Polymer floor, unlike other types of flooring, is not laid on top of the subfloor, but is poured. That is, it is a mixture of liquid polymers, which, when cured, forms a perfectly smooth monolithic seamless surface. Initially, these types of surfaces were used in public places with high traffic - airports and railway stations, in industrial enterprises, because of their high strength. However, customers soon appreciated the advantages of this type of coating and began seeking opportunities for their private use.
The most common uses for polymer floors are:
- manufacturing, storage facilities;
- refrigeration chambers;
- food industry enterprises;
- medical organizations;
- mechanical engineering, instrumentation enterprises;
- car service stations, car parks;
- supermarkets;
- pharmaceutical industry;
- office buildings, private housing.
Coating advantages
Due to its high elasticity, the polymer floor coating does not suffer from any mechanical damage.
- It has minimal shrinkage.
- Due to its chemical resistance, it is resistant to aggressive substances.
- Polymer poured floor is an excellent waterproofing layer.
- It doesn't burn.
- It's easy to clean due to absence of seams and pores.
- Such a coating will last even in production facilities for at least ten years, and in apartments and private homes it will be almost eternal.
- Thanks to a variety of fillings techniques, a decorative effect can be achieved.
Types of polymer floors
Poured floors, and in some cases bearing the name 3D, are available in a huge variety, allowing you to more accurately select the characteristics required for each application.
- Epoxy floors are known for their high resistance to all kinds of impacts. That's why they are the most often chosen for industrial enterprises, offices, banks, shopping centers and also the most frequently chosen for pouring in the apartments and country houses
- Polyurethane floors are less resistant, but have more elasticity, making them more relevant for use in areas with the most intense vibration load. And polyurethane varnishes are widely used for additional protection of the top coat.
- Cement polyurethane floors are used more often in places with complicated conditions of exploitation: with high temperature, steam and aggressive chemistry. Most often such coatings are ordered for car service centers and car parks.
- Methyl methacrylate poured floors are good for refinement of terraces and garden paths due to their resistance to temperature changes and fast hardening.
If to solve design problems the option is provided with the use of microcement composition, you can obtain different textured coating, which will fit in equally well both to ultra-modern and classic design.
The polymer floor coatings are also different in thickness: colored, thin-layer, thick-layer systems (from 4.5 mm); by pouring degree - self-leveling, highly poured, combined. According to the texture of the resulting surface coatings are distinguished into smooth, rough, textured. The variety of coating types and materials used for their manufacture makes it possible to produce a floor with any given characteristics.
The problem of choosing the type of floor is quite difficult, since there are many materials used to make them. M200 or higher grade concrete is most often used for pouring of concrete base.
In apartments, two-component coatings are usually poured with a decorative layer, on top of which a transparent material is poured. However, for the premises with high humidity - bath, kitchen, as well as hallways, the top layer of poured epoxy compounds is recommended, and for the rooms decorative polyurethane options are usually chosen.
Production of polymer floors
First, preparatory activities are carried out:
- cement milk, weak concrete particles, and contaminants are removed from the base surface;
- shot blasting is carried out to increase roughness and, accordingly, adhesion of polymer coating and base;
- cracks and joints are sealed on the base with plaster and primed;
- surface dedusting with industrial vacuum cleaner.
After such preparatory work is done, the floor will be poured, which requires the following tools: weighing scales and clean container for mixing, low-speed drill with a stirrer attachment, scrapers, paint scrapers, spiked soles - spiked sandals.
Laying technology differs depending on the type of coating. Industrial floor manufacturing technology is as follows:
- priming mortar is prepared;
- prepared material is poured on the prepared base and stretched with a metal paint scraper or a straightedge;
- quartz sand is filled on industrial floors for surface leveling, which drowns in the material in 24 hours. After 24 hours the excess sand is swept away and the surface is polished;
- main coat is poured with toothed paint scraper. Temperature and humidity conditions are of great importance when applying the compound. The application temperature should be at least +10 °C;
- main coat is also sprinkled with quartz sand. Surplus sand is removed after a day, and the surface is polished;
- finishing coat is applied with a toothed paint scraper and rolled out with a needle roller.
At home, the work is performed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. After pouring the coat and its spreading with straightedge, the poured floor is treated with a needle roller to expel air bubbles from the mortar.