TABLE OF CONTENTS There are a considerable number of special proprietary floor treatments available for the architect and engineer to consider and much of the brief technical literature describing them suggests that many products would appear to offer the same improved service at vastly differing costs. It is, therefore, not surprising that many specifiers are totally confused and tend to stick to the products they know rather than consider some of the innovative products based on new technology which often offer distinct improvements over the materials traditionally used as flooring materials.
Before attempting to classify the various types of special floorings available it is important to consider the concrete substrate itself. By proper use of good mix design and use of admixtures and with careful control of the water/cement ratio and attention to laying, finishing and curing techniques, concrete itself can serve as a highly durable flooring material under many industrial service conditions without the need for special separately applied finishes.
Properly laid concrete provides an abrasion resistant floor surface which has good resistance to attack by alkalis and reasonable resistance to attack by mineral and vegetable oils, although oils do cause some staining and impair appearance. However, irrespective of how well it has been laid, concrete has poor resistance to acids and many other chemicals far too numerous to mention here. Where spillage of such materials is envisaged, the concrete must be protected by the application of a special floor topping or coating.
