Background:

Contractor Techniquex was hired to install 73,300-square-feet of flooring for the new construction of a high-grade maintenance hangar on the Elgin Air Force Base in Florida. The hangar was designed to house a new F-22 airplane for the Joint Strike Fighter Air Force Navy Marine Squad.

As a LEED project, all products used during the installation had to have a VOC limit below 100 grams-per-liter, while still providing the utmost impact protection.  

Contractor:

Techniquex is the nation’s largest independent specialty flooring contractor. Founded in 1984 by Baron Adelmann in Phoenix, Arizona, Techniquex has experienced rapid growth in the resinous flooring and concrete polishing industry. The company earned a reputation for quality by hiring skilled employees, utilizing the best equipment, developing unique and performance-enhancing processes, and utilizing the best materials the industry has to offer.

The Challenge:

Initially, the project was spec'd with two urethane topcoats at 600 square-feet-a-gallon each.  Techniquex realized the existing spec would not have provided adequate impact protection and notified the government. With only 600 square-feet-a-gallon, the coverage rate would be far too thin, less than 2 mils. Typically, ¼ system is recommended for durability, impact and abrasion resistance.

The government has two required specs for naval facilities: one is a 3-coat system (20 mils) or a 5-coat system (1/4”).

The Solution:

To remedy this, Techniquex applied the same amount of material in one coat so the slip resistant aggregate would stay on the floor. 

Techniquex was able to meet all the job specifications and LEED requirements with APF’s Trowelled Epoxy Mortar System (1/4 " Trowelled 5-Coat System):

·         Epoxy 400 clear as primer

·         Epoxy 400 clear as the binder for the mortar

·         Two coats of epoxy 400 pigmented

·         Poly 100 VOC as finish coat

This system was selected because it could withstand high impact abrasion and higher levels of concrete moisture.