Cement-Based Flooring Systems The Good, Bad and the Ugly

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Cement-Based Flooring SystemsThe Good, Bad and
the Ugly

• H. Peter Golter, PE

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Presentation Agenda

• Brief Overview of Concrete
• Brief Overview of Floor Rehabilitation/Resurfacing
  
• Project Overview Moisture Related Problems
• Project Overview Fast Track Construction
• Project Overview Structural Deficiency/Floors
  Out-of-spec
• Recap Review Successful Finish Floor
  Installations

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Brief Overview of Concrete

• Indestructible, Right?
• How many types of concrete are there?
• What are they?

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What are Floor Resurfacers?
Toppings
Underlayments
A layer of concrete or mortar placed to form a
traffic bearing floor surface on a concrete base
A thin capping of existing concrete, wood or
primed metal floors to provide a surface suitable
to receive floor covering or coating
Referencing ACI 116R-00 Cement and Concrete
Terminology
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What are Floor Resurfacers?
Screeds
Skim Coats
A thin build of material used to cover and level
defects in concrete, vinyl, tile, metal, wood and
other subfloors
To strike off a trowel grade, cementitious
material to fill in or level rough concrete
surfaces prior to the installation of floor
coverings
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Why are Floor Resurfacers Necessary?
To correct or modify existing jobsite conditions
There are different industry standards for the
different trades
Example
Requirements for concrete contractors
Requirements for flooring manufacturers
/- 1/4 in 10 lineal feet
/- 1/16 in 10 lineal feet
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Advantages of Floor Resurfacers
Level a floor within required specification
Wood flooring

• With floor resurfacing products, installers can
  meet any flooring system requirement
• The following floor finishes require smooth
  floors
• Vinyl sheet goods
• Wood
• Thin coatings
• Stains
• Sealers
• Units of measurement
• /- x" inches/10 feet
• Flatness (Ff)
• Levelness (Fl)

Self-leveling underlayment
Adhesive
Primer/admixture (when required)
Patching material
Concrete substrate
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Commercial Applications

• Offices
• Educational facilities
• Municipalities

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Residential Applications

• High rises/condominiums
• Single-family homes
• Townhomes

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Healthcare Applications

• Medical office buildings
• Outpatient facilities
• Assisted living facilities
• Hospitals

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Retail Applications

• Restaurants
• Malls/shopping centers
• Big box and shoe box

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Industrial Applications

• Food processing
• Chemical
• Pulp and paper
• Manufacturing
• Warehouse

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What Technologies are Available Today?
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Available Technologies
High
Polymers (resins)

• Gypsum least expensive, most common material
• Portland-based moderately priced wide range of
  applications
• Modified Portland
• Polymer Adds density and flexural capabilities
• Pozzolans Densifiers and increases ultimate
  strength
• Self-drying cements Extremely quick return to
  service due to rapid internal hydration
• Polymers (resins) Very expensive, engineered
  plastics typically vapor barriers

Self-drying cements
Modified Portland polymer
Price
Modified Portland pozzolans
Portland-based
Gypsum
Low
Low
High
Performance
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Advantages of Floor Resurfacers
Support the traffic load

• A variety of products are engineered for
  longevity and durability for the following
  traffic conditions
• Residential foot traffic
• Commercial foot traffic
• Vehicular traffic
• Industrial hard wheel traffic
• Steel wheel traffic

NOTE Contact the manufacturer for specific
material or product recommendations
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Advantages of Floor Resurfacers
Abrasion resistance

• Conventional concrete is 3,000-4,000 psi
  compressive strength
• Engineered materials with performances up to and
  exceeding 10,000 psi for greater longevity and
  reduced maintenance costs

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Who is Typically Involved in These Projects?
What does a winning team look like?
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What is the 1 Priority for Any Property Owner?
VALUE!
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Perception versus Reality

• Factory-fabricated samples for system selection
• Insist on representative jobsite mockups
• Use jobsite mockups and field flow tests as
  quality assurance

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What Happens with Moisture in the Concrete?
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Concrete and Moisture

• Every flooring manufacturer has specific
  requirements regarding the moisture content of
  concrete to receive their flooring.
• These requirements must be made known to the
  specifier, architect, general contractor and
  flooring specialist.
• Setting and Meeting Expectations

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When Moisture Testing Fails

• Dont install until it passes
• Wait for the concrete to dry
• Accept a sign off from the general contractor!?

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Modes of Concrete Floor Moisture Failures

• Adhesive breakdown
• Disbonding
• Alkali attack
• Microbiological activity
• Staining
• Efflorescence
• Condensation
• Curling

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Adhesive Breakdown
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Disbonding
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Adhesive Oozing
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Mold
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Efflorescence
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Moisture in New ConcreteNew meaning to embedded
steel
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How Fast is Fast Track Construction?
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Fast Track Construction Rehab a Floor Over the
Weekend
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Preparing the Floor
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Application of PrimerExisting Concrete and Epoxy
Coating
1-Comp. Primer
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Attention to DetailsWeigh out the Pigments by
Batch
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Delivery Method
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Gauge Rake Proper DepthSmoother Get the
Glass Finish
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Protect the surrounding areaFinal Clean-up
Integral Color Sealed Before and After
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Finished Floor
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Structural Deficiency Floors Out of Spec
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What Went Wrong?

• Structure was Value Engineered
• Construction was awarded to Low Bidder
• Bonus to GC to complete the project early
• Project Schedule was compressed
• Does Pisa come to mind?

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What Is The Solution?

• Analysis indicates dead loads are a major
  consideration.
• Design Criteria
• Level the floors. Some areas 3 inches
• Maximum 60/Cubic Foot for repair material
• Material must be at least 3,500 psi for finish
  flooring manufacturers to warrant their product
• Quick return to service, next day trades are on
  it

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Repair Material Staged on Job
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All floors marked to finish elevation
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All floors marked to finish elevation
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Surface Preparation - Shotblasting
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Application of Primer
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Verifying the Finish Elevation
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Water Source and Pump
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Getting Ready to Pump
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Pump Operator
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Mixed Material Going into Pump
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Material being placed and finished
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Floor is now level!!!
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Finished Cured Floor
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What is the Size of the Project?
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Bldg2 - So what went wrong?
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Finished Installations
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Finished Installations Gone Wrong

• Wavy floors (i.e., sheet goods, epoxy coatings)
• Hollow spots under wood floors
• Transitions to different finished flooring
  materials (i.e., carpet, wood, sheet goods and
  tile)

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Cement MasonsA Wear Topping Stained and Polished
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LA RestaurantStained and Polished
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Finished Installations Done Correctly
Toppings

• Screeds
• Self levelers
• What is the primary function?
• Utility (warehouse floors)
• Decorative (commercial floors)

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Finished Floors
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Finished Installations Done Correctly
Screeds (dry pack and wet mix)

• Large body tile or stone placed tight together
• Slope to drain
• ADA compliance

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Examples of Finished Installations

• Installation consisting of
• Screed floor (mud bed)
• Polymer modified thin set
• Porcelain body tile
• Polymer modified grout

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Examples of Finished Installations

• Installation consisting of
• Skim coat
• Carpet adhesive
• Carpet tiles

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Examples of Finished Installations

• Installation consisting of
• Self-leveling underlayment
• Urethane wood adhesive
• Pre-finished engineered wood

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Examples of Finished Installations

• Installation consisting of
• Self-leveling underlayment
• Mastic
• VCT

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