Industrial Concrete Flooring Services

Your concrete floor is a huge investment. Choose concrete floor services from Blackwell's, Inc. Industrial Cleaning.

 

Polished Concrete Floors — Built to Last — Built for the Future

Blackwell's can help you prepare for the future. Concrete floor services from Blackwell's, Inc.

respirable, concrete floor service lagrange ga

Concrete seems to last forever. The Colosseum and the Pantheon, built by ancient Romans at least 2000 years ago, used a material in their construction that is very similar to our modern concrete. In the 1990s, concrete floors took a giant leap forward when workers discovered it could be polished.

Benefits that Blackwell's Professional Concrete Floor Polishers Can Provide for You:

  • Durable: resistant to foot traffic and light-medium forklift traffic
  • Attractive: glossy, mirror like in appearance and available in many colors
  • Highly reflective: brightens the workplace
  • Shine levels range from low gloss to a marble-like reflection
  • Low maintenance: easier to clean and dust resistant
  • Abrasion resistant
  • Non-yellowing
  • Known for its long service life
  • Resistant to moisture transmission: allows the concrete to breathe
  • Epoxy and urethane safety aisles and equipment demarcation easily added

 

Concrete Floor Staining

Because of its porous physical nature, concrete can take on vibrant colors, bringing beauty to what's generally thought of as plain and boring. Shapes and patterns can be created on existing concrete by shallow saw cuts and color dyes and stains.

Both old and new concrete floors can be stained with color that is permanent. Unlike paints, the stain is in the concrete and won't fade or peel.

What’s the future of concrete floors? We think we know. Contact Blackwell's Inc. for all your concrete flooring services.

profileographA Robotics Profileograph was used to survey this floor for levelness and smoothness.

delta-ranger, concrete floor services lagrange 1500 grit polished floor meeting specifications of survey.

Following the removal of the existing floor coating, this concrete floor had an initial floor grinding to an 800-grit finish for test purposes. Using a 16 ft. level, we checked for high and low areas on the floor. A Robotic Profileograph survey done by a third party, identified an isolated 3mm error which we corrected to achieve the desired specifications in levelness and smoothness for the floor. This floor, at an air line technical operations center, will use intelligent robotics with AI software for random and specific traffic patterns to select and deliver aircraft part kits to mechanics for their inspection and repair of the aircraft.

Concrete floor coatings can make a considerable difference in floor maintenance costs and aesthetics.

 

Epoxy Flooring Systems

Epoxy floor coatings are versatile, durable, and offer great adhesion.

Epoxy floor coatings come in many different colors and are available in a variety of blends, with solvent free 100% solids being the most popular. We utilize Novalac epoxy when an area calls for high chemical resistance. Epoxies offer superb adhesion and are sometimes used as a primer.

epoxy-1 A breathable epoxy system with non-slip aggregate

epoxy-2 Slip resistant and chemical resistant resinous flooring

epoxy-3 An epoxy floor coating with both epoxy pedestrian aisle and equipment demarcation

Epoxy floor coating products are two-component, comprised of a resin and a hardener. These are typically installed at approximately 8 to 35 mils thickness and thicker if aggregate-filled.

With the addition of aggregate, an epoxy floor coating can have a non-slip surface and can be top-coated with urethane for a more scuff resistant finish.

Concrete is one of the most durable man-made building materials used around the world but they are not immune to damage by impact, abrasion, harsh chemicals, and thermal shock. Many warehouses utilize forklifts and other heavy equipment that cause damage to concrete surfaces.

It’s almost a given that concrete floors are covered in dust. Besides dust, neglected industrial concrete floors are often covered with debris, holes, and peeling stripes. Before any coating is applied, all that has to be cleaned and repaired first. Once all repairs are made, the floor is mechanically profiled to give it a roughened surface for the coating and the floor to mechanically bond. This is usually accomplished by shotblasting or scarifying the floor. Finally, the floor is thoroughly cleaned again before priming and coating.

Because industrial floors receive all kinds of abuse, a thorough understanding of the many different types of coatings is an absolute must for the floor coating to survive the abuse.

