Transitions Polishing and Grinding was recently involved in a massive rectification project of all external floors at the Jimboomba Junction Shopping Centre in Jimboomba, Queensland.
Transitions was able to address all the concerns of the client with regard to the existing 2,700m² of flooring space.
Key issues with the existing floor at the shopping centre:
- Floor finish was slippery when wet
- Floor levels were uneven and did not fall towards the drainage
- Sealer looked yellow and dull
- Water pooling on the surface created potential slip hazards
The existing floor had a two part epoxy coating with non-slip additive. Though the initial slip rating was high, constant wear caused by high traffic and daily maintenance had reduced the slip resistance quality of the floor.
Additionally, the extensive exposure to UV light, rain and heat left the sealer looking yellow, dull and aesthetically unappealing.
The initial design and layout of the concrete slabs also presented difficulties as they impacted the quality of any decorative concrete pour on this scale. The overall fall and level of the concrete in the shopping centre, extensive pooling, incorrect falls and a slippery finish were some of the factors that needed to be rectified.
A complete regrind of the shopping centre floors was recommended for a number of reasons including improving public safety through floor levelling and increasing the slip rating to meet Australian Standards at an R11 rating.
The floor rectification process began with removing the existing coating and grinding the surface, which aimed to correct the floor levels and falls towards drainage, eliminate trip hazards caused by slab curling and achieve consistent aggregate exposure. Once complete, the floors were honed to remove surface scratches caused by the abrasive first cut and deliver the specified finish.
While deciding the sealer for the honed concrete floors, Transitions analysed all factors including traffic density, cleaning and maintenance schedules, customer life expectancy and exposure to the environment. A solvent based penetrating sealer was chosen to enrich the surface of the honed concrete and last the distance.
Penetrating sealers are absorbed into the surface of the floor and use the natural resistance of the concrete to achieve high slip ratings. The honed concrete acts as the finished surface and enables long lasting slip ratings to be achieved.
Highly resistant to UV exposure, the sealers will not dull or yellow over time, and more importantly, will allow the concrete to breathe, releasing any condensed moisture and eliminating an unsightly white powdery build-up commonly known as efflorescence.
When tested on completion, the floor achieved a minimum slip rating of R11 and a maximum of R13, well within the tolerance nominated in the Australian Standards.
