Zenith Flooring was appointed to refurbish approximately 5,000m² of flooring within a large industrial warehouse in Normanton.
The existing substrate required extensive repairs, joint replacement and mechanical preparation before a new pump-applied industrial screed could be installed. Delivering the project successfully required careful sequencing, specialist preparation equipment and close control of each stage across the large floor area.
The challenge
The warehouse floor had developed areas of damage and deterioration through previous industrial use.
Defects within the concrete and existing joints needed to be addressed before the new flooring system could be applied. Variations across the substrate also meant that a single preparation method would not have been sufficient throughout the building.
Zenith developed a structured programme covering:
- localised concrete repairs;
- removal and reinstatement of defective joints;
- shot blasting and orbital grinding;
- application of an oil-tolerant primer; and
- pump application of the new industrial screed.
The works were sequenced to maintain efficient progress across the 5,000m² area while allowing sufficient time for repairs, preparation, priming and installation.
Concrete repairs and joint preparation
The first stage involved inspecting the existing substrate and identifying damaged or unsuitable areas.
Localised repairs were completed to restore defects and create a stable base for the new system. Existing joints were then cut out where required, removing weakened or deteriorated material and forming clean, clearly defined joint details.
Completing these repairs before the wider preparation works helped establish a more consistent substrate across the warehouse.
Mechanical floor preparation
The main floor area was prepared using an enclosed walk-behind shot-blasting machine connected to industrial dust-extraction equipment.
Shot blasting removed surface contamination, laitance and weak material while creating the textured mechanical profile required for the subsequent flooring system to bond effectively.
Orbital grinding was then used around edges, joints, repaired areas and locations that could not be prepared effectively by the larger shot-blasting equipment. This combination allowed the team to achieve a consistent standard of preparation throughout the warehouse.
Oil-tolerant primer
Once the floor had been repaired, cleaned and mechanically prepared, Zenith applied an oil-tolerant primer.
The primer was selected to support adhesion where historic industrial use may have left residual contamination within the concrete. It also sealed and stabilised the prepared substrate before the industrial screed was installed.
Careful application at this stage was essential to achieving a consistent bond across such a large floor area.
Pump-applied industrial screed
The floor was completed using CEMTOP 340, a pumpable, self-smoothing industrial flooring system.
Material was mixed and delivered to the installation area using large-scale pumping equipment, allowing the team to place the screed efficiently across the 5,000m² warehouse.
Pump application helped maintain a continuous supply of material and supported a controlled installation rate across each section. The screed was then distributed and finished by the installation team to produce a smooth, consistent industrial surface.
The completed warehouse floor
The project transformed a worn and damaged concrete substrate into a uniform, hard-wearing industrial floor.
Combining localised repairs, renewed joint details, shot blasting, orbital grinding and an oil-tolerant primer created a properly prepared base for the pump-applied screed.
The completed system provides a cleaner, more consistent surface suited to the continuing demands of a large industrial warehouse, while the planned sequence of works allowed the 5,000m² installation to be delivered efficiently and methodically.
