GB2244735A

GB2244735A - A floor and a method of making it

Info

Publication number: GB2244735A
Application number: GB9112049A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Hewitt Emberson; Patricia Dorothy Emberson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-06-05
Filing date: 1991-06-05
Publication date: 1991-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-06-05
Also published as: GB9112049D0; GB9012517D0; GB2244735B

Abstract

A floor comprising a docking (12) covered by a sequence of layers (A-J) comprising in succession a first resin coat applied to the docking, two glass fibre layers impregnated with resin, a further resin layer and a final alkali-resistant resin layer. The reinforced, waterproof floor, is made by (i) applying a first resin coat to the docking and allowing it to cure; (ii) applying in succession a second resin coat, a first glass fibre layer, a third resin coat, a fourth resin coat, a second glass fibre layer, a fifth resin coat and a sixth resin coat, and allowing these resin coats to cure; (iii) applying a further resin coat and allowing it to cure; (iv) optionally smoothing the surface of cured coat; and (v) applying a final alkali-resistant resin coat, and allowing it to cure. <IMAGE>

Description

A FLOOR AND A METHOD FOR MAKING IT The present invention relates to a floor, in particular to a reinforced, waterproof self draining floor and a method of making such a floor.

Conventional floors are made of joists covered with decking, for example chipboard. Such a floor is suitable for domestic use. However, it may not be strong enough for industrial use with, for example, heavy duty machinery.

Alternatively, a traditional floor may be of concrete fitted with Quarry tiles. This arrangement is constantly requiring maintenance since the Quarry tiles will not adhere a satisfactory period under industrial situations and are thus constantly requiring maintenance incurring costly charges and lost production time. It is therefore desirable to provide a floor which is reinforced and suitable for usage in industry with heavy machinery. An additional advantage would be if it were waterproof, optionally a waterproof washdown floor.

The present invention provides a floor comprising a glass fibre reinforced resin layer applied to a decking and having an alkali-resistant resin surface layer. In particular, according to the present invention there is provided a floor comprising a decking covered by a sequence of layers comprising in succession a first resin coat applied to the decking, two glass fibre layers impregnated with resin, a further resin layer and a final alkaliresistant resin layer.

Preferably, at places where the floor abuts walls or other surfaces the floor is provided with upstands abutting said surface, the upstands being covered by a resin impregnated glass fibre layer and said alkali-resistant layer. Suitably, mastic is provided between said surface and the covering glass fibre layer above the upstands.

Preferably the decking is chipboard, suitably waterresistant chipboard. The resins up to the final coat are preferably of general purpose resin, preferably unsaturated polyester resin. Preferred glass fibre used is 900gm/m2 grade, with a fibre length of 50mm or more. The decking may be provided with a slight slope, resulting in a washdown floor.

The final resin is preferably an alkali-resistant unsaturated polyester resin which contains an accelerator, a catalyst and a wax solution thereby providing a non-slip surface. It may also include a pigment.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for making a reinforced, waterproof floor, the method comprising: (i) applying a first resin coat A to a decking and allowing it to cure; (ii) applying in succession a second resin coat B, a first glass fibre layer C, a third resin coat D, a fourth resin coat E, a second glass fibre layer F, a fifth resin coat G and a sixth resin coat H, and allowing these resin coats to cure; (iii) applying a further resin coat I and allowing it to cure; (iv) optionally smoothing the surface of cured coat I; and (v) applying a final alkali-resistant resin coat J, and allowing it to cure.

At places where the floor abuts surfaces such as walls, the method may additionally comprise providing at such places upstands, either before the application of the first resin coat A or before the application of the resin coat I, mastic being applied to said surfaces above the upstands, and glass fibre applied over the upstands extending onto the mastic and onto the floor, before applying the next coat of resin. Suitably, if the upstands are applied before coat A, all subsequent resin layers cover the entire floor and upstands.

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a cross-section through part of the floor.

Unless otherwise stated the preferred materials used are: Decking: 18 mm water-resistant chipboard V313 type 3; Resin: General purpose unsaturated polyester e.g.

British Standard (BS) 3532, for example as manufactured by British Industrial Plastics Ltd (BIP) as BIP 889. The catalyst used for curing is described below.

Glass fibre: Chopped strand mat glass BS 3496, from glass drawn into 50 mm long fibres and rolled into a sheet of 900gm/m2; Alkali-resistant resin: For example BIP 870 unsaturated polyester resin containing (per 100 parts of resin) optionally up to 5 parts pigment (polyester colour paste), ca 1 part accelerator (6% cobalt solution in styrene) and optionally up to 1 part of a 10% wax solution; Resin catalyst: ca. 3% of Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide Na2 (50% solution in Phthalate).

