The flooring at VW Botany’s mechanical workshop was in a poor state of repair and, when selecting a system for the reburbishment, the management was concerned that the new flooring would not only withstand the rigours of the workshop environment, but would reflect the high quality associated with the Volkswagen brand.
The specification called for a system that was easy to clean, resistant against motor oils and other automotive products and would provide good slip resistance. After evaluation of a number of products, including thinner rollcoat flooring, VW Botany opted for a combination of systems from Flowcrete Australia , the international specialist flooring company. The solution selected was Flowshield, a self-levelling epoxy resin system, topped with Flowcoat SF41 and a Quartz Sealer.
Preparation of the 1200 sqm comprised high-pressure captive hot water blasting to remove surface oils and contaminants, followed by captive shotblasting to provide a profiled finish for bonding of the Flowshield to bond. A coat of Flowprime primer was then applied followed by installation of the Flowshield at a nominal thickness of 2.5mm. To aid with slip resistance, a topcoat of textured Flowcoat SF41 was installed and finished with a clear topcoat of Quartz Sealer.
VW Botany management commented, “The existing floor was in bad shape and we wanted to be sure that the new system would not only look good in line with our corporate image, but would keep its looks. At 2-3mm thick, the Flowshield was able to conceal the blemishes in the original floor. The floor is now flat and it looks great! Flowcrete were also able to offer us a five year warranty and this gave us the extra reassurance we needed.”
A further feature of the project was the requirement to install 100mm coving at all floor-to-wall junctions.
