Industrial Floor Protection: 16,000 sq. ft. Chemical-Resistant Epoxy System in South Burnaby

Introduction

Industrial flooring is often treated as a surface finish, but in many facilities, it plays a much more important role. When floors are exposed to chemicals, acids, equipment loads, traffic, and operational demands, the quality of the preparation and application directly affects long-term performance.

In this project, RapidCrete was engaged to complete a 16,000 sq. ft. chemical and acid-resistant epoxy flooring system for an industrial warehouse in South Burnaby. The client was preparing the space for new silos containing chemicals and acids, and the floor needed to be protected before the equipment arrived.

The project required more than coating application. It involved surface preparation, concrete repair, construction joint treatment, GPR scanning, anchoring, concrete pad installation, third-party testing coordination, and quality control.

Project Overview

Project Type: Industrial warehouse
Location: South Burnaby, BC
Floor Area: Approximately 16,000 sq. ft.
Scope: Chemical and acid-resistant epoxy flooring, concrete preparation, concrete pad installation, anchoring, and testing coordination

The client required a specialty floor protection system suitable for chemical and acid exposure. The selected system involved a three-coat epoxy application with sand broadcast, and the quality of the bond and application was a critical part of the work.

The Challenge

This project had several important challenges:

  • The floor required specialty chemical and acid-resistant protection
  • The system had to be applied in three coats with sand broadcast
  • Mock-ups had to be prepared, reviewed, tested, and approved before full installation
  • Moisture testing and bond testing had to be coordinated with a third-party testing company
  • The existing slab required full surface preparation before coating
  • Construction joints and concrete deficiencies had to be treated before epoxy application
  • Concrete pads had to be installed to distribute the silo loads over a larger area
  • The work had to be completed before the delivery and installation of the new equipment and silos

This was not only an epoxy flooring scope. It was a coordinated industrial floor preparation and protection project.

Why This Was Complex

Quality Control Requirements

Quality control was one of the most important aspects of the project. Before proceeding with the full floor application, RapidCrete had to complete mock-ups and coordinate testing to confirm that the system could meet the required performance expectations.

This included:

  • Mock-up preparation
  • Moisture testing
  • Bond testing
  • Review by material manufacturer technical support
  • Third-party testing coordination
  • Quality control and quality assurance checks

The full application could only proceed after the mock-ups and testing were successfully completed.

Surface Preparation

The existing slab had to be properly prepared before the epoxy system could be installed.

RapidCrete’s scope included:

  • Shot blasting of the entire floor
  • Treatment of construction joints
  • Repair of concrete deficiencies
  • Preparation of the slab surface for proper bonding

For epoxy flooring systems, surface preparation is often the difference between a successful installation and future coating failure. This made the preparation stage a critical part of the project.

Equipment Load Requirements

The client was installing silos and equipment that required proper load distribution. To support this, several concrete pads had to be installed on top of the slab-on-grade.

RapidCrete completed this work using in-house crews, including:

  • GPR scanning
  • Locating and avoiding anomalies
  • Drilling for anchors and rebar dowels
  • Epoxy anchoring
  • Forming
  • Concrete placement
  • Accurate layout and execution

This allowed the epoxy flooring and equipment-support work to be handled as one coordinated scope.

RapidCrete’s Approach

RapidCrete approached the project as a full-scope floor preparation and protection package, rather than a simple coating application.

The work included:

  • Reviewing the floor condition
  • Preparing mock-ups
  • Coordinating moisture and bond testing
  • Treating construction joints
  • Repairing slab deficiencies
  • Shot blasting the slab
  • Completing GPR scanning
  • Installing anchors and rebar dowels
  • Forming and pouring concrete pads
  • Applying the three-coat epoxy system
  • Coordinating technical review and quality control

This integrated approach reduced coordination pressure on the client and helped ensure the project stayed on schedule.

Execution

The execution followed a controlled sequence:

  1. Site review and floor condition assessment
  2. Mock-up preparation for testing and approval
  3. Coordination with third-party testing company
  4. Moisture testing and bond testing
  5. Construction joint treatment and concrete repairs
  6. Shot blasting of the full slab surface
  7. GPR scanning for the concrete pads and anchor locations
  8. Drilling and epoxy anchoring of dowels and anchors
  9. Forming and pouring concrete pads
  10. Three-coat chemical and acid-resistant epoxy application with sand broadcast
  11. Final review and quality control

The schedule was time-sensitive because the floor system had to be completed before the equipment and silos arrived.

Results and Impact

The project was completed on schedule and to the required quality standards.

The completed work passed review by:

  • Material manufacturer technical support
  • Third-party materials testing company
  • Project quality control and quality assurance process
  • EOR review

The client was satisfied with the final result, and RapidCrete was able to manage the entire scope using in-house manpower.

This helped simplify the process for the client and ensured that surface preparation, concrete work, anchoring, testing coordination, and epoxy application were all handled under one contractor.

Key Takeaways

1. Industrial Floor Coatings Depend on Proper Preparation

The performance of an epoxy system depends heavily on the condition and preparation of the concrete substrate. Shot blasting, joint treatment, deficiency repairs, and testing are essential parts of the process.

2. Quality Control Should Happen Before Full Installation

Mock-ups, moisture testing, bond testing, and manufacturer review help reduce risk before the full floor system is installed.

3. A Full-Scope Contractor Reduces Coordination Risk

When scanning, anchoring, concrete pad installation, surface preparation, and coating application are handled by one team, the client benefits from better coordination and clearer accountability.

4. Time-Sensitive Industrial Work Requires Careful Sequencing

With equipment and silos scheduled for delivery, each stage had to be completed in the correct order and within the required timeframe.

Closing

This project highlights the importance of treating industrial flooring as a complete system, not just a coating application.

RapidCrete continues to support industrial, commercial, and warehouse clients with practical, coordinated solutions that combine concrete repair, surface preparation, scanning, anchoring, and specialty floor systems.