Epoxy Coating for Industrial Decks and Floors

The versatile epoxy coating exhibits good performance in providing protective resistance to decks and floors. Epoxy coating is flexible to use in any type of surface, be it concrete, wood or steel.

One of the main reasons why epoxy coating is valuable to industrial facilities is its high resistance to caustic solvents, alkalis and acids commonly found in factory floors. Manufacturing industries such as chemical processing plants, food processing plants, and waste treatment plants often require the use of caustic chemicals in their day-to-day production operations. These chemical solvents can seep or spill on the floor or decks of industrial facilities during handling and act immediately to adversely affect the surfaces they land on. Epoxy coating products, often liquid-applied polyurethane elastomers, provide a solution to these abrasive chemicals. Epoxy coating delivers high-quality waterproofing with good adhesion, abrasion and impact resistance.

Epoxy coating products are also very suitable for areas constantly exposed to mechanical stresses or heavy equipments, preventing the flooring from being ruptured or damaged because of the heavy-load activities.

Another use of epoxy coating is as floor toppings with high dielectric parameters, making it an effective electrical encapsulation grout. Modified epoxy coating is also useful as an inductive loop sealer for coating rebars and in sewage processing plants because of its high resistance to raw sewage damage.

Versatile Uses of Epoxy Coatings

Because of the nature of the business activities commonly done in commercial and industrial facilities, the coating requirements of these facilities are often higher and more demanding than in ordinary buildings. Commercial and industrial facilities, for one, are usually filled with more people or personnel who normally access many different locations in the building in the course of their daily operational tasks. There are also many activities and processes simultaneously done using a variety of tools, machineries and equipments. The hectic activities inevitably bring major wear and tear to floors and decks that can lead to operational problems if not properly addressed by facility managers.

When it comes to coating requirements, epoxy coating products are time-tested and proven to be very reliable in delivering long-lasting and high-performance protection to facility decks and floors. Epoxy coating products exhibit versatility in design, with many possible coating applications, from waterproofing, resistance to caustic chemical damages, and good performance against service and application-related traffic.

Epoxy coating products are often used for industrial and commercial parking decks, sun decks, balconies, and traffic-bearing areas, mechanical and other industrial rooms. The versatile epoxy coating serves a very useful function in providing protective resistance as well as enhancing the aesthetic value of any building or facility.

Anti-Corrosion Elastomeric Coatings – Part 2

Continued: Anti-Corrosion Elastomeric Coatings

In the previous blog, a new line of anti-corrosion elastomeric painting products have been invented with a unique resin composition of reactive polymer components. The new elastomeric painting products can be used for a wide variety of applications, and show imperviousness to chemical and other abrasive damages over a long period of time.

These characteristics make these anti-corrosion coatings very suitable as protective elastomeric coatings for concrete and steel structures. The high resistance and durability of these coatings are also useful for lining chemical storage tanks that often contain toxic and abrasive substances and need superior protective lining, and could be expensive to repair.

The elastomeric painting products, however, still fall short when it comes to eliminating VOCs from being emitted into the environment. The necessary solvents used in elastomeric painting still carry harmful substances, although alternative materials are continually researched to altogether remove dependency on harmful solvents. One other problem that besieges the quest for VOC-lowered products is the factor of cost, with alternative materials often more expensive than normal materials used for solvents and paint components. Despite that, paint manufacturers persist in their efforts to lower, if not completely eliminate VOC-carrying components in elastomeric painting formulation, if only to attain the goal of the ideal anti-corrosion elastomeric coatings.

Anti-Corrosion Elastomeric Coatings – Part 1

In search of the ideal anti-corrosion elastomeric painting products, paint manufacturers have innovated on their existing products and invented new ones, in an effort to come up with high-performing, long-lasting, cost-efficient and environment-friendly coatings. One of the main goals of manufacturers is a product with performance capabilities that are at par with, or even exceed, current industry standards in corrosion-control coatings.

Widening consumers’ choices in corrosion control coating systems, anti-corrosion elastomeric painting products with the unique resin composition of reactive polymer components have been designed. These blends of multi-functional isocyanate molecules have exhibited very high-curing and easy-hardening properties, which is very suitable for in-service painting and lining applications.

