Protective coatings for concrete surfaces

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Concrete coatings help protect surfaces, support safety and meet the demands of a wide range of commercial and residential spaces. 

Concrete plays a critical role throughout the building envelope and protecting it properly can affect both performance and longevity. In this episode of CoatingsCast™, Karen Edwards spoke with Jeffrey Wells from APF Polymer Surfaces about concrete flooring protection, where coatings fit into the larger building system and what contractors should consider when helping customers choose the right solution. 

Jeffrey has worked in the industry for 30 years and currently manages products used in food and beverage, government and commercial applications. His perspective starts with the structure itself and the role concrete plays before any coating system is applied. “[Concrete is] the footprint of the roof, so you can't have a roof without having a concrete substrate first,” Jeffrey said. “In that building envelope package, we address things like safety. How do we make a concrete pallet safer? How do we make it look better? How do we make it last longer?” 

Those questions guide coating decisions across a wide range of markets. Concrete flooring can serve different purposes depending on the space, and each environment brings its own expectations for durability, appearance and protection. Jeffrey shared, “Some of the areas and markets include airplane hangars. There's food and beverage, residential, commercial facilities, warehouses and hospitality. Each of these different areas require so many different looks, so many different outcomes, yet are all designed to be covered by some type of system.” 

For contractors, that means understanding the demands of the specific application before recommending a coating system. A warehouse, hospitality space or home may require one kind of performance, while an airplane hangar may require another level of protection entirely. “The chemicals needed for maintenance of an aircraft are going to be some of your most caustic chemicals,” Jeffrey said. “You're going to need a lot of protection.” 

From improving safety to extending the life of a surface, concrete coatings help protect both the system and the people who use the finished space. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the webinar to learn more about how to protect both the concrete system and the people walking on the finished product!