Contamination Safety, From the Concrete Floor-Up

The ins and outs of antimicrobial surface protection.

Ensuring the safety requirements in healthcare and agriculture facilities (for example) have the proper floor preparation in place to protect the concrete from chemical and environmental exposure is critical to help maintain the high levels of performance expected from these industries. This is where an antimicrobial surface protection strategy can come into play. This involves applying a specialized floor coating that minimizes the ability for microbes to grow on floor surfaces. These coatings are typically two-part water-based epoxy that has been specially formulated to bond to existing surfaces without a profile.

Whether a new or an established build, it’s important to understand the immediate and long-term needs of the facility to apply the right number of coats. New builds will need to apply a preventative coating and then a secondary coating that includes the antimicrobial agent throughout and after construction. For an established build, the antimicrobial coat can go on quietly without requiring blasting or grinding. The coat itself does not require prior prep, other than ensuring the floor is clean and dry before being applied.

While under construction, builders can coat the concrete with the antimicrobial agent prior to the actual building being assembled as a preventative measure so steps like adding drywall and painting do not affect the quality of the concrete.

Additionally, during implementation, contractors can look to add additional texture to increase slip resistance.

Once installed, facilities can easily clean the antimicrobial surface, ensuring they are meeting the strict requirements mandated by their industry. As well, facilities will also benefit from the ability to easily repair the coating. If the floor is damaged or scratched, all a contractor would have to do is clean and recoat to repair.

Jack Aspenson is the CEO and Founder of S3 Surface Solutions.

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