These elastomeric painting products are made of innovative polymer cross-linkages exhibiting high adhesion capabilities, as well as remarkable flexibility over a wide range of temperatures. The cross-linkages make retention of its physical and chemical properties possible over long periods of time, which means that the coating product is more impervious to chemical, mechanical and natural damages for much longer.

The next blog will discuss more of the characteristics of anti-corrosion elastomeric painting products.

The Ideal Anti-Corrosion Coatings

Elastomeric painting products that deliver a complete package of good performance, corrosion-resistance, cost-benefits, and low-VOC emissions have yet to come out in a single product, which is why paint manufacturers are working to research and design the ideal anti-corrosion coating.

There are a myriad applications that need high-performing anti-corrosion coatings, such as concrete and steel protective coatings, containments, water-proofing applications, flooring applications, joint-sealing, tank lining or coating. The ideal anti-corrosion coating must be designed for nearly all applications. And for applicability to a wide range of requirements, the basic characteristic of the ideal coating is that it should have the flexibility of elastomeric painting systems.

Another desirable characteristic for the elastomeric painting product is that it should be solvent-free to lessen the release of harmful VOCs to the environment. The coating product should also be cost-effective and can be either shop- or field-applied. And when exposed to chemical, mechanical and natural damages, the elastomeric painting product should prove to be very effective against these damaging factors.

Needless to say, the ideal anti-corrosion elastomeric painting product should have high performance capabilities that are at par with, or even exceed, current industry standards for corrosion-control coatings.

Anti-Corrosion Elastomeric Coatings

Consumers often look for elastomeric painting products that can withstand damages brought by the environment, or what is commonly known as corrosion. Generally, coatings that have corrosion-resistance and control can slow the deterioration of surfaces, extending the service life of coated materials.

Anti-corrosion coatings in the market these days address corrosion with varying levels of effectiveness, but often there are certain drawbacks to their abilities to deliver complete performance. For one, many corrosion control products release high amounts of solvent into the air during coating applications, falling short in complying with EPA regulations. At the same time, environmentally-safe materials are commonly water-based and have limitations too when it comes to providing chemical resistance, particularly in containers with highly-corrosive substances.

The same problem is true with some acrylics-based and ordinary elastomeric painting products, which lack chemical resistance despite being less-expensive, quick-curing, and durable. Other products may offer good chemical resistance, but are not flexible enough for long periods of service.

This urges many paint manufacturers to research and design the elastomeric painting product that can address all these issues and offer the most effective anti-corrosion control, all in one product.

Environmental Initiatives for Low- and Zero-VOC Coatings

The shift in consciousness in ordinary consumers that there is a major need to lessen harmful emissions of toxic substances to the environment is due mainly to the coordination of many sectors of society who worked together to make this possible. The concern over the quality of breathable air and the environment as a whole originally came from decades of government initiative to control the release of damaging VOCs to the environment.

Government environment legislations tasked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be the executing agency for environmentally-sensitive programs. Together with the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), these agencies pushed for the adoption of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system that urged low- and zero-VOC compliance from construction industries including the commercial building painting industry.

With the support of the public and private sectors, the commercial building painting industry began producing zero- and low-VOC products. When consumers began to ask for green commercial building painting products, environmentally-sensitive coatings finally become mainstream, and as competitive as their standard paint counterparts. To become competitive in this fast becoming environmentally-sensitive market, previously high-VOC paint products were inevitably redesigned to keep up with the green competition.

At present, the demand for environmentally-sensitive coatings and applications is increasing, which is a good thing for the environment, because this ensures that present and future commercial building painting applications remain as ecologically-friendly and less-harmful to the environment as possible.

Environmentally-Sensitive Coatings - Suppliers' Innovations

When coating manufacturers began responding to consumer preferences for low-and zero-VOC coatings to control harmful emissions to the environment, they took the challenge wholeheartedly, reformulating all of their products and even went as far as to redesign major flagship products, turning them into ecologically-sustainable commercial building painting offerings.

