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Protected for years: concrete, terrazzo and paving – coated floors in a long-term test
Every day, vast areas of concrete and screed floors of factories, parking garages and shopping malls all over the world are treated with SILRES®BS 6920. The first impression is usually positive. But what about the level of protection and the aesthetics after a few years of continuous use? We decided to investigate.
Concrete and screed floors not only look chic, but they are also extremely rugged. However, appearances can be deceptive: the porous surface of concrete floors and screeds makes them susceptible to abrasion, scratches and soiling. Liquids are absorbed by the floor, often leaving permanent stains.
SILRES®BS 6920 is a solvent- and isocyanate-free binder. This ready-to-use formulation is applied thinly and evenly to the cementitious substrate.
To prevent this, concrete and screed floors are impregnated or coated with, for example, SILRES®BS 6920. This binder for concrete treatments combines outstanding stain protection with high mechanical strength.
SILRES®BS 6920 is easy to apply, penetrates deep into the pores of the concrete and crosslinks to form a hard material. Liquids are unable to penetrate the treated floor. At the same time, the substrate is mechanically reinforced, and its abrasion resistance is enhanced as a result.
It’s a compelling theory. But does it hold up in practice?
Sounds good in theory. But what about in practice? Does SILRES®BS 6920 live up to its promise even after years of use? We decided to investigate. Here is a selection of projects where SILRES®BS 6920 has been used in recent years.
Reference 1:
Old floor in new splendor – Budapest's West Station
A few years ago, Budapest's listed West Station, which dates back to 1877, underwent extensive renovation work. This included the terrazzo floor in the station’s former post office: its 300 m2 surface features a magnificent pattern, accented with copper inlays and strips. In addition to the architectural significance and the different materials, one particular renovation challenge was the high footfall volume: in the worst-case scenario, repeated foot traffic on the same paths will wear “tracks” into the floor that are highly visible. To protect it against wear and soiling, the floor was treated with SILRES®BS 6920.
The treatment in detail
1st and 2nd coats:
- 50 g/m2 SILRES®BS 6920 + GENIOSIL®GF 9 + Tinnuvin®B 75 (ratio 95/5/1)
- 10 % SILRES® BS 1701 reactive diluent
Protected from the ground up – with SILRES®BS 6920
The terrazzo floor was first sanded and then treated with two coats. Each coat applied around 50 g SILRES®BS 6920 per square meter of floor. To ensure rapid crosslinking, the preparation was mixed with the aminosilane GENIOSIL® GF 9 and 10% SILRES® BS 1701 reactive diluent was added to lower the viscosity. This simplified application of the first coat. UV protection was provided by adding Tinnuvin® B 75, a UV absorber.
Impregnation does a great job of bringing out the patina of the 140-year-old terrazzo floor.
The result – then and now
Immediately after treatment with SILRES®BS 6920, the historic terrazzo floor sparkled like new and had lost none of its aesthetic beauty. The reason for this is that SILRES®BS 6920 has the welcome additional effect of deepening color tones, sharpening contrasts and imparting a subtle sheen to surfaces.
And what does it look like today? After 5 years, the floor is still in very good condition. Cleaning staff are thrilled with how easy it is to clean, as only water is required. However, the floor has lost some of its sheen due to the high level of pedestrian traffic and has some scratches and marks. But there are no “tracks” to be seen. Overall conclusion: thoroughly positive.
Reference 2:
Rugged floor without stains – a canning factory in Hungary
The challenges facing project managers in a canning factory in eastern Hungary were completely different from those in Budapest. Instead of historical restoration, they had to deal with the everyday demands of the present. Such as the stress experienced by the concrete floor as a result of the movement and weight of heavy machinery and vehicles. But above all: they had to deal with cherry juice. The factory processes thousands of kilos of sour cherries and plums every day. So, it's no wonder that stain protection was a priority there. The challenge was exacerbated by the daily use of a hot water high-pressure cleaner, a common practice in food-processing companies.
The coating in detail
1st and 2nd coats:
- 50 g/m2 SILRES®BS 6920 + aminosilane GENIOSIL®GF 9 (ratio 95/5)
- 10% turpentine substitute
Protection against dirt: thanks to SILRES®BS 6920
The prepared concrete floor in the factory hall was treated with two coats. Each coat applied around 50 g SILRES® BS 6920 per square meter of floor. For rapid crosslinking, the preparation was mixed with the aminosilane GENIOSIL® GF 9 and also diluted with 10% turpentine substitute.
No more sheen, but still plenty of protection against stains. After 5 years, the floor is still easy to clean – thanks to the treatment with SILRES®BS 6920.
The result – then and now
Immediately after coating with SILRES®BS 6920, the floor exhibited excellent stain protection. Neither cherry juice nor plum juice left permanent stains. And the slip resistance – important for health and safety – was also impressive, even when the floor was wet.
And today? After more than two years of continuous use, the wear and tear on the floor is evident. Because the floor was cleaned every day with equipment that used surfactant-containing solutions, it suffered extensive wear and its high-gloss finish had turned dull. Nevertheless, the stain-protection treatment is still effective: there are no signs of cherry stains and water stays on the surface. The cleaning staff are delighted that cleaning is so easy. Overall conclusion: positive.
Reference 3:
Nicer parking down south – underground parking in Munich
In an underground parking garage in the heart of Munich, naturally it was not cherry juice stains that were the source of worry, but rather oil and gasoline – and salt-laden condensation, which is hard on the concrete floor. To which must be added, of course, the usual volume of traffic and pedestrians in underground parking garages. To protect against soiling as well as mechanical and chemical stress, both the parking spaces and the access roads in the underground garage were coated with SILRES®BS 6920. Individual areas were marked out in gray.
The treatment in detail
- 1st coat: 60 g/m2 SILRES®BS 6920 + GENIOSIL®GF 9 (ratio 95/5) + 10 % SILRES®BS 1701 or: 80 g/m2 PRIMIS® AF 1000 (diluted 1:1 with water)
- 2nd coat: 60 g/m2 SILRES®BS 6920 + GENIOSIL®GF 9 (ratio 95/5), containing gray pigment in one case
Four formulations for a perfect result
A total of four different formulations were used in the parking garage and were applied in two coats. The first coat was a formulation containing SILRES®BS 6920 or an aqueous primer made with PRIMIS® AF 1000. The second coat consisted of SILRES®BS 6920, in one case transparent, in another containing a gray pigment. As the treatment was carried out at a surface temperature of 14 °C, the crosslinking rate and thus the curing process was accelerated by using TMG.
Left: The transparent SILRES®BS 6920 is still intact after 5 years; right: A prime coat with PRIMIS® AF 1000 shows strong signs of wear.
The result – then and now
Immediately after application, the transparent and gray surfaces were flawless. Today, more than 5 years later, the transparent surfaces coated with SILRES®BS 6920 are still intact and in very good condition. The PRIMIS® AF 1000 surface and the gray-pigmented surface, on the other hand, show strong signs of abrasion in places. Conclusion: SILRES®BS 6920 transparent offers the best protection.
Further reference objects undergoing long-term testing
Driveway and garage, Austria
Special challenge: regularly used by a mini excavator
Condition after 4 years: pavement still in very good condition, no soiling, no signs of wear
Bakery, Brazil
Special challenge: high pedestrian traffic
Condition after 5 years: floor in very good condition despite relatively low dosage of SILRES®BS 6920, no "tracks", no permanent stains
Warehouse, WACKER Burghausen
Special challenge: Contamination by oil, low floor temperature during application (inside 12 °C, outside 2 °C)
Condition after 4 years: floor in overall good condition, isolated minor chipping and scratches
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