Paint Specification for Concrete Floor at RAF Henlow
On the 9th June Promain carried out a site visit at Hangar 189, RAF Henlow. We were asked to specify paint for the worn out concrete floor. The surface, originally flat and smooth, had suffered from ageing, which of course is a natural part of life. Where the surface had originally been laid in sections, edges had worn away over time. Where the expansion joints could be clearly seen crumbling. In other areas, there were a number or larger cracks and deeper holes, which Promain were asked to address.
Contaminated areas meant that we needed to clean the floor first and remove all debris. This would ensure the work we carried out was as effective as it could be. Oil and grime had built up over a number of years, with barely any maintenance carried out. You can imagine the state of the floor when we first arrived. As you can see from the image taken at RAF Henlow below, there was a heavy amount of contamination to clean up before we arrived. With the floor measuring 3294m2, the task was no little one!
Preparing the Concrete Floor
The heavily contaminated areas were our primary concern, where we initially applied Sigmarite 88, prior to the degreasing process. Using a Scrubber Drier machine, we removed as much contamination as we possibly could. Then we blast cleaned the floor to remove any existing paint – This also improved porosity of the floor. We then left the concrete to dry after this process where SigmaCover Sealer was used in places to protect the concrete surface.
The next step was to fill any cracks, gaps or holes with an epoxy repair mortar, where we selected deep fill and standard grade to ensure different widths and depths could be filled. Holes of 15mm to 100mm were filled using Deep Fill Repair Mortar and for depths down to a feather edge, we used Standard Grade Epoxy Repair Mortar.
Rustoleum Flexible Joint Filler was used to refill the expansion joints. This would protect the edges of the concrete sections when they became further exposed to foot and vehicle traffic. After this, we left the mortar to fully cure.
Applying the Epoxy Floor Paint
This part of the process required us to properly prepare the Epoxy Floor Paint, which in this case was SigmaCover 400. Both liquid components were thoroughly stirred using a mechanical mixer (Paddlemix). We then applied the paint using a suitable roller. In order to ensure neat painted edges, we used a brush for added accuracy.
After leaving the first coat to dry for approximately 16 hours, we then returned the next day to apply the second coating. We advised that the surface should be left untouched for 10-14 days so that the epoxy paint could fully cure. This would allow for maximum strength before being subjected to foot and vehicle trafficking.
The Paint in Question – SigmaCover 400
SigmaCover 400 has been used for a number of years on concrete floors to provide chemical resistance and durability in areas of high foot traffic and vehicle traffic. Its use in chemical bunds and approval for use in the London Underground makes this a very suitable product for the Hangar Floor.
Promain are able to supply both the products used throughout this process. SigmaRite 88 to clean the floor prior to painting, and SigmaCover 400 to ensure a smooth, protective finish.
Contact us today and speak to our technical support team if you have any questions, or if you need any help preparing and painting a concrete floor.
