In the industrial world, epoxy and polyurethane flooring are usually the preferred solutions. However, each flooring solution has different advantages over the other depending on the intended use of the floor.
Some of the advantages of epoxy floors are;
They are robust which makes them suitable for heavy use and mechanical loads, such as forklift traffic in warehouses, workshops and production areas. The overlay system is designed to provide continuous protection for concrete floors in light, medium and heavy duty applications.
Application of an epoxy flooring solution at Harris International
Epoxy floors are resistant to a large number of chemicals such as solvents and acids. This is one the main reasons they’re frequently used in garages and within the automotive industries. Besides withstanding chemical spills, epoxy floors are also heat and water-resistant.
They are also an excellent wear and have a smooth high gloss finish which is good for hygienic applications because it can be easily cleaned.
When it comes to decorating the floor, epoxy floors are available in many different colors and designs. It is possible to create a new concrete look depending on the clients preference.
On the other hand, polyurethane floors are resistant to temperature extremes and scratching, they last longer because of their flexibility and also resistant to solvents and alkalis.
However, when it comes to epoxy vs polyurethane flooring systems, the important takeaway is to realize that both product technologies work well in conjunction with each other to produce a durable, long-lasting flooring solution. As part of an international group of licensed applicators, we at Svista are available to advise and recommend the right flooring system to your facility.
We were contracted in December 2020 to provide a solution for the effluent treatment plant at the new Harris bottling plant. The system we recommended involved the following steps.
Surface preparation.
Repair of concrete surface.
Application of first coat of protection.
Application of construction mesh.
Application of last coat of protection.
Stage 1: Surface preparation: This involved grinding to remove surface laitance to expose the good concrete below. This will aid in increasing bonding and exposing unsound concrete.
Stage 2: Surface Filling:
We used of MasterBrace ADH 2200 to fill all depressions and damages on the surface. Some of the advantages of MasterBrace ADH 2200 are its high strength, non-slump, impact-resistant, and good chemical resistance.
Stage 3: Application of first coat:
We applied the first coat of Masterprotect 180 which is a protective high build epoxy resin coating specifically developed to protect concrete. Masterprotect 180 is durable, non-toxic, has high chemical resistance, high-temperature water resistance, and is a waterproofing agent.
Stage 4: Added a construction mesh / Fiber mesh.
The purpose of this was to reduce water loss from the concrete as well as enhance the structural integrity.
Stage 5: Application of second coat:
For the final stage, we once again applied Master protect 180 for a final coat.
Finished Effluent treatment plant with MasterProtect 180 coating.
Contact us today so we can discuss your construction needs.
Svista Uganda Limited is the leading installer of Ucrete systems in Uganda. We are certified applicators and work together with our manufacturers and clients to deliver long lasting high performance flooring solutions. With reference to food and beverage production floors, Ucrete has been installed from breweries, soft drinks production, and within the meat, fish and chicken processing industries.
Our first mock up room with Ucrete UD200 was at Coca Cola Namanvein 2018.This was in an aggressive area with sugars on the floor and forklift traffic.
In 2019 we installed Ucrete MF at Coca Cola plant in Namanve
The performance of this area led to Ucrete being selected for further flooring upgrades in 2019. And with these upgrades, our client benefitted from our systems this way;
2019. Production line Floor upgrade at the Coca Cola plant in Namanve
1. Rapid installation time. We are able to lay a full production floor line in one weekend, this limits the downtime and the production can resume. Clients are able to immediately benefit from our new installation.
2. Reliable proven record of performance. Many Ucrete floors in aggressive environments are still in operation many years after planned service life. Additionally, with retopping, Ucrete floors can serve you for over 50 years.
3. Long reliable presence in the market. With production floors in Uganda, Ucrete has a rich history. You find Ucrete floors in diary production, hot kitchens, breweries, and soft drinks production floors. This year we have installed different systems in cold storage facilities, airline production kitchens and sugar production in Jinja. Our different profiles are available to you for all site requirements from dry and wet conditions, foot and mechanised traffic and other site specific solutions.
4. Svista as material specifiers and applicators. We only work with the prescribed materials and follow installation guidelines to ensure that our product and installations perform as guaranteed. As such our works come with product and installation guarantees to reassure you and protect your capital investment.
