18/05/2017
Sikafloor provided the long term, anti-slip solution for the refurbishment of a large scale production plant, ensuring staff have a safe hard-wearing surface on which to work.
Howdens Joinery manufactures and supplies fitted kitchens, appliances and joinery products. A refit of four of its main production units necessitated the installation of new flooring throughout. Due to the industrialised nature of work being carried out within the buildings, the new surface needed to withstand the rigours of large mechanical movements and heavy footfall.
Main contractors, Zircon Flooring, specified Sikafloor®-264, a two-part epoxy roller and seal coloured-coat, which comes with a guarantee and provides the ideal hard-wearing surface for concrete and cement screeds. Its anti-slip properties were particularly pertinent to the Howden units, as the wood being manufactured creates sawdust which reduces surface tread.
A total of 24,000m2 of Sikafloor®-264 was installed across the four surfaces to a 1.5mm thickness. Work began in March 2016 and continued in stages in order for the site to still operate during the refurbishment for the following 12 months. The installation process was the same for each building. The existing concrete slab was prepared by mechanical shot-blasting and all cracks and joints were repaired.
A coat of Sikafloor-161; a solvent-free, epoxy primer mixed with 1:0.5 parts by weight with fine quartz sand, was applied and allowed to cure overnight. The first layer of Sikafloor®-264 was then installed using brush and roller, followed by wet broadcast with quartz aggregate and ‘back roll’ to fully encapsulate the aggregate. Once cured, a final coat of Sikafloor®-264 was applied to supply a light grey, high-gloss, non-slip finish.
Stewart Draper, Managing Director at Zircon Flooring, said: “There was only one system for this project. Sikafloor®-264 is a proven performer in the industrial flooring environment, and the added benefit of a 10-year guarantee put it way beyond other products being considered for the refurbishment.
"It more than lived-up to expectation, providing Howdens Joinery with a floor that is as textured and aesthetically-pleasing, whilst at the same time, safe and fully protected against chemical and mechanical wear-and-tear."
The Howdens Joinery project was completed to the client’s strict deadline and full satisfaction in April 2017. Staff within the fully-refurbished units will be able ply their trade in safety and comfort, thanks to the long-lasting qualities of the Sikafloor®-264 system.