INDUSTRIAL FLOORS BASED ON SUPOX EPOXY RESINS

Floors are among the most highly stressed of all parts of a building. The applies particularly to industrial floors which are usually subjected to severe mechanical stresses and often also to thermal stresses and chemical attack. Supox epoxy resins have proved highly successful in this field for many years.

The typical characteristics of cured epoxy resins include high mechanical strength, good resistance to chemicals and excellent adhesion to a wide variety of substrates, including concrete. These are the properties which make Supox such an excellent material for flooring composition. {Refer tables I and II}.

In addition to the epoxy resin and hardener, flooring compositions based on Supox contain fillers and pigments. Depending on the conditions, other additives, such as diluents or extenders may be incorporated.

Floors surfaced in this way are easier and cheaper to maintain, as they are jointless and hygienic. They are also safer because they reduce the risk of slipping. Supox based floors can be produced in any desired colour, except white.

Flooring compositions based on these synthetic resins can be laid with the simple equipment normally used for this type of work. They cure rapidly and can be used 1-2 days after laying. Thus the minimum of inconvenience and disruption id caused.

Supox based flooring compositions can, as a rule, be applied to any clean, dry, solid substrate such as cement mortar, concrete or steel and also to ceramic tiled surfaces and under certain conditions, to wood.

The conditions which industrial floors have to withstand vary considerable; four different types of Supox flooring compounds are available to meet these conditions as fully as possible.

These are : Sealants, Solvent-free coatings, self-levelling compounds and Mortar screeds.

Solvent-free Coatings

Solvent-free coatings are recommended for applications where the finished floor is required to have higher resistance to chemical attack, abrasion and impacts. One or two coats give thinckness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

Self-levelling Compounds

These compositions have a maximum filling ration, i.e., resin + hardener: filler ration of 1:3 and are distinguished for their ease of laying, They are laid to a thickness of 2-3 mm. Self-levelling flooring compounds based on Supox epoxy resins are particularly recommended where good appearance and ease of cleaning are important, but not/for applications where the floor will be subjected to high mechanical stresses.

Mortar Screeds

Mortar screeds with a filling ration of 1:5 to 1:7 are recommended for floors subjected to maximum mechanical stresses and chemical attack. Such floors have good non-skid properties, making them particularly suitable for factories and workshops in which the floors are constantly wet. Mortar screeds are usually at least 5 mm thick.

Supox based floors have proved outstandingly successful for a number of years in many different industries and under widely varying conditions. They are especially recommended for buildings in the following industries:

• The beverage and foodstuff industries
• Textile and paper mills
• The watch making and optical industry
• Precision engineering
• Printing and allied trades
• The electrical and electronics industries
• Atomic power stations
• The chemical industry
• The foundry rade

They have also proved to be economical flooring materials for warehouses, loading ramps, garages, aircraft hangars and many other sites.

Supreme Poly Products Supox epoxy resins are converted into ready for use products by specialist formulstors. These flooring compounds are laid by contractors.