These inevitably behooved the painting suppliers industry to keep up with the requirement of the coatings manufacturers. On their side they have been busy launching their own green initiatives, embarking on product re-evaluation and re-design in an effort to cut down on harmful substances emission from coating supplies.

They began searching for more environmentally-sensitive raw materials and resources, innovating on green biocide components for commercial building painting products. Protective biocide agents that have lesser hazardous components came rolling out of manufacturer's chemistry labs and into the market.

Paint suppliers’ research and development efforts resulted to innovations on painting ingredients and components, from binders, pigments and additives that are not only environmentally-sensitive, but also cost-efficient and with above-standard performance.

Environmentally-Sensitive Coatings - Manufacturers' Response

Stricter environmental standards covering the construction industry and the painting industry in particular has increased the awareness of the average consumer of the need for low- and zero-VOC-emitting coatings for commercial building painting. This environmental concern has altered consumers’ preferences in commercial building painting products. Consumers are increasingly looking for more environment-friendly coating options in the market.

Consumer preference urged the coatings industry to accept the challenge of eliminating harmful VOC emissions in their products. Major coating companies began conducting intensive research and development to manufacture more environment-sensitive coating products and reformulate existing ones. The result of their efforts is a whole range of technological innovations in low-VOC-emitting products.

One of the major areas of development is in eco-friendly water-based paints, which have been re-designed for improved performance, better adhesive capabilities, enhanced color, and long-lasting resistance. Major paint companies lowered the VOC content in their latex products, while maintaining the same performance as before. Water-based polyurethane mixtures have also been modified to achieve durability needed for maintenance applications, but with less-VOCs than standard paints.

Most coating companies reformulated nearly all of their coating products, even major flagship products, in the drive to produce ecologically-sustainable coatings for commercial building painting.

Green Consumers and Environmentally-Sensitive Coatings

The undeniably harmful effects of certain chemicals and substances to the environment has increased the concerns in all levels of government – federal, state and local – that the harmful emissions will have detrimental and even irreversible effects to the quality of the air we breath. This concern has lead to stricter legislations that have since driven all sectors of society to take decisive action in lessening and even preventing the release of these toxic and damaging substances to the atmosphere.

The construction industry, in particular, has long been known to be a major contributor of hazardous toxins to the environment. Specifically, commercial building painting is rife with ecological pollutants, found mainly in painting products that release toxic chemicals in nearly all stages of the painting application process. High-VOC primers, toxin-mixed solvents and coatings, or post-cleanup contaminants – nearly all aspects of commercial building painting releases ecologically-hostile substances. Even waste disposal of post-project coatings is known to emit environment-damaging substances to the air.

With stricter environmental standards and regulations covering the construction industry and the painting industry in particular, coupled with the active drive of the government urging stakeholders to comply, the average consumer has become aware of the need for low- and zero-VOC coatings in commercial building painting.

Waterproofing Contractors for Engineering Structures

Setting up the waterproofing system for engineering structures is a challenging task that requires considerable planning and careful implementation. Either as part of building construction or later as a remedial waterproofing system for old structures, the waterproofing job involves dealing with water in its various. To manage this, there is a need for a highly-skilled waterproofing contractor to execute the task.

Work experience matters in the choice of a waterproofing contractor. Because of the issues involved in waterproofing -- from the management of moisture, to the quickest downtime possible for trafficked areas, to the choice of materials that comply with environmental standards -- it is preferable to hire the waterproofing contractor that has the proper certifications and credentials for the job.

The right waterproofing contractor can assess the facility's needs for waterproofing through site inspections, allowing them to design the most appropriate waterproofing system for the particular project. Their technical expertise should cover the correct methods to use in surface preparation, thinning, mixing and application, among the various other activities that may be deemed necessary in setting up the waterproofing system.

Facility managers with an eye on value for their money will wisely choose the most qualified waterproofing contractor, who can ensure quality waterproofing for their engineering structure, resulting to longevity, high performance, and cost-benefit realizations.

Waterproofing Systems for Engineering Structures

The waterproofing system for any engineering structure is highly dependent on the condition of the structure in relation to the surrounding grounds, and the manner in which water is permeating the whole structure as a result. The role of a waterproofing system is to act as a watertight shield, sealing the structure and making it impervious to water seepage and pressure.

