Craft Flooring & Coatings

Movement joints can make or break your floor!

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 03:41:29 GMT

When repairing and installing floor joints without the guidance of architectural specifications or engineering drawings it may be tempting to disregard the need for proper joint care. However, not preparing the joints for the stresses it has to endure is a penny-wise pound-foolish approach that will almost surely result in floor failure.

As a solutions-driven company, we take the time to understand the mechanical, chemical, and/or thermal loads our clients’ floors will experience, so we can install the appropriate joint solution.

Mechanical loads

The impact of mechanical loads on the floor joints is often more onerous than the stress placed on the floor itself. For floors exposed the mechanical loads, we recommend our specialist joint system that has a shore hardness of A75-78, the joint is 8-12mm wide and is installed at a depth of 20-25mm. In addition, we install a 40mm angle iron that is embedded in the screed, effectively transferring the impact load onto the screed which has a higher capacity to absorb loads.

Thermal loads

In production facilities where high thermal shock is experienced, we install a 10mm polystyrene board at the full depth of the slab but remove 10-15mm of the board at the finished floor level to allow for the installation of an oversized polyurethane backing cord. We then prime the recess and inject a soft joint with a shore hardness of A30-36 to the finished floor level. This joint system can withstand high thermal shock from negative 40°C to 265°C.

Chemical loads

As each chemical load, based on its chemical composition, concentration and temperature will require a unique solution we are not able to cover all the various solutions in this post. To recommend an appropriate solution we will start by requesting the following:

Function of the proposed installation area,
MSDS documents for the chemicals to be used,
The anticipated concentration of the chemicals
How long discharges will remain on the floor and
What colour has been specified for the area.

Once we understand these elements we will be able to specify an appropriate joint system.

In the realm of industrial flooring, durability is paramount

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 12:53:27 GMT

Industrial facilities are expensive to build and maintain. Investing in quality materials that can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use and taking care to maintain them will help keep your business operating at peak productivity.

When it comes to flooring, perhaps the hardest-working surface in any facility, there is no substitute for having the floor professionally installed by a reputable installer; the best product in the world will fail if it is poorly installed. Flooring is not the place to cut corners or make do. Replacing a floor often means moving equipment and taking an area out of production, something most manufacturing facilities can ill-afford.

Understanding what will be happening on the floor is the first step in determining the most appropriate floor covering. If there is pedestrian traffic, some degree of slip resistance will be necessary. For supporting equipment, a thick floor with low abrasion will suffice, but if the traffic traversing the floor includes materials handling equipment, or if items are regularly slid or dragged across the floor, an abrasion-resistant floor is a must. If there is a likelihood of damage due to impact chip and crack resistance should be an important consideration.

Consider the environment

Not all flooring solutions are equally well suited to withstanding variations in temperature. While some hard floors lack the resiliency to handle extreme cold other coatings will soften in high temperatures. Thresholds can be particularly tricky, when opening the door to a blast/walk-in freezer the blast of icy air that is released could cause damage to the floor directly outside the freezer.

Most industrial businesses use chemical agents in their operations, and it is inevitable that the chemicals will eventually end up on the floor. The composition of the media, i.e., the ratio of the chemicals relative to the water participation should be a key consideration in the floor specification. In wet processing areas and areas that experience heavy or frequent water exposure, the absorption rate of the coating will directly impact the durability of the floor.

Protect your investment

Flooring suitable for an industrial environment is a costly investment; establishing a suitable cleaning routine will enhance the durability of the floor. While a weekly scrub might suffice for some facilities, for others a more vigorous cleaning regime may be necessary. Either way, removing dirt, discharge, or overflow as soon as possible is always considered best practice.

Trust the manufacturers' recommendations and adhere to their guidelines – this is true both for the installed floor and the cleaning solutions. Having your chosen product perform at its best is in the manufacturer’s best interest and their guidelines will help you get the most out of their product.

How quickly can you get back to business as usual?

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:35:04 GMT

Whether it’s a greenfield project or a repair to be completed within a maintenance window timeline, getting the job done properly and returning to business as usual as quickly as possible can be rather challenging. Understanding the pressure of compressed timelines Kagetec® has a range of screed and mortar bed systems that can easily accommodate our clients' time constraints.