 

Electrostatic Dissipative Floor Coating Systems

Failures in circuitry may be caused by your floors. Static electricity is defined as an electrical charge caused by an imbalance of electrons on the surface of a material created by the contact and separation of two materials.

Electrostatic discharges can create severe problems (and expensive ones) with the electrical components used in :

  • Aircraft
  • Automobiles
  • Computers
  • Machinery
  • Electrical circuits
  • Electrical devices that use very sensitive electronic circuitry

Charged surfaces can also cause problems in clean rooms by attracting and holding contaminants.

Electrostatic Dissipative Floor Coating Systems and Conductive Floor Coating Systems dissipate or discharge static electricity through grounding systems in the work area that interface with the conductive floor on which employees work, walk, and stand.

 

Non-slip Industrial Flooring

Industrial, food service, and automotive flooring are often coated with oil and grease. Combined with a water source, these floors can become extremely slippery.

With the addition of aggregates to the resinous (epoxy) coating, the floors can take on a texture-like finish from a slight texture up to extremely aggressive. This gives excellent slip and fall protection to pedestrian traffic and wheeled equipment.

Benefits for you:

  • Superior adhesion to concrete
  • Professional looking floors for beauty and function
  • Tough and durable
  • Aggregates added to the resin make the floors slip resistant
aggressive-ag-nonslip Aggressive aggregate nonslip floor

less-ag-nonslip Nonslip floor with less aggressive aggregate

 

Chemical Resistant Flooring Systems

respirable

Chemical resistant concrete floor

Even though concrete may appear to be almost indestructible, it can be severely damaged by harsh chemicals. Chemical damaged areas in a floor can be cut out, rebuilt with vinyl ester grout, leveled to the existing floor, and top coated with a chemical resistant vinyl ester.

Vinyl esters will help to prevent damage from any future accidental escape of harsh chemical materials. These acid resistant coatings create an isolating barrier between the concrete and any exposure to the materials.

Respirable and Mitigating Flooring Systems

Concrete is a porous material and can behave like a dense sponge. It not only absorbs water from the surface, but it can absorb water from the ground. Moisture in or below a concrete slab allows the concrete to move moisture through the concrete in a process called moisture vapor transmission. This can cause floor coating adhesion problems and coating failure. A moisture barrier below the concrete before it is poured can help prevent this problem.

A respirable (or breathable) floor coating allows a concrete floor to move moisture through the concrete to the surface without affecting the coating. Moisture vapor transmission problems after concrete is poured requires a respirable (breathable) epoxy floor coating that allows the concrete to breath and allows the moisture to move to the surface without affecting the adhesion of the coating. close-up-respirable Respirable floor up close. Notice the water that has moved to the surface without affecting the coating adhesion.

respirable Respirable (or breathable) floor coating allows the concrete to breathe

Concrete Floor Striping

The prep work that we do first is the difference between our floor striping and our competition’s striping. It is the reason our floor striping lasts for years. The first thing we do is grind or shotblast the floor to give it a profile required for tenacious coating adhesion. Most other companies just clean and paint. We use a 2-part epoxy coating. It is more expensive, but it increases wear. Others use a 1-part traffic coating paint because it is easy to install and inexpensive.


Colored floor striping

striping-2 Concrete floor striping

We give our floor striping 3 coats of epoxy to:

  • Level the floor profile
  • Give the striping a thicker, more abrasion resistant build

After striping with epoxy, we apply a final coat of chemical resistant urethane to:

  • Encapsulate and protect the pigmented epoxy coating
  • Make the striping more scuff resistant and UV resistant against chalking and molecular breakdown
  • Make the striping chemical resistant to floor cleaners as well as product splash and spills

Concrete, though very hard and dense, can be damaged by impacts, abrasions, harsh chemicals, and thermal shock. The good news is that the damage to floors can be repaired.