The waterproofing contractor designs an appropriate waterproofing system, implementing it with the correct combination of waterproofing materials and application methods. A particularly-skilled waterproofing contractor may choose to use a variation of cementitious polymer-based coatings or multi-coat renders, mastic asphalt or liquid-applied membranes, slurries, or even the creative use of epoxy coatings to setup the waterproofing system.

Waterproofing contractor companies may also choose to fortify waterproofing systems with the construction of non-linked cavity walls and bund walls, or even setup drainage channels and pumps to remove excess water during waterproofing application. To address the issue of dampness and "breathability", the waterproofing contractor may also install ventilated floorings to the underground chambers of the structure.

For external waterproofing, the application of cementitious coatings with chemical, skip or slip resistance is also preferred. Such coatings are impervious to water and dries quickly, ready for the onslaught of feet and mechanical traffic in a matter of hours.

Structural Waterproofing Issues

One concern that a waterproofing contractor often encounters in setting up waterproofing systems for engineering structures is the inevitability of dampness, particularly with old structures. Instead of a cure, the waterproofing contractor must implement ways of how to manage the dampness. This often involves the setup of appropriate ventilation spaces that allows moisture to move in or out -- or "breathe" -- within the structure.

Another issue is how to reroute interconnected pipes, drainage systems, and electrical cables that are attached or used by the structure. The waterproofing contractor must take these elements into consideration when setting up the waterproofing system, making sure that any rerouting or changes will not have adverse affect.

On a different level, a noted rise in flooding caused by climate changes has elevated water levels everywhere and, as a consequence, has increased the cases of basement flooding, adding to the challenges faced by the waterproofing contractor.

On the legal front, waterproofing contractor companies are also compelled by law to comply with existing environmental legislations and standards for waterproofing, which aim to lessen the chances of harmful substances leakage that can threaten human and environmental safety.

These issues, and more, and as the need arise, are in the forefront of concerns that must be addressed by the waterproofing contractor when waterproofing engineering structures.

Waterproofing Engineering Structures

Because the close contact with the surrounding grounds can lead to water infiltration of underground or partially-underground engineering structures, they need to be protected by setting up a good waterproofing system. A common method used by the waterproofing contractor in waterproofing engineering structures involves the application of waterproofing materials to the inner and outer walls of the structure. Together with the flooring, the waterproofing application creates a watertight seal that prevents the structure from coming into close contact with the ground, eliminating water permeation.

The waterproofing contractor installs the waterproofing system initially during building construction or later as a retrofit application for remedial waterproofing.

Aside from partial and complete underground engineering structures, there are external structures such as car parks, walkways, and loading decks that are exposed to constant traffic and mechanical damages caused by daily activities on the premises. The regular exposure gradually weakens the structure's waterproofing system. This can lead to loss of slip- and skid-resistance, particularly in trafficked areas, and brings general deterioration to the structure.

The waterproofing contractor must have a high level of skill to waterproof engineering structures. Together with the facility owner, the waterproofing contractor must carefully design a waterproofing system that can handle the different ways that ground moisture can permeate the structure, and protect it from adverse effects.

Industry Codes and Standards - Developing Organizations

Codes and standards covering the design and construction, operation and maintenance of underground storage tanks (USTs) were instituted as early as the 1980s because of the concern over faulty USTs leaking hazardous fuels and chemicals to the environment.

Federal regulations governing USTs encouraged the compliance of tank owners and operators, and the result of regulating USTs was the closure of sub-standard USTs with only good quality USTs remaining until today.

With the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as its main partner in the UST compliance efforts, the federal regulations also sought the inputs of nationally-recognized organizations to come up with the industry codes and standards for USTs. Major organizations developed various guidelines that are integrated into the federal UST regulations. These guidelines cover various UST topics from design and construction, corrosion-protection, the application of quality tank lining products, among others. As an example, API Recommended Practice 1631, "Interior Lining of Underground Storage Tanks", is one UST guideline created for tank lining practices. NACE Standard RP-0184 "Recommended Practice: Repair of Lining Systems", also covers the recommended methods in tank lining applications.