Broken down in terms of return to services windows of 24 hours, 7 days, and 14 days all screed and mortar bed installations are available as a bonded or unbonded system and can be installed at a slope of 1 to 3%, with a variance tolerance of 1 to 3mm over three meters. Where necessary the screed and mortars can be reinforced per the engineer’s specification.

24-Hour return to service

For projects with a critical timeline our rapid cure CAC mortar bed allows us to deliver a floor with full loading capability within a weekend’s work. This mortar achieves 60-70MPa in six hours and a moisture content of <5% in the same timeline.

For projects with a more lenient timeline, we rely on our zero slump chemical screed which combines high-quality materials and specialist chemicals to achieve the desired strength. In addition to the specialist chemicals, our screed comprises high-strength cement and a combination of river, plaster, and dune sand. No aggregates are added ensuring that we can apply the screed at 1% to the desired falls and flatness.

7-Day return to service

By applying a bespoke bonding layer to the chemical screed after 24 and again at 36 hours before tiling, the screed will achieve full loading capacity after seven days. This is an ideal solution for projects with a compressed timeline.

14-Day return to service

This is the standard timeline for delivering a tiled floor achievable with our dry chemical screed.

It is a harsh reality that building and maintenance projects rarely run smoothly. In manufacturing environments where time is money and delays can be ill-afforded, it is comforting to have a product where the installation window can be reduced without compromising the final product in any way.

You are welcome to give us a call to discuss your next flooring project.

Trowel-on heavy duty industrial resin system by Plastifloor®

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 09:04:46 GMT

We are all familiar with the adage “Time is money” and this is certainly true for food and beverage manufacturing facilities where downtime is hugely expensive and making time for new line installations, line upgrades, and carving out time for maintenance windows is a constant struggle.

Plastifloor® MMA resin flooring is a truly remarkable product with numerous benefits, of which its rapid curing properties are probably most noteworthy. If you have not already done so, I would strongly encourage readers to familiarize themselves with the difference between cure time and set time . It is an aspect often neglected when discussing floor properties, yet understanding this aspect will help you choose a floor that can deliver what it promises in the limited time available for upgrading or installing a new floor.

Here are some notable advantages of opting for a Plastifloor® trowel on system:

The trowel-on system achieves a full chemical cure in only two hours, which translates into time and money saved.
With a compressive strength of 80-95Mpa, the trowel on system offers exceptional impact resistance.
Plastifloor’s unique primers penetrate deep into the profiled surface creating an unmatched chemical bond that protects against delamination and allows us to warrantee the bond to substrate.
Hard-wearing sealers protect against thermal, chemical, and mechanical loads. Facilities with particularly harsh thermal, chemical or mechanical operational environments will benefit from Plastifloor’s range of additives that will further elevate the properties of the floor to levels seldom matched in the industry.
Our installations are warranted for up to ten years.
Even in manufacturing environments aesthetics is important, and our vast colour palette of around 200 colours can be blended in unlimited permutations.

Over the years we have installed in excess of 18,000 sqm of MMA resin flooring, some of which are more than 10 years old and are still going strong. Phone or email us for more information about our references.

Bespoke drain solutions by Craft Flooring

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 10:20:01 GMT

Commercial and manufacturing facilities understand the need for a well-designed, hygienic, durable, adaptable, cleanable, and serviceable drain system. Working closely with the engineering and production teams we can design a suitable full-service drain solution, commission the manufacture thereof, and then install the system in line with the specified requirements.

In addition to the drain system, we can also design and install specialist chemical and cementitious screeds, heavy industrial coatings, and industrial tiling systems to give a superior finish to the drain installation. All our solutions are underpinned by a warranty of up to ten years and as the supplier and installer of our products, there are no arguments about split responsibilities in the unlikely event that there is a problem with the installation.

Sustainable design

Designing a suitable drain system requires thorough knowledge of the project and/or facility. Below is a list of the elements that drive the design of a drainage solution. All the components must be considered in concert to achieve a workable drainage system.

