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Concrete Antagonists: Abrasion

Abrasion is simply defined as “the process of scraping or wearing something away”. It’s a natural result of friction between two substances. A good example is sandpaper wearing down a rough surface. If you’ve ever seen paint stripped off a car after a sandstorm, that’s also a level of abrasion at work. However, abrasion can be subtle, happening right under your nose when you’re not aware of it.

According to the Portland Cement Association, “many industrial floors are subjected to abrasion by steel or hard rubber-wheeled traffic, which can cause significant rutting”. Concrete floors, whether residential, industrial or commercial, receive varying levels of abrasion from foot traffic, cars, forklifts, carts, and structures. That’s why West Coast Epoxy recommends protecting your concrete flooring from abrasion.

The Details on Abrasion

With a little bit of research, you can find places anywhere in the world where tough, hard rock shows signs of abrasion. Trails, pathways and ancient roads show depressions in the rock, the contents scraped and scuffed away by things like wagon wheels and billions of sandals over time. Abrasion is a gradual process that breaks a substance down with constant repetition over time. And yet, as with sandpaper, it can also have a relatively quick result when that constant repetition and frequency are intensified.

Now, think about your concrete floor. How many feet shuffle over it per day? Per week? Per year? How many forklifts or pallet jacks? How many cars go in and out of your garage by end of business? Granted, none of those items are likely to be as abrasive as sandpaper, but the frequency and constancy could make up much of the difference.

Blocking Concrete Abrasion

Wouldn’t it be a great idea to put a barrier over your concrete floor, so abrasive surfaces like tires, wheels and no-slip work shoes don’t wear it down? That’s one of the benefits an epoxy coating from West Coast Epoxy provides. An epoxy coating not only supports the structural integrity of your floor but adds a cushioning barrier to protect it from abrasion.

Of course, even an epoxy coating isn’t impervious to a natural process like abrasion, but it will take a lot more time and effort to break it down when compared to concrete by itself. Not only that, but as time goes on, your concrete floor won’t wear down at all – your epoxy coating is taking one for the team!

If you would like to find out more about how an epoxy coating can benefit your home or business, please give us a call at 916-531-1874. Or if you prefer, you can schedule a free consultation here on our website. We promise not to be abrasive.

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