Project Overview
A cold-storage food factory expanded from 2 to 5 cells, requiring 4,200 m² of new industrial floor coating that could withstand:
- -25°C to +18°C temperature cycling (daily defrost cycle)
- Heavy forklift traffic — counterbalance + reach trucks 3-5 tonnes, 24/7
- Chemical exposure — sanitizer (200 ppm chlorine), brine spill, blood/protein wash
- HACCP / GMP compliance — seamless joints with no crack/joint pathogens
- Anti-slip safety for workforce in boots on wet floor
Sahawatthanakit (1988) delivered the full EPC scope — surface prep, coating system, cure, and a 5-year warranty.
System Design
Step 1 — Substrate Analysis
- Concrete strength — 28-day core compression: 32 MPa (above threshold)
- Moisture content — RH probe per ASTM F2170: 78% (above 75% threshold → moisture barrier primer required)
- Surface pH — pH 11.2 (alkaline, acid etch needed before primer)
- Existing coating — cure-and-seal ~0.2 mm requiring mechanical removal
Step 2 — Surface Preparation (ICRI CSP 3-4)
- Captive shot blasting — Blastrac 1-15D with S330 steel shot
- Diamond grinding for edges/corners unreachable by shot blaster
- Vacuum extraction — HEPA-filtered dust collection throughout
- Joint preparation — saw-cut V-grooves for control + expansion joints
Result: CSP 3-4 surface profile across 100% of the floor — verified with ICRI chip cards.
Step 3 — Coating System Design (3-layer)
| Layer | Product | Application | DFT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Primer | Epoxy moisture-tolerant (≤95% RH) | Roller | 150-200 µm |
| 2. Body coat | Epoxy self-leveling, 100% solids | Trowel + spike roller | 3,000 µm (3 mm) |
| 3. Topcoat | Aliphatic polyurethane, anti-slip | Roller + broadcast | 200-250 µm |
Total DFT: 3.4-3.5 mm — engineered for heavy forklift traffic.
Installation
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Surface prep | Shot blast CSP 3-4 + diamond grind + vacuum |
| Primer | Epoxy moisture-tolerant 2-pack |
| Body coat | 100% solids epoxy SL, 3 mm trowel-applied |
| Topcoat | PU aliphatic + silica broadcast (anti-slip, CoF 0.55+) |
| Control joints | V-cut + PU sealant per ACI 302 |
| Cove base | Epoxy cove 100 mm radius around wall edges (HACCP hygiene) |
| Cure time | 24 hr inter-coat · 72 hr full cure · 7 days chemical service |
| Total install duration | 18 working days (split-shift in vacated zones) |
| Warranty | 5 years — coating delamination + chemical resistance |
Results (8-month monitoring)
| Metric | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Coating area | 4,200 m² (5 cold-storage cells + corridor) |
| Cure failures / disbond | 0 at 8 months |
| Wet coefficient of friction | 0.58 (target ≥0.50) — passes TIS 2557 |
| Daily forklift trips absorbed | 750 trips/day — no visible wear |
| Chemical resistance — 200 ppm chlorine | Passed 24 hr immersion per ASTM D1308 |
| HACCP / GMP audits | Passed at both first audit + 6-month re-audit |
| Steam-wash cleaning time | Reduced from 90 minutes → 45 minutes per cell |
Why the Client Chose Us
- Cold-storage-engineered 3-layer system — moisture-tolerant primer + cold-cycle-resistant body + PU topcoat
- ICRI-standard surface prep — not just sweeping; measured CSP shot blasting
- Engineering-backed — moisture, pH, and strength tests reported pre-start
- HACCP/GMP compliance — cove base + sealed joints + cleanable surface
- 5-year warranty covering delamination + chemical attack
- Split-shift installation — work in zones the customer wasn't using; no operations downtime
Related Services
Looking for industrial floor coating — epoxy SL, PU topcoat, anti-slip, anti-static ESD, food-grade — for factories, warehouses, parking, OR rooms, or labs? Our team conducts free site survey + concrete testing before quoting.
Learn more: Industrial Paint Service
Comparison: Epoxy vs PU vs Acrylic Industrial Paint
TCO calculator: Paint TCO Calculator