Recently, our office received a phone call from a potential client that was extremely distraught about some recent work that was performed on his new facility expansion. The client is a local sign and graphics company that specializes in vehicle and banner advertising for a plethora of companies local to my firm. As their business was growing, there was a real need for additional space to accommodate their installs for their clients, as well as the growth of their company. The client scrimped and saved for the better part of 36 months to accommodate the cost of the 5,000 square foot expansion. In an effort to keep costs down, the client acted as his own construction manager. All was going well until the concrete contractor, that was hired to place and finish the concrete, performed substandard work. This caused great distress to the client, because in order to install the vinyl graphics on larger vehicles (box trucks, triaxles, etc.), his wife, as well as his staff, has to utilize electric scissor lifts to facilitate the installs. This was now at risk because the floor was drastically uneven and unlevel, so much so that using lift equipment would create a precariously dangerous situation posing great physical risk trying to do these installs.

Unfortunately, the client went back to the concrete contractor and tried to plead his position, but, as is so often the case, once the contractor was paid, the contractor had no intention whatsoever to remediate the situation. We were asked to come down and assess the situation and give our opinions on how to fix it. Upon visual inspection of the slab, I was appalled at the amateurish ineptitude of the install by the contractor. And I was quite concerned for the client and his wife because this is a small family business. They were inconsolably upset at the possibility that they may have lost a huge sum of money as part of this construction. I assured them that we would pursue whatever methods and methodology at our disposal to get the floor into a workable and safe condition

We developed the following plan to repair this industrial floor and make it safe:

• Aggressive mechanical scarification of the concrete that was above the natural level line
• Diamond grind entire floor with prep master equipment to smooth out scarified areas
• Bring in temporary, three phase generator power to support and power up our grinding equipment
• Repair all shrinkage cracks and spalls with epoxy mortar

• Grind down repairs as necessary
• Install penetrating epoxy primer to prepared floor
• Install high solids epoxy intermediate coat to prime coated floor
• Install high solids epoxy background color to intermediately coated floor

• Operator broadcasting multi-colored blended flake to entire freshly coated floor
• Operator installing a clear urethane lock down coat to permanently seal flake into coating system
• Final finish of completely remediated floor

I am pleased to report the floor has been in service for the better part of 6 months with absolutely zero issues and has exhibited an easy to maintain flooring surface concerning housekeeping and preservation of aesthetic. And the new shop shows well on customer visits and new customer tours. Most importantly….SAFE to work on. To learn more about our commercial and industrial floor repair services, click here.