No matter what the age or condition of your current floor, Blackwell's Inc. can breathe new life into it! We utilize cementitious repair mortars, epoxies, and a host of other materials to patch and repair concrete surfaces.

concrete-repair-1 Sulfuric acid damaged concrete floor

After-Pressure-Wash-2 Damaged area neutralized for pH, cut out and removed, and replaced with vinyl ester grout

concrete-repair-3 Acid resistant vinyl ester coating helps prevent future damage from sulfuric acid

Why Choose Blackwell's Inc. in LaGrange For Your Concrete Floor Repairs?

Concrete floors are not immune to damage by impact, abrasion, harsh chemicals , and thermal shock. Many warehouses utilize forklifts and other heavy equipment that cause damage to concrete surfaces. Damaged concrete creates damaged equipment. Possibly you have had to relocate equipment within the work area and it has left behind holes and other damage.

Protecting the concrete with chemical and abrasion resistant coatings will extend the life of the concrete. Blackwell's has the answer to this and many others. We can repair those holes and make the area look like new again. Contact Blackwell's Inc. for all your concrete flooring services. 

Self Leveling Systems

Does your floor need leveling? This floor system corrects  wavy or uneven floors. All floors designated to receive self-leveling cement will be shot blast prepared to establish an adhesion profile. The self-leveling material will be mixed in a twin hopper batch mixer, and pumped to the floor. Once applied, the self-leveling cement is pulled smooth and allowed to dry. Pre-fill may be required prior to the placement of self-leveling cement. The finished product may be coated, tiled, or carpeted.

Joint Fillers

Joint fillers will provide protection against joint breakdown. Most concrete floors contain joints, known as construction or control joints, which are placed at the time the concrete is originally poured. These joints control the cracking of concrete during hydration. They identify the termination of pour boundaries as well. Joint fillers can be pigmented in a variety of colors. Some epoxy fillers are ready for traffic in less than 10 minutes, thus avoiding any delay in any work or production.

Blackwell's Inc. is well versed in layout, cutting and filling of concrete joints. When requested, we can offer a "seamless" appearance to your floor as well.

Concrete Floor Polishing and Shotblasting

Each and every floor coating must be thoroughly evaluated even if it's just to remove paint or other concrete coatings from the concrete. Preparing the surface for whatever application you require is one of the most important aspects of a successful coating installation.

Blackwell's Inc. utilizes Blastrac shotblasting equipment, Diamond Grinders, and Bartells scarifiers in conjunction with the knowledge of our highly trained associates. Each and every piece of equipment is maintained and operated by competent associates, who have been trained to safely execute the task.

Shotblasting machines use high speed steel balls to remove surface contaminants and soft concrete to give it a rough or "sandpaper" feeling for improved bonding of industrial coatings.

Diamond grinders are capable of lightly scratching the concrete surface or aggressively grinding it to remove old coatings and to polish the concrete surface.

Bartell units are aggressive units that utilize rotating cutting wheels to scarify the substrate. Mechanical preparation promotes adhesion of coating to the substrate. Shotblast and concrete planers are virtually dust-free with large vacuum units attached which vacuum up and filters out dust as surface is prepared.

Chemical Resistant Floor Coverings

Whether the nature of your business requires a reinforced chemical resistant containment system or an aesthetically pleasing concrete flooring system, epoxy and urethane floor coatings meet the requirements. Blackwell's Inc. offers a variety of chemical resistant concrete floor coatings. Epoxy or vinyl ester coating can provide resistance to most aggressive substances.


It is very important that all materials, whether corrosive or abrasive, that may be in contact with the floors in question be identified before any work can begin. Once we have all the parameters, we will gladly suggest a concrete floor coating recommendation suitable for your industrial environment.

before-CR-coat
Many industrial facilities use corrosive materials in their processes that can damage concrete coatings and the concrete itself
less-ag-nonslip
A different view but the same floor after a chemical-resistant floor coating

Blackwell’s, Inc. is committed to ensuring every project is planned, communicated, and executed to guarantee safe, first-time quality, a tightly managed timetable, and attention to cost benefit.

Our Work

Top-quality equipment and proven experience for a job well done.