If your factory floor is starting to look less than its best then the holiday shutdown period is the ideal time to renovate this crucial part of your plant and get the site back on its feet in style.
A failing floor in an industrial environment not only looks unappealing but it could be causing a host of issues from slip hazards and cleaning problems to indistinguishable signage and even causing costly downtime for repairs.
If a Job is Worth Doing
When looking at the best solution to solve these issues it can be tempting to go for the cheapest option to minimize the initial outlay. However it’s critical to think about the long term implications of this choice – otherwise you could risk paying for a full floor fit out only to find that the new surface is not up to the task and ending up having to go through the whole task again a year or two down the line!
To ensure the new floor is future proof it is important to carry out a life-cycle costing assessment. From this process you should be able to identify:
1) How long the new floor material is likely to last when subjected to the site’s daily operational activities. The longer it lasts the greater the number of years the initial costs can be divided into. Some resin based floor finishes are able to carry on working in heavy-duty industrial facilities for up to 25 years!
2) You can check if the floor can optimize the working environment with additional properties such as antimicrobial additives, corporate colors, navigational signage, anti-slip aggregates, static dissipative capabilities, etc.
3) Will the floor be exposed to abusive conditions such as harsh chemical spillages, hot water washes and heavy wheeled traffic? If so, the floor’s thickness and resistance to chemicals, impacts and extreme temperature changes will need to be up to the task.
4) Understanding the upkeep required to keep the flooring functional and attractive will help facilities to budget for its lifetime costs. Resin finishes provide a very low-maintenance surface, which generally makes them cheaper in the long run compared to say a vinyl composition tile floor in a high traffic area, as after several years this might require stripping and waxing twice a month to maintain its appearance.
5) It’s increasingly important to understand the environmentally friendly credentials of different flooring materials, as the green asset value attached to a building could rise or fall depending on the type of floor chosen.
Getting all of these answers will make it easier to calculate what the floor will cost over its lifetime and if a material that costs more to install will actually save you money in the long run!
Getting the Right Advice
As you can see you don’t need a crystal ball to work out your future flooring needs, although it is handy to get an expert view on your facility. Flowcrete Americas is always happy to help specifiers, facility managers and contractors work out what floor will be the best refurbishment fit for a particular facility.
Get in touch with the resin flooring specialists today to schedule a FREE consultation!
