Concrete is an extremely tough, durable material and, with good workmanship and adequate use, it is almost “immortal”. Nevertheless, it happens that the concrete floor begins to change unfavorably over time – it curls, cracks appear, a corner breaks off, small height differences between the individual surfaces appear, or the dusting on the surface begins to crumble. For that matter, it no longer meets the requirements for further use and needs to be renovated.
In the background of almost every defect or failure of the concrete floor is the human factor. This could manifest itself at any time in the flooring process – from defining the entry requirements to the final surface treatment, as well as during use. When renovating an old floor, all possible causes need to be considered, but the goal is not to find someone to blame. In this step, we need to renovate the floor and eliminate the causes of the defect.
About concrete floor defects
Probably the most serious floor defects are cracks that run through the entire structure of the concrete slab. They can be caused by excessive loads, whether static or dynamic. In some cases, the reason may be a change in the properties of the geological subsoil, for example as a result of waterlogging of the building or even excessive drying of the subsoil. Removing static defects is probably the most difficult type of renovation. Its complexity depends on the extent of the damage. However, these damages usually cannot be removed by repairing the upper layers alone.
Less fatal are cracks that stick in the upper layers of the floor without affecting its statics. These are, for example, cracks caused by shrinkage of concrete in the first hours of its maturation. Later, in the maturing process, contraction cracks arise as a result of incorrect determination of contraction units, and finally, it is expansion cracks that can occur at the contacts of the floor with vertical structures. At other times, the corners of the individual concrete slabs may be curved (lifted), the concrete may be crushed at the joints or even in the area of the concrete slab.
Expansion joint reparation.
Concrete delamination is a specific defect. There are several influences on its formation, especially about the type of floor. Finally, there is a set of defects of an aesthetic nature, such as stains from chemical seepage.
Renovation preparation
Each type of defect requires a specific solution, but it can only be reached based on the correct identification of the causes of the unwanted condition. These could have arisen at various stages in the flooring process. Experts, who can accurately define the defect, handle their detection.
In the process of preparation, incorrect data may have appeared at the outset, whether it was input data on the required loads or data on geological and hydrological surveys. Failings can also be found in the project preparation of the floor, which could have been designed for a different load, incorrectly reinforced, also an unsuitable type of concrete or an unsuitable composition of the floor layers could have been designed.
A survey of the realization process follows, where there may have been non-compliance with prescribed procedures, such as non-compliance with concrete maturation or prescribed thickness layers, reinforcement displacement, or even inappropriate application of thermal insulation or waterproofing.
Another set of data is obtained from the use process, where excessive dynamic floor loading or static loading may have occurred, for example by increasing the weight of loads and racks, in the floor maintenance process by unsuitable chemical loading and the like.
Based on enough data obtained, it is possible to design a proper floor renovation.
Did you know?
Renovating a floor doesn’t just mean returning to its original state. It can also be accompanied by new needs and expectations of the investor. New requirements can manifest themselves as a change in dynamic or static load, a design change, or even a change in hygiene or other specific requirements.
Floor renovation
There is a solution to every floor defect. Just as we leave the identification of the defect to the experts, we also entrust the renovation itself to an experienced team of people. Some solutions are seemingly simple, but their implementation requires knowledge and skills, great precision, an overview of renovation materials and procedures, and, finally, adequate technology. The renovation itself begins with the removal or fixation of defects and ends with the final surface treatment, which represents the entire floor.
Elimination of appearance defects
If the floor is excessively dirty and partially soiled, it may be sufficient to clean it and then sand it so that older, uncleanable stains disappear. At the same time, it is necessary to address the causes of stains so that they do not reappear.
Sanding of the floor.
Surface repairs
The crushing of the floor surface can sometimes be removed by penetration and its subsequent reinforcement. In other cases, it is advisable to create a new layer that will meet the demands of floor quality.
Fixation of cracks and joints
Smaller cracks are sometimes enough to clean and fill with resin. This procedure can stop the enlargement of cracks, but it will highlight them visually, so it is advisable to unify the surface. However, if the crack is related to other deformations, such as cavities under the floor layer, it is necessary to fill the cavities and stop further “peeling” of the layer. For this, a low-viscosity resin is used, which can be applied to the cracks under pressure. Surface cracks, which unfold from the base layer, must be joined by reinforcement rib – this is inserted into the milled grooves and then filled with resin or sealing mortar. The procedure is similar if it is necessary to join two concrete slabs so that their same height is ensured.
Crack repair – preparation.
Crack repair – stitching.
Common defects
The frequency of defects can also have an informative value. If they appear more frequently, a solution with the removal of the top layer, subsequent removal of defects in the base layers, and recreation of a new quality surface may be necessary.
It’s not always easy
Renovating a concrete floor is sometimes more difficult than creating a brand new one. It requires not only thorough project preparation, but above all a thorough analytical part, which reveals the real causes of defects. At the first signs of problems, it is ideal to always consult all concrete floor risks and possible remediation procedures with an expert on concrete floors.
We write about industrial floors professionally and clearly.