Below is the list of major organizations involved in the development and testing of industry codes and standards for USTs:

- American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
- American Water Works Association (AWWA)
- American Petroleum Institute (API)
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
- Fiberglass Tank and Pipe Institute (FTPI)
- Ken Wilcox Associates, Inc. (KWA)
- National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- National Leak Prevention Association (NLPA)
- Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI)
- Steel Tank Institute (STI)
- Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)
- Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA)

Industry Codes and Standards for UST

Through the years, independent organizations also developed industry codes and standards for USTs, and compliance to these industry standards became an integral part of federal UST regulations. Guidelines on design and construction, corrosion-protection, the application of quality tank lining products, were some of the comprehensive UST-related topics covered in the industry-developed codes and standards. The standards aim to encourage UST owners and operators to implement the best practices in UST management developed by these nationally-recognized organizations.

All of the industry-developed codes and standards are found in the EPA website. Citing a few of them, the American Petroleum Institute (API) developed the API Recommended Practice 1631, "Interior Lining of Underground Storage Tanks", covering tank lining guidelines. National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) Standard RP-0184 "Recommended Practice: Repair of Lining Systems", also covers the correct way in tank lining applications. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 326 "Standard for the Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair", and National Leak Prevention Association (NLPA) Standard 631 "Entry, Cleaning, Interior Inspection, Repair, and Lining of Underground Storage Tanks", are some of the standards governing tank lining applications.

The API Publication 1628, "A Guide to the Assessment and Remediation of Underground Petroleum Releases", covers UST closures, while Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)
1746, Standard for Safety: "External Corrosion Protection Systems for Steel Underground Storage Tanks" covers corrosion protection.

Federal Regulations for UST

Strong concerns over possible UST leaks urged the government to institute stringent regulations that all USTs must comply with. Improper installation, the use of corrosion-prone steel materials and basic tank lining, and the lack of proper operating procedures, were some of the reasons for these concerns, with people worried over the danger to public safety should UST leaks seep through the soil, contaminate sources of ground water, or cause destructive explosion.

Together with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the government setup several regulations governing USTs that is covered in Subchapter IX, Chapter 82, Title 42 of the U.S. Code. Subchapter IX -- "Regulation of Underground Storage Tanks". It covers guidelines on UST release detection, prevention, and correction. There are also subsections for inspections, monitoring, testing, and corrective actions, where one of the guidelines cover the proper tank lining application to use for USTs. One subsection refers to the federal authority and enforcement facilities covering UST legislation. The law also supports Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, which identifies the EPA as the regulating body for USTs.

The Energy Policy Act is another law covering USTs, focusing on hazardous substance release prevention, and tackles legitimate uses of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund for inspections, operator training, delivery prohibition, secondary containment, financial responsibility, and cleanup of releases.

For the comprehensive list of Federal Regulations concerning USTs, namely 40 CFR Part 280, 40 CFR Part 281, and 40 CFR Parts 282.50-282.105, including the listing of hazardous substances in 40 CFR Part 302.4., the EPA website is a good source of these materials.

UST Systems Compliance to Industry Codes & Standards

Just how critical are underground storage tank systems (USTs)? For one, they are massive structures built underground, which, together with their connected pipings and operational facilities, is an expensive project to implement and maintain. More importantly, USTs are often built to store either petroleum or similarly-hazardous substances.

In the 1980s, USTs were commonly built using steel materials that are vulnerable to corrosion and together with very basic tank lining in the inner tank chambers, these raised concerns over the danger of leaks of harmful substances to seep underground and contaminate sources of groundwater. Coupled with improper installation and lack of operating and maintenance procedures, the USTs posed a potential threat to people's health and the environment.

The concerns over possible UST leaks led to the setup of government regulations that evolved through the years. In collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the federal regulations covered the proper setup and operation of USTs; operators' responsibilities in leak prevention, detection and cleanup; and the best methods to use in repair, maintenance, tank lining, among others. Through the years, these regulations, together with standards developed by independent organizations, became the set of industry codes and standards that all USTs must comply with.