Zenith Flooring was appointed to refurbish the factory floor at a major forgemaster facility in Sheffield.
The challenge
The existing concrete floor had been exposed to demanding industrial conditions and was heavily contaminated with dirt and oil. This presented a significant challenge for adhesion and meant that thorough preparation, together with an oil-tolerant flooring system, was essential.
The client required a durable, hard-wearing finish capable of withstanding the demands of a busy heavy-engineering environment.
Intensive surface preparation
Our installation team began by scabbling the existing surface to remove contamination, weak material and the upper layer of the concrete.
The floor was then mechanically ground using vacuum extraction equipment. This created a clean, sound substrate and provided the mechanical key required for the new resin flooring system to bond effectively.
All waste generated during the preparation works was removed from site and disposed of in accordance with the relevant site and local waste-management requirements.
Oil-tolerant primer and reinforcement
Zenith applied two coats of oil-tolerant primer to help achieve a reliable bond despite the historic oil contamination within the substrate.
A nylon reinforcing mesh was embedded into the first coat to strengthen the system and reduce the risk of future cracking.
The second primer coat received an aggregate scatter, creating a textured surface and providing a strong mechanical bond for the polyurethane screed.
9mm polyurethane screed installation
Our specialist installers applied the heavy-duty polyurethane screed at a thickness of 9mm.
The material was laid by trowel before being back-rolled to produce a consistent, uniform finish across the factory floor. Movement joints were carefully cut and infilled at a width of 5mm to accommodate movement while maintaining the integrity of the completed system.
The completed floor
The finished polyurethane screed provides the facility with a robust, seamless and easy-to-maintain surface suited to a demanding heavy-industrial environment.
Careful preparation, oil-tolerant primers and mesh reinforcement helped address the condition of the existing substrate, while the 9mm screed delivers the durability required for ongoing factory operations.
