Concrete Polishing
Concrete is the most commonly used construction material because of the many benefits it offers. Among these are strength, durability, a long lifespan, affordability, environmentally friendly, and it is recyclable. Why then have we chosen to cover it up with manmade petroleum based materials that do not have these characteristics, which leads to expensive repairs and maintenance? Yezco uses HTC, the industry leader in high production concrete grinders and polishing equipment combined with high efficiency dust extracting systems and state of the art dry diamond tooling technology. HTC has developed a unique diamond grinding process, HTC Superfloor™. This process utilizes an innovative grinding and polishing system which includes both metal bond and resin bond diamonds to bring out the natural beauty in your concrete floors. HTC Superfloor™ produces a highly reflective surface finish that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but reduces maintenance costs and increases durability. With this system Yezco can also polish in a variety of environmentally friendly colors (see other services page for details on this application).
Before After
The concept of HTC Superfloor™ polished concrete is to transform what most people cover up into an aesthetically pleasing, highly functional, extremely durable, long life-cycle, low-maintenance floor system. In order to acheive the previous statement HTC Superfloor™ is produced mechanically with progressively finer diamonds under state-of-the-art grinding/polishing equipment. This process yields a flatter, more abrasion and impact resistant substrate. HTC Superfloor™ will increase the ambient lighting in a facility up to 30%. This will allow occupants to utilize more natural reflective lighting than expensive energy consuming light bulbs. An array of colors can be acheived through dyes to customize each HTC Superfloor™, even logos can be incorporated. Lastly, HTC Superfloor™ is a perfect choice of floor systems when environment sensitivity is crucial. HTC Superfloor™ can help owners gain tax savings on their projects that are under ‘LEED’
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HTC Superfloor™ is superior to all other processes because it is more functional, ecological and economical. Concrete Polishing
Functional
• Dense, polished surface helps protect against absorption of oil and other contaminants• Resists tire marks from fork trucks and other traffic• Harder and stronger than other floor finishes
• 40% more abrasion resistant than unfinished concrete • 20% increase in impact resistance than unfinished concrete• 30% increase in ambient light reflection from unfinished concrete• Flatter, more level surface
• OSHA recommends that you achieve a static coefficient of friction (SCOF) of 0.5 for
polished surfaces - HTC Superfloor™ SCOF wet: .50 and dry: .58
• Easily add color to existing concrete during the HTC Superfloor™ process
Ecological
• Dry, dust-free grind filters out 99.9% of all airborne dust• No VOC’s• No coating, urethane, waxes or topical coatings applied• No slurry
• No protective gear, such as ear plugs, masks, or retardant proof clothing necessary
• New water-based dyes for environmentally friendly coloring
Economical
• Lower initial costs compared to most other floor coverings• No down time waiting on chemical processes to cure• One-time application with minimal maintenance• Lower maintenance costs with less wear on cleaning equipment and consumables• Long life cycle of 5-10 years
Before After
Our polishing process consists of seven basic steps of mechanical grinding and polishing. Depending on the current condition of the floor, the process may require more steps, or even less. The first three steps prepare the floor by flattening and leveling it using metal bond diamond grindings. These steps are crucial to ensure proper finishing and safety standards. The last four steps use resin bond diamonds for polishings. These steps seal the floor and polish it to a matte, satin or glossy finish. Yezco’s VOC compliant polishing method brings out the natural strength and beauty of the concrete—without harming the environment.
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Polished Concrete Slip Coefficient of Friction
Flooring systems used on Industrial and Commercial floors should provide a safe walking surface in both wet and dry conditions. By measuring the coefficient of friction (COF), a quantitative number can be used to express the degree of slip resistance of a floor surface.
When the coefficient of friction is measured from a resting position, it is called the “static coefficient of friction” (SCOF). When it is measured when the surfaces are in relative motion, it is called the “dynamic coefficient of friction”. Measuring the dynamic COF is difficult and requires a strict laboratory environment for accurate results. The James Machine would be used in this situation under the ASTM D-2047 standard. Almost all portable and laboratory meters measure only the static COF and most measuring devices (slip meters) refer to static COF based off the ASTM C1028 standard. The BOT 3000 slip test meter measures both Static and Dynamic coefficient and provides a digital printout and audit trail.
The higher the SCOF, the less slippery the surface. It is possible to have too high a SCOF; the surface can be too slip resistant and difficult to walk on. The American Society for testing and Materials (ASTM) initially set a standard of 0.50 or higher for polished surfaces. Because the required friction for normal walking is significantly below that figure (As measured on the James Machine) a coefficient of 0.35 is sufficient. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will only recommend that you try to achieve a 0.50 SCOF for flat surfaces. In short there really is no set standard that any one will stand behind. Plus all of the standards were tested using natural stone and liquid sealers / coatings. So we have to group ourselves in with this category until they do testing for polished concrete. Yezco always recommends a third party slip coefficient testing once our process is completed.
Please contact us for more info on slip coefficient testing.
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Free Demo
See what your concrete looks like polished! This will give you the most accurate sample without the guess work.
Call for a free demo at your facility today!
Office: 480-577-5700 Fax: 623-465-4858 Email: info@yezco.com
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