Referring to Figure 1 there is illustrated a floor 10 based on a water resistant chipboard decking 12. The surface of the chipboard decking 12 is covered with a flood coat A consisting of a general purpose pre-accelerated unsaturated polyester resin, which is allowed to cure. A second general purpose unsaturated polyester resin coat B is applied to the cured first resin coat A, and overlaid with a first glass fibre layer C. Third and fourth resin coats D and E respectively, of general purpose unsaturated polyester resin are applied to the glass fibre layer C, and a second glass fibre layer F is applied, followed by fifth and sixth resin coats G and H, respectively, of general purpose unsaturated polyester resin, and layers B to H are then allowed to cure.

In Figure 1 there is shown the connection of the floor to a wall 16. On top of layer H, where the floor abuts wall 16, there is placed an upstand 18, for example a 50mm high fillet. On the wall above the upstand 18 a general purpose mastic 20 is applied. Upstand 18 is then covered with glass fibre strips 22 which overlap mastic 20 and part of resin coat H. A general purpose unsaturated polyester resin coat I is then applied onto resin surface H and glass fibre strips 22, and allowed to cure. Optionally, layer I can be finished, for example, by sanding. Any dust produced is removed before applying an alkali-resistant top resin coat J over the entire floor, including the upstands.

After the coat J has cured, a silicone mastic bead 24 is applied at the junction of the wall and flooring.

The resin layers I and J are preferably extended for about 50mm above the upstand 18 in contact with the wall 16, forming a flange which is secured to the wall by suitable means 26, upstand 18 may be provided on the decking 12 before the application of first resin coat A.

Then, mastic 20 and glass fibre strips 22 are applied along with the remaining resin and glass fibre layers as described above.

The entire glass-fibre reinforced resin flooring should have a nominal thickness of about 6mm or more.

In order to provide a slight slope to the floor, so that it will form a washdown surface, the decking 10 may for example be applied to joists having firrings of suitable height.

As previously noted, resin coats A, B, D, E, G, H and I preferably are general purpose unsaturated polyester resins. Although any of these layers could be substituted by alkali-resistant resin, this would be a lot more expensive. Although waterproof chipboard has been used, ordinary chipboard floor or other decking could also be used, but chipboard is preferred. It will be appreciated that further coats of resin and/or layers of glass fibre could be added before the alkali-resistant top layer, if desired.

The resulting floor has properties of strength and impact resistance; it is waterproof and non-slip. Thus, it is suitable for industrial use, particularly where a high level of hygiene is required.

Claims

1. A floor comprising a decking covered by a sequence of layers comprising in succession a first resin coat applied to the decking, two glass fibre layers impregnated with resin, a further resin layer and a final alkali-resistant resin layer.

2. A floor according to claim 1 wherein at places where the floor abuts walls or other surfaces the floor is provided with upstands abutting said surface, the upstands being covered by a resin impregnated glass fibre layer and said alkali-resistant layer.

3. A floor according to claim 2 wherein mastic is provided between said surface and the covering glass fibre layer above the upstands.

4. A floor according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the decking is chipboard.

5. A floor according to claim 4 wherein the decking is water-resistant chipboard.

6. A floor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the resins up to the final coat are of general purpose resin, preferably unsaturated polyester resin.

7. A floor according to claim 6 wherein the resins up to the final coat are polyester resin.

8. A floor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the glass fibre used is 900gm/m2 grade, with a fibre length of 50mm or more.

9. A floor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the decking is provided with a slight slope, resulting in a washdown floor.

10. A floor according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the final resin is an alkali-resistant unsaturated polyester resin which contains an accelerator, a catalyst and a wax solution thereby providing a non-slip surface.

11. A method for making a reinforced, waterproof floor, the method comprising: (i) applying a first resin coat to a decking and allowing it to cure; (ii) applying in succession a second resin coat, a first glass fibre layer, a third resin coat, a fourth resin coat, a second glass fibre layer, a fifth resin coat and a sixth resin coat, and allowing these resin coats to cure; (iii) applying a further resin coat and allowing it to cure; (iv) optionally smoothing the surface of cured coat; and (v) applying a final alkali-resistant resin coat, and allowing it to cure.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein at places where the floor abuts surfaces such as walls, the method additionally comprises providing at such places upstands, either before the application of the first resin coat or before the application of said further resin coat, mastic being applied to said surfaces above the upstands, and glass fibre applied over the upstands extending onto the mastic and onto the floor, before applying the next coat of resin.

13. A method according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the upstands are applied before said first resin coat, and all subsequent resin layers cover the entire floor and upstands.