Viscosity – The consistency of the substance being discharged directly or indirectly into the drain system.
Temperature – The temperature of the media affects the viscosity and flow rate of the material.
Velocity – The volume of material discharged into the drain system at any time must be drained out as quickly as possible.
Floor flow rates – Any material discharge onto the production floor must be drained into the drain in the shortest possible time.
Floor panel size – Panels must be designed to contain any indirect discharge in designated areas to limit the potential for cross-contamination.
Flow restriction points – When assessing potential restriction points, the number of drain openings is a key consideration.

Protecting transition areas

It is the transition area between the floor drain and the floor protection system that is most susceptible to failure. The mass material that surrounds and anchors the drain must be specified to address the loading capacity, a point that is unfortunately often overlooked.

To extend the life-cycle of the drain we recommend placing a durable, high-strength chemical mortar infill in the drain recess to support the drain’s dynamic loading capability. The drain grid must be designed to withstand the impact of materials handling equipment and fabricated with appropriate grade stainless steel so it does not bend or buckle. The drain’s load handing capacity can be further improved by reinforcing the drain profile with stainless steel tubing to mitigate the stress of tensile surface bed movement.

Choose your stainless steel with purpose in mind

The choice of stainless steel for a drain system design is ultimately driven by the mechanical and chemical loads it is expected to carry. While mechanical load will dictate the thickness of the stainless steel, the chemical load will determine the appropriate grade of stainless steel.

To deliver a sustainable long-term drainage system the metallurgist charged with specifying the wall thickness of the effluent system must also consider the chemical and thermal loading capacity of the drain.

The most common stainless steel grades used in drain design are as follows:

AISI 304L is the most versatile grade of stainless steel and a popular go-to for stainless steel projects. As a low-carbon stainless steel, as indicated by the ‘L’, it can withstand normal clean-in-process temperatures and chemicals.
AISI 316L is also a low-carbon stainless steel and is well-suited to particularly corrosive and high-temperature environments.

Maintaining drain hygiene

Over the years we have designed and installed drain systems for the food and beverage sector, pharmaceutical manufacturers, retail outlets, and commercial facilities. Our advice is to plan for the long term. In fact, we would encourage engineers to over-specify underground drains to accommodate future production or capacity expansion. Updating a drain system is a costly and disruptive exercise; absorbing the cost of over-specification now could save money and avoid many headaches in the long run.

An optimally designed drain will self-clean to maintain its flow capabilities, with well-designed access points (manholes, hatches, and rodding eyes) that make it easy to flush out any blockages, contributing to the hygiene of the facility and limiting production downtime. If your organisation is green-minded it is worthwhile considering environmentally friendly drains that require significantly less water to flush out solids.

Effluent piping – The backbone of all drain systems!

As manufacturing technology becomes more advanced and equipment manufacturers are able to double or even triple their manufacturing capacity using the same amount of space used ten years earlier, it is important to be forward-thinking when designing effluent pipes. A drain system designed with a 20-to-30-year horizon will substantially reduce manufacturing, maintenance, safety, and hygiene costs over the lifecycle of your asset.

In our experience material failures are often the result of chemical erosion and abrasion within the effluent drain system. Investing in the appropriate grade of steel for your environment at the outset, while it may appear more costly in the short term, it will save you in the long run.

In conclusion

Consult a qualified, experienced engineer and seek advice from drain manufactures who have much input to offer. A clever design that anticipates all the pain points and accommodates easy access maintenance and cleaning points with well-placed rodding eyes and manhole covers will mitigate expensive maintenance and future plant engineers will surely thank you for it.

Can any concrete floor or concrete screed be polished?

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 08:48:31 GMT

Polished concrete is be coming increasingly popular but there is a misconception in the market that any exposed concrete surface can be polished to the extent that you can remove tiles from an existing floor and polish whatever is exposed. Unfortunately, it is not that simple.

Customers who enquire about a polished concrete floor generally have an idea of what the finished product should look like based on floors they have seen. Without knowing what constituted the concrete mix of the exposed slab, how it was floated, the depth and strength of the slab there is no way to know what type of finish will be possible beforehand. The possibilities range from a cream finish with almost no aggregate exposure to a speckled salt and pepper look or full aggregate exposure; three vastly different and distinct finishes. Removing the tiles also lowers the floor level which is potentially problematic for thresholds. The final finish that can be realised for a concrete floor is different too what is achievable with a concrete screed. The bigger aggregates used in a concrete floor make it possible to achieve a finish with at least some aggregate exposure, something the smaller aggregates used in concrete screed cannot accommodate.

