SSPCWebinar FlooringSurfacePrep

Surface Preparation of Concrete Floors
Ensuring Coating Bond and Performance

Developed and Presented by:
Josh Jones
President, Substrate Technology, Inc.
Presentation Objectives
1 Surface Cleaning - Base slab exposure
2 Profile Creation - Slab surface texture
3 Testing Methods - Moisture and pH

Pre-Application Checklist
Profile
Surface is profiled to coating specification
Clean
Surface is dust free and absorbent
Moisture Vapor and pH Tested

Qualitative and/or quantitative testing
Proper surface preparation means the coating
will absorb and anchor itself to the slab’s surface
Surface Cleaning/Remediation
A surface to be coated must be clean and free of any
bond inhibiting materials.
Common, residual materials include, but are not limited to:

Adhesive (carpet/VCT)
Coatings (epoxy/paint)
Sealers (acrylic/wax)
Cleaning Methods:
Carbide Scraping - Bulk adhesive residue

Diamond Grinding - Floor paint, thin coatings, adhesive
PCD Grinding - Thick coatings, thin-set
Scarifying - Resinous mortar systems, thin-set
Shotblasting - Thin acrylic, curing compounds, laitance
Carbide Scraping removes surface adhesives that are too
flexible or thick to grind. The process works by pushing
the adhesive free from the surface.
Diamond grinding removes multiple surface
contaminants such as:
Adhesive (that is thin or has been carbide scraped)
Diamond grinding removes multiple surface
contaminants such as:
Adhesive (thin or has been carbide scraped)
Diamond grinding
Floor Paint
PCD grinding
Epoxy Sand/Urethane Topcoat (30 mils)
Diamond grinding
Sealer/Acrylic
Scarifying
Thick Epoxy
Scarifying
Thick Epoxy
Combination process - Scarifying and Grinding
Shotblasting
Thin Sealers, Curing Compounds & Laitance
Shotblasting removes:
Adhesives
Shotblasting Limitations
Patching Compounds (Variable Success)
Complete mechanical removal of surface contamination that

leaves the concrete surface bright/natural white and absorbent.
Any material that is not an original part of the base slab, but
intended to be covered by the coating, should be identified for its
suitability to be coated according to the coating manufacturer’s
specifications.
Surface Preparation Types:
Superficial product removal to base slab’s surface
Surface Profiling
Specified surface profile creation
Surface Profiling
A surface to be coated must be profiled to a certain roughness based
upon manufacturer specified profile.
Coating and Profile Relation:

Any high performance coating (epoxy/urethane) will create tension as it cures. This
formulated stress causes the coating to pull into itself. It’s this force that will fuse the
coating to a properly profiled surface.
Surfaces lacking the required profile, absorbency and structural soundness will lead to
premature coating delamination. A properly installed coating will usually bond better to a
slab than the concrete is to itself.
Surface Profiling
Profile Processes and Coating Types (general guidelines)
Diamond Grinding - Epoxy or Polyaspartic

Shotblasting - Epoxy or other moisture mitigation systems
Bush-Hammering - Urethane Cement (+1/4”)
Scarifying - Epoxy Mortar (+1/4”)

Surface Profiling
Diamond Grinding
Surface Profiling
Shotblasting
Surface Profiling
Bush-Hammering
Surface Profiling
Scarifying
Surface Profiling
Coating Failure Related to Improper Surface Preparation
Delamination is the
most common form of
coating failure. This is
almost always related to
surface preparation.
Surface Profiling
Delamination is the
most common form of
Surface Profiling
Delamination is the
most common form of
Coating Adhesion
Coating Adhesion Testing to Verify Bond Strength
Coating adhesion testing

is performed and
provided by
manufacturers. Any
quality coating should
bond beyond the point
of concrete failure.
Coating Adhesion
Coating Adhesion Testing to Verify Bond Strength
Coating adhesion testing

is performed and
provided by
manufacturers. Any
quality coating should
bond beyond the point
of concrete failure.
Before Coating Application Begins:
Moisture & Alkalinity Testing
-moisture vapor emission and pH testing should be done

according to manufacturer recommendation
Moisture related failures are most often caused by improper

material choice and a failure to test the slab that is to be
coated. While moisture emissions can vary over the life of the
floor, adequate testing before installation can prevent most
moisture related failures.
pH Test
Profile Without Absorbency
Profile & Absorbency
Surface Profiling
Creating the specified profile on the concrete’s surface allows the

coating to mechanically anchor itself to the slab. It’s this point of
attachment, by the primary layer, that will affect the overall
system’s longevity.
If the primary layer is not fully fused to the slab’s surface, its
bond inadequacy will always be a future liability.
Pre-Application Checklist
Profile
Surface is profiled to coating specification
Clean
Surface is dust free and absorbent
Moisture Vapor and pH Tested

Qualitative and/or quantitative testing
Thank you for your attention
Questions?

SSPCWebinar FlooringSurfacePrep

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SSPCWebinar FlooringSurfacePrep

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

SSPCWebinar FlooringSurfacePrep

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Surface Preparation of Concrete Floors

Ensuring Coating Bond and Performance

1 Surface Cleaning - Base slab exposure

2 Profile Creation - Slab surface texture

3 Testing Methods - Moisture and pH

Moisture Vapor and pH Tested

Common, residual materials include, but are not limited to:

Carbide Scraping - Bulk adhesive residue

Complete mechanical removal of surface contamination that

Coating and Profile Relation:

Diamond Grinding - Epoxy or Polyaspartic

Bush-Hammering - Urethane Cement (+1/4”)

Scarifying - Epoxy Mortar (+1/4”)

Coating adhesion testing

Coating adhesion testing

-moisture vapor emission and pH testing should be done

Moisture related failures are most often caused by improper

Creating the specified profile on the concrete’s surface allows the

Moisture Vapor and pH Tested

You might also like