operations in warehouse, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities by creating bumps and trip hazards. Industrial cracks in the concrete also collect various types of debris which is time consuming to remove, and can get into the manufacturing process. Virtually every kind of industrial, manufacturing, or warehouse facility is likely to have its share of concrete floor cracks.
Cracks in the concrete floor should be repaired before the crack widens or grows larger in size, from constant traffic conditions. We use the highest quality materials performed by experienced workers to deliver a quality repair that will last for the long term
Repair Joints in Concrete Flooring
Joints are found in all concrete installations, but there are several types, each of which requires a different remedy:
-
Sawcut control joints are the very straight, one quarter inch wide, lines cut into brand new concrete installations, 2 inches deep or so, made with concrete saws. Spaced from 10 to 20 feet apart, they are created to direct concrete shrinkage cracks to a predetermined path. If left to its own devices, concrete will crack in a random pattern, but these sawcut control joints will usually have that crack running through them (just clean one out and take a look). After a few months, these are no longer needed and are usually filled to eliminated chipping along the sawcut.
-
Cold joints can look just like sawcut control joints, since they are also very straight, but you will almost always find cold joints running along the column lines. The gap is not one quarter inch, like sawcut control joints, but since they are not cut at all, more like a hairline width. Cold joints represent the places where the concrete installation team stopped work each day. These joints are more susceptible to widening over time, since the concrete slab is often fully independent from one side to another.
-
Expansion joints allow for the normal expansion and contraction, which occurs as a result of seasonal heating and cooling, between structures that have independent foundations, or to accommodate flexing and vibration. Identifying and treating expansion joints is critical to maintain the structural integrity of the building itself, especially when protective toppings or coatings are applied.
-
Isolation joints are designed into a structure to keep areas separated. The most common isolation joint you will find is around the columns supporting the roof, the so-called "diamonds". These are specifically designed to keep the effect of heavy snow loads, for example, from cracking or damaging the concrete floor slab. You will also find isolation joints around foundations that support heavy production equipment, since those foundations can be several times the thickness of the concrete floor and equipment vibration can be transferred into the floor, also causing damage
Repair Chipping in Concrete Floors
Chipping concrete in industrial floors happens frequently, especially when heavy items drop to the industrial concrete floor. Installing a concrete protection layer can certainly minimize the effects of repeated impacts, but does not eliminate chipping concrete all together. It is important to repair chips in the industrial concrete floor so that chip does not become a weak point in the concrete flooring system.
Deco-Coat Flooring repairs chips, cracks, flaking, scaling and pitting in industrial concrete floors. We can restore your industrial concrete floor regardless if the chip is small or if the chip is deep and wide. We will utilize high quality materials combined with our experience to match the chipping in the concrete floor with the most effective repair materials. Our goal is to ensure a long lasting concrete floor that retains its durability and longevity.
Repair Flaking and Repair Scaling in Concrete Floors
Flaking concrete and scaling concrete occurs when new concrete floors are being installed and the temperature is cold and / or too much moisture is present. It usually causes the top layer of industrial concrete to easily break off from the flooring system.
When flaking and scaling begins to occur, Deco-Coat Flooring will evaluate your flooring system to determine the extent of the damage.
Flaking and scaling may occur in small sections, or may consist of the entire concrete flooring system, depending on the previous installation. Once we determine the cause, we will bring your industrial concrete floor to the level of strength and durability your business deserves as every aspect of your facility contributes to the bottom line profitability of your business.