Removing the tile glue and bringing the floor to level is time-consuming and labour-intensive to the extent that it may become onerously expensive when compared to other flooring alternatives. It is also possible that removing stubborn tile glue may damage the floor ultimately rendering it unsuitable for polishing.

We would propose stripping out the existing floor bed and replacing it with a suitably designed and floated concrete mix. The possible exception to this is suspended floors that will be subject to structural engineering approval. With a concrete mix designed specifically to achieve your aesthetic vision, we will be able to guarantee a finish that matches your vision.

See more frequently asked questions on polished concrete here .

Set time vs full chemical cure

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:37:08 GMT

One of the most significant elements to understanding the value of modified methyl methacrylate flooring is appreciating the difference between set time and full chemical cure.

Set time is defined as the time it takes for the product to become viable, while full chemical cure time is the period required for the product to realise its minimum, innate operational properties, i.e. the point at which it offers full mechanical, chemical- and thermal load resistance.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

For traditional reactive resin coatings, like epoxy and polyurethane (PU), the set time between layers is typically 12 to 48 hours at 20⁰C. Achieving a full chemical cure requires a minimum of five, but up to 21 days depending on the system. Clients, however, are rarely informed about the need to allow the coating to achieve a full chemical cure; instead, as soon as the set time has lapsed it is business as usual with the floor being exposed to water, chemical- and/or mechanical loads that will invariably cause the coating to fail prematurely.

Modified methyl methacrylate (M-MMA) technology, as it applies to floor coatings, has been developed and proven over the past 35 years, and has been formulated to address many of the problems inherent in traditional reactive resin coatings, including much quicker curing times.

ARE YOU COMPARING APPLES WITH APPLES?

Epoxy coatings:

It takes an epoxy floor coating at least 21 days to achieve a full chemical cure. Achieving an optimum cured state requires a mean average ambient temperature of between 30°C and 50°C, and humidity levels that do not exceed 80%. At temperatures lower than 30°C, which would hold true for most operating areas, there is a risk that a measure of the epoxy monomer may not fully cure and the resultant epoxy dust generated by normal wear presents a possible health hazard. In addition, if the epoxy is not fully cured, any water contact within the first week will stain the floor and increase the potential for failure.

Polyurethane coatings:

Polyurethane coatings will achieve a full chemical cure in five to seven days. As with epoxy, the curing time is adversely affected by a relative humidity exceeding 80% and, depending on the brand, an ambient temperature lower than 10°C.

Most local data sheets recommend full traffic and moisture exposure only be permitted after 48 hours. This recommendation, however, assumes an ambient temperature of 30°C with a relative humidity of 50% when, in reality, most facilities operate in ambient temperatures lower than 30°C, and in beverage or similar processing plants the relative humidity is typically higher than 80%.

Modified methyl methacrylate coatings:

All M-MMA and MMA coatings achieve a full chemical cure in only two hours, even at temperatures as low as minus 25°C, and regardless of the relative humidity value. The ability of M-MMA coatings to cure in sub-zero temperatures mean that rapid project turnaround can even be achieved in a fridge or next to freezers.

By opting for an M-MMA coating floors can safely be returned to service on the same day and subjected to normal mechanical or chemical loads without incurring any negative consequences. This immediate return to service also effectively mitigates any direct or indirect financial risks related to production downtime.

Craft Flooring & Coatings is an accredited installer of Plastifloor reactive resin coatings. Imported from Germany, Plastifloor is a tough and durable M-MMA flooring solution suited to a range of industries, from food processing and pharmaceutical facilities to light and heavy industrial plants, and each floor can be finished to satisfy the client’s requirement for colour and slip resistance.

Craft Flooring & Coatings support the Els for Autism Golf Day fundraiser

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 10:28:04 GMT

We are thrilled to have been part of the Henro SAB Thrive Awethu Golf Day, which raised R70,000 for The Els For Autism Foundation.