Our Master Builders certificates
5. Continuing local support for consultations on industrial projects. This enables us to form long lasting relationships with engineers, plant managers and project specifiers. Thus our range of services for flooring projects includes, drainage detailing, markings for production flooring, health and safety markings and concrete repairs. This reliability allows us to recommend the right flooring solutions for current and future projects for all.
Installation Trench Protection at Riham. 2020Trench concrete protection at Riham. 2020
Therefore through all these time tested processes we are able to guarantee your confidence and the success of your flooring project.
This makes Svista your right choice for the success of your high performance flooring.
“It is unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money—that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the things it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.” — John Ruskin.
Developed more than 30 years ago by BASF (Now Master Builders Construction Chemicals) as the answer to the most demanding industrial environments, Ucrete technology is the original polyurethane flooring solution that provides a powerful layer of protection for both new and existing concrete surfaces. It has a high energy absorption capacity of about twelve times that of a 50 Newton concrete.
It is dense and impervious and used in industries that require the highest level of hygienic standards. Ucrete is accredited for use in pharmaceuticals and food processing facilities mostly because it’s anti-microbial, washable, non-toxic, and resistant to a wide range of aggressive chemicals.
It’s also resistant to high temperatures and thermal shock. It can be used over a wide temperature range from -40 °C to 130 °C. And a regular 9mm Ucrete floor can withstand discharges of boiling water.
A cold room floor at Nearest in-flight Services which we upgraded using Ucrete 200D.
In order to achieve the right degree of slip resistance, Ucrete is available in a range of surface profiles from smooth to high textured floors and these are available in matt or gloss.
Ucrete is an ideal flooring solution because it stands out from the rest and that’s we at Svista recommend it to our clients especially those looking for the highest hygienic standards and those in the toughest industrial environments.
This year we at Svista have been privileged to lay Ucrete flooring systems for both HOT INDUSTRIAL KITCHEN (Newrest) and COLD STORAGE WAREHOUSES. (Yokuku).
Upgraded the cold storage warehouse floor at HMH Rainbow (YoKuku) using Ucrete UD 200 at 6mm density for the main floor.
In the industrial world, epoxy and polyurethane are both thermosetting polymers, their differences in function and performance are vast. For concrete floor coating applications, the most durable, longest-lasting coating systems usually include the use of both epoxy and polyurethane. However, it should be noted that each has advantages over the other. For example, Polyurethane is renowned for its extremely durable and flexible synthetic material and some of its advantages include:
Flexibility of polyurethane. While, technically, epoxy is harder and therefore more durable – we’ve found that polyurethane lasts longer because it flexes with an impact and does not abrade as heavily as epoxy.
Resistance to solvents and alkalis. As with epoxy, certain chemical reactions simply have less impact on polyurethane products than epoxy ones. For areas in contact with oils and solvents, polyurethane is the best option.
Speed of curing. Polyurethane will cure faster than epoxy in most situations. In time-sensitive operations or where the resin is needed for a mission-critical application, this is one of the advantages polyurethanes bring.
Resistance to temperature extremes. The flexibility of a polyurethane coat also comes with another benefit – when the resin goes from hot to cold rapidly (or vice-versa) it tends to flex rather than becoming brittle and breaking. This can be very important for some project-specific areas.
Resistance to scratching. The polyurethane finish is less scratchable than the epoxy finish. This ensures that the floor maintains its aesthetic properties longer than epoxy floors undergoing similar treatments.
Life cycle costs. An important advantage of polyurethane flooring systems is the possibility to renew the topcoat without complete removal of the flooring system – a process called “retopping”. As compared to other flooring systems that have to be replaced when reaching the end of their lifetime. Polyurethane flooring systems are especially advantageous in the case of long-term usages of 40 years. Within this period, most of the comparative flooring systems have to be replaced at least once.
On the other hand, epoxy floors are resistant to a large number of chemicals such as solvents and acids. They are decorative and come in different colors, they are easy to clean and they are robust making suitable for heavy use and mechanical loads, such as forklift traffic in warehouses, workshops and production areas.
However, when it comes to epoxy vs polyurethane flooring systems, the important takeaway is to realize that both product technologies work well in conjunction with each other to produce a durable, long-lasting flooring solution. As part of an international group of licensed applicators, we at Svista are available to advise and recommend the right flooring system to your facility.
