Many heavy industrial settings, including paper warehouses, steel and other heavy-weight or high-traffic applications suffer from shaking concrete floors. The source of the vibration is most often caused by rolling equipment crossing expansion joints cut in the concrete when poured. Cement contractors place these expansion joints in the floor in order to allow for the shrinkage that occurs in the concrete slabs as they cure. The joints are also helpful if the slab experiences major temperature changes.

Bridges, highways, and sidewalks may expand and contract considerably. Most modern buildings, however, are climate controlled with temperature variations within a 10-15 degree range. As a result, these expansion joints are more of a problem than a solution.

Flexible caulks have been used in expansion joints to help transition between the slabs yet allow for some movement. Unfortunately, that movement can become a problem and cost if frequent or extensive.

A better solution is to epoxy the slabs together with 100% solid epoxy and color quartz. The epoxy-quartz filler levels the rut between slabs, thus eliminating the vibration, wear, and structural damage that would otherwise be caused by moving equipment. The quartz-epoxy mix withstands test strengths of 22,000 psi.

A recommended first step in the application process is to set a masonry blade on a skilsaw at 1/4 to 1/2 inch and run it down the expansion joints, cleaning both sides. Flexible chalk will melt out of the joints during this operation. Once the joints are cleaned, color quartz is swept into the joints until slightly lower than flush with the floor surface. Clear or colored 100% epoxy is then poured over these joints until saturating the quartz and rising level with the floor. 12 hours later the joint will need to be re-inspected and topped off.

Often these joints have openings at the bottom and some epoxy may leak through. The wetted color quartz will remain and block leak-through on the second application. It is important to come back to the floor between 10 and 12 hours later to scrape off excess epoxy. Too long a wait and the epoxy becomes hard to shave; too little setup time and the epoxy may be tacky or sticky. Using a 4-inch razor scraper with a long handle allows each side of the joint to help guide the scraper and provide a smooth, even filling over the joint between the slabs. If done well, the rolling equipment may never notice joints again and the floor life will be extended with reduced need for maintenance and repair.

The cost of filling deep holes and badly eroded floors can be reduced by using color quartz and a filler and wear inhibitor. Mixing 100% epoxy with color quartz to 28 lb. per gallon gives a trowel mix with a peanut butter consistency. This mix can be placed in holes using a trowel or putty knife. Small vertical surfaces are best filled by using a heavy rubber glove and applying the mixture by hand with a rubbing motion.

One floor coating manufacturer that has taken the lead in joint repair is Durall Industrial Flooring of Minneapolis, MN. Durall is the only industrial flooring manufacturer that also makes over 500 specialty cleaners, allowing them to produce special preparations of cleaners and application systems designed to assure optimum flooring adhesion and wear results.

Photo examples of the joint sealing process are available at .concrete-floor-coatings.com/photos/jointsealer

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at harveyconcrete-floor-coatings.com

Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)

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Wondering what to get that special outdoor enthusiast this holiday season? New Hampshire-based Jetboil came up with something for campers worried about Jack Frost nipping at their noses.

Founded by outdoorsmen and entrepreneurs Dwight Aspinwall and Perry Dowst, Jetboil has grown into a multimillion dollar business in less than a year. The two were tired of lugging heavy, inefficient stoves when they went camping and decided to design their own.

Campers can now enjoy a quick cup of cocoa around the campfire in under a minute using Jetboil’s personal stove, which weighs approximately 15 ounces. Gift-givers this holiday season also can purchase accessories for the stove such as a French press for fresh coffee and pot stabilizers, which adapt the cooking system for use with larger pots and pans.

Growing Holiday Demand

Demand quickly grew for Jetboil’s camping stoves after the company received several awards from leading magazines such as Outside, Backpacker, Time and Popular Science. Soon, large retailers such as EMS and REI were placing orders, followed by stores in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Hong Kong and Japan.

Holiday sales at retailers like these can account for 25 percent to 40 percent of annual sales, according to the National Retail Federation. Accordingly, Jetboil’s holiday season forecast is in line with the estimate. The company expects sales to jump 50 percent during the holidays.

So how does Jetboil keep up with increased retailer demand during the holiday season?

Keeping Up With Santa’s Elves

To help meet retailers’ orders without becoming consumed by its own success, Jetboil turned to UPS to pick up its designs and ship them to manufacturers in China.

Samples are made in China, which UPS transports back to the United States for testing. Jetboil then approves the samples and authorizes the manufacturer to make the components. To meet demand for the first product run, UPS ships them on direct flights to the United States.

Throughout the process, Jetboil relies on UPS’s suite of software and services to provide visibility to its inbound and outbound shipments. With UPS WorldShip software, Jetboil employees point and click to automatically calculate shipping costs, prepare customs forms and generate labels.

By turning to UPS to handle its shipping, Jetboil has been able to focus on growing its business. “The expertise in shipping internationally isn’t where we add value,” said Tim Wilson, operations planning director for Jetboil. “So having a partner that does is critical.” - NU