As an organisation, we believe that all companies have a responsibility to give back to our community. Supporting an event that raised funds for the Els for Autism Foundation allowed us to do exactly this, while having a little fun as well. We invited a few engineers from AB InBev and three Sunshine Senior Tour professionals to enjoy the day with us.

The Els for Autism Foundation

The Els for Autism Foundation was founded by Ernie Els and his wife, Liezl, in 2009 after their son, Ben, was diagnosed as autistic. With the opening of the Ernie Els Centre for Autism in Braamfontein, Johannesburg in 2011, the couple realised their dream of offering lower-resourced families in South Africa with children on the autism spectrum access to free treatment and support.

The Centre offers comprehensive guidance, educating parents and family members of autistic children on best practices for the treatment and education of autistic children. Every family is provided with free access to an online-focused treatment tool called Rethink First, a programme that uses Applied Behaviour Analysis principles which is widely regarded as the most effective teaching tools for children struggling with autism. The Centre’s trained facilitators use this multi-faceted e-learning solution to provide customized interventions for each family. In addition, the Centre also trains caregivers using structured written and video computer-based guidelines, along with active role-play and facilitator-caregiver-child sessions.

Since opening their first centre in Braamfontein, Ernie and Liezl have opened centres throughout South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Their largest centre, The Els Centre of Excellence, is based in Florida, USA.

What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that is caused by differences in how the brain functions. ASD covers a large spectrum of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment, but is characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication. Persons with autism have trouble communicating and find it difficult to understand what other people think and feel. As a consequence, it is hard for them to express themselves either with words or through gestures, facial expressions, and touch. Signs of ASD manifest during early childhood and usually last throughout a person’s life.

Thank you, Craft Team, for your incredible effort prepping for the day and your energetic vibes throughout.

Popular wedding venue boasts new slip resistant floor

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 06:34:34 GMT

PROJECT VENUE

Venue 466 is a function and conference venue located in Kameeldrift East, Pretoria.

THE PROBLEM

The project area is a terrace of approximately 121sqm covered with an epoxy coating that offered very little slip resistance. Having been applied approximately three years earlier, the delaminating coating did not make for a good first impression. In addition, an old-style floor drain presented a trip hazard and the falls of the floor meant that during heavy rains water would run into the venue causing damage to property.

OUR SOLUTION

We recommended resolving the lack of slip-resistance by removing the epoxy coating to take advantage of the higher slip resistance coefficient offered by the exposed concrete. By treating the surface with Becosan’s non-film forming treatment unsightly delaminating floors will be a thing of the past, and opting for a polished concrete finish means the client will have a hard wearing, good looking floor with a projected lifespan of more than two decades.

The client was invited to choose their preferred aggregate exposure ranging from a cream finish to full aggregate exposure, and a floor finish from our Matt-Plus, Semi-Gloss and High-Gloss options. In this instance our client opted for full aggregate exposure with a Matt-Plus finish.

To address the problem of water flowing into the conference hall, we advised excavating the existing drain system and replacing it with a new effluent line, channel- and floor drain. We recommended replacing an ill-placed fall in front of the sliding door with a channel drain. As the channel drain is situated right at the hall entrance, we recommended a custom heel-safe, stainless steel drain cover be installed.

GETTING TO WORK

We started by demolishing and excavating the existing 25m-long effluent drain system, stripping the epoxy coating and grinding the floor to achieve the desired aggregate exposure. Next we installed a new drain system comprising a custom channel drain linked to a floor drain and effluent pipeline. The new drain was set in place with high strength concrete with aggregates to match the existing floor. The concrete was left to cure for 28 days, ensuring that it achieved the appropriate strength before applying the Becosan polishing system. Finally, isolation joints were cut in the newly placed concrete to accommodate any slab movement and in order to ensure a level surface, the joints were filled with a semi-rigid joint mix.

WHAT THE CLIENT HAD TO SAY

“While I am pleased that the risk of patrons slipping on the terrace has been taken care of, I was really impressed with the attention that was paid to the detail of ensuring that there is consistency in the aggregate exposure across the entire floor, even in the corners.”

- EY Stuart, Owner of Venue 466

Congratulations to our Craft Flooring projects team for a job well executed. By addressing each one of the client’s needs, the facility now boasts a beautiful non-slip, low maintenance concrete floor that will not delaminate.