The vast majority of warehouses, production facilities, transportation hubs, and manufacturing buildings have concrete flooring. While concrete itself is strong and durable as a foundation, it is not a practical or particularly durable surface on its own.
The porous nature of concrete means it absorbs any type of liquid spills, including spills that stain or spill containing chemicals. These chemicals can further degrade the surface of the concrete, leading to pitting, flaking, and erosion of the surface, creating an uneven surface.
Heavy equipment traffic, dropping metal or heavy objects or even exposure to water and high humidity levels in a plant or facility can also significantly damage the surface of concrete. Of all of these, the heavy equipment traffic, including forklifts, dollies and pallet jacks, can do the most damage to the surface.
The Permanent Solution
There are different types of industrial concrete coatings on the market that provide some level of protection. However, in most cases, these coatings have a limited duty cycle, which is shorter if there is more traffic.
A better option is steel floor plate, which provides a durable, resistant surface flooring option that sits on top of the existing concrete. The use of the plate eliminates heavy equipment or dropped equipment or materials from making contact with the concretes surface. The steel floor plate also spreads out the pressure and weight from heavy equipment, limiting any risk of damage to the floor.
Installing the Plate
Most types of steel floor plate can be installed on both existing and newly poured concrete. They can be installed on new concrete before it sets, and the plate is designed with a projection on the bottom to anchor each individual plate in place.
On existing concrete floors, the steel plate is attached to the surface using a bonding layer of concrete that is applied over the current floor. This locks each plate in place and provides the same level of durability and protection, even in an older facility.
