More and more homeowners and businesses are creating that warm, easy-to-live-in feeling by taking advantage of their facilities' largest single surface, their floor. They are using new materials, including artistic stains, to give their concrete floors great individualized looks as well as the easy maintenance qualities of a Class III laboratory. A recent example is provided by a project Durall Industrial Flooring undertook for John Engstrom Photography (www.engstromphotography.com) near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The goal of the flooring redevelopment work was to enhance the coffee house atmosphere of the photo studio. Before the development began, Durall created a custom kit of materials tailored for this specific project. The first step was to use Durall's adhesive remover to remove the glue that remained from the carpeting and tile that formerly covered the warehouse-type facility floor. Because cement is so porous, even floors that look almost free of glue will yield great quantities of adhesive under the leaching action of the chemical removers, preventing future interference with the bonding of the new coatings. A high-alkaline cleaner was then applied using a rotary scrubber with a stiff nilo grit brush. The high-alkaline degreaser brings the pH of the floor up to nearly 12 as it removes the leftover adhesive and contaminants. Following up with another scrubbing using Dura Klean, an acidic cleaner with water softeners, detergents, and rinse agents, shocks the floor with a pH of 3.5, thereby forcing contaminants and vulnerable cement particles to release from the floor. The acidic cleaner also opens the floor up, allowing the epoxy top coats to create a strong, long-lasting bond. A final scrub rinse and drying left the floor ready to accept repairs and artistic coloring. The new look for the studio floors was produced using black and red stains shot downward with weed sprayers to give an alternating color look. Before staining began, masking tape was used to simulate a grid pattern, holding stain off mock grout lines. The pattern was laid diagonally across the floor to heighten dimension and interest. Two people, two sprayers, two colors'but just one artist'as the red was laid with the artist's eye and the helper followed, filling in unsprayed areas with black. Once dry, the tape was removed and two top coats of clear, flat catalyst epoxy were applied, leaving a soft, non-glare surface that is easy to keep clean and lets light softly dissipate. The resulting floor brings together beautifully the grand wood, soft leather, and natural greenery of a studio that is functional, easy to keep up, and comfortable for those long hours of artistic development. Durall Industrial Flooring supplies kits of materials that are customized to owner specification and delivered directly to the job site. Kits include full directions and 24/7 help lines staffed by seasoned flooring experts, so professionals and amateurs alike can successfully install a quality floor. Web visitors can obtain free, job-specific quotes on materials or nationwide turnkey installations by completing a simple questionnaire at http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com. For a high-resolution photo example, visit: http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com/photos/artistic For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at: harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com
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