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  • Brewery floor coatings for concrete?

    Hey all, I've read through and searched about coatings, but havent seen any new information. Here is our situation:

    Due to an uneven slab, we will likely need to repour a 47'x20' section of our slab where the brewhouse and fermentation/serving tanks will live. We've had both an ICO installer and a tile guy make some grimacing faces and remark on how expensive it would be if THEY created the slope with one of their products instead of using a concrete contractor. We intend to slope the floor to a center trench drain and then have the concrete contractor slope the floor for us giving us a new sloped concrete floor to then coat with something - thats the question. Tile installers have qouted $15-$17K and an application of ICO Guard 51 is in the neighborhood of $9K. Each of those prices assumes a clean already sloped floor for roughly 1000sq. ft. worth of installed product. Thought I should also mention that we are a 7bbl brewhouse with 4 matching fermenters and 5 serving jacketed brites (if that makes a difference). We only plan to keg off small amounts when needed, but otherwise don't plan to package much in this building ever as space (2900sq ft total) won't really allow it.

    So, is there any, and if so, would any of you recommend a product that we 3 moderately handy guys could install that would work/make sense? Worst case we go with the ICO Gaurd 51 and spend the money to have them install, but as seems normal, our buildout costs are climbing and if we can save money by doing work ourselves, then we'd like to. However, if it means we'd have to re-do it in 2-3 years because we tried to cheap out, then I'll make the case for spending the money now.

    Any input is always appreciated.
    Last edited by woohokie; 09-10-2013, 01:54 PM.

  • #2
    All the best coatings I've seen will only be warranted if put down by certified installers. Id be tempted in your situation to buy one less fermenter or such, and get a good floor.
    Brewmaster, Minocqua Brewing Company
    tbriggs@minocquabrewingcompany.com
    "Your results may vary"

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    • #3
      Pros

      First of all, if you are re- pouring your floor, your concrete contractor should easily be able to slope it to your requirements.

      As for coatings, we went back and forth on tiles vs. coatings and doing it ourselves vs. having a professional install it.

      We ended up hiring professionals to do an epoxy coating after seeing a few do it yourself floors. The epoxy coatings set fairly quickly and getting them on evenly and doing a good job around the drains is difficult. If you are paying the money for new concrete, then you might as well go all in on the coating.

      Tiles require more maintenance as the grout and any sealer you put on it gets attacked by the strong acids in the brewery.

      We ended spending $17K for a sealer and then epoxy resin coating on our freshly poured 2250 sqft sloped floor area. We got a great deal because the company got delayed on a huge contract and had to keep their crews working.

      I absolutely love my floor. We can get anything and everything off of it, it drains from every nook and cranny and in the six months we have been abusing it, there are zero issues.

      Hope this helps.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by porter View Post

        We ended spending $17K for a sealer and then epoxy resin coating on our freshly poured 2250 sqft sloped floor area. We got a great deal because the company got delayed on a huge contract and had to keep their crews working.



        Hope this helps.
        Is 17k for the floor coating alone or with the concrete work?

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        • #5
          All of the above are very helpful... And it was, 17K for tile work only.

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          • #6
            floors

            The concrete guys should be able to add and make slope. All the big and even smaller breweries we have been installing are going with about 1/4 inch per foot of slope. water flows better and doesn't make a puddle or 3 before making it to the drain. The concrete guys also could add a cap of 4-6 inches over the existing concrete and use a primer and rebar to tie the slab and the pour over cap to each other. Many breweries and wineries have done this.

            All that being said if you want to save money on the floors slope and pour concrete, brew beers for 2-3 years on the concrete and fix the concrete later. we have fixed many in the past 6-10 years and this is what I recommend. Don't waste your money on some do it yourself and don't waste your money on tile or a flooring applicator that will give you a thin or less than 5 year non pro rated warranty. I see it all the time. Spend the money once or spend it later do not spend it 2 or 3 times.

            Any more questions or concerns call or email me

            thank you
            Chris Klein chris@cascadefloors.com
            cell # 541-510-1080
            Cascade Floors is an industrial flooring company specializing in epoxy or resin based floor and wall systems to cover and protect concrete and other surfaces.
            Chris Klein
            Cell 541-510-1080
            Office (503) 769-6823
            WWW.CASCADEFLOORS.COM
            chris@cascadefloors.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by 604M View Post
              Is 17k for the floor coating alone or with the concrete work?
              It was $17K for the coating only. We looked at floating a new sloped slab over our existing concrete, but after drilling a core sample and looking at ceiling heights, we decided the existing was too thin to handle weight of our 60 bbl fermentors and would make getting tall tanks in very challenging.

              You also need to think about how long you will be there. Did you sign a 5 year lease or longer? Getting a 5 year warranty on a floor coating is no good if you plan on moving out...

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              • #8
                Seal Hard concrete sealer

                We are about 3 weeks away from installing a product called Seal Hard. Its a concrete sealer, not a floor coating. Everything Ive found on it is impressive. We will be using PBW as well as PAA. Both of those in concentrations under 10% v/v are resisted in an "excellent" level, the sealer does not support microbial growth, it hardens the concrete, its NSF certified and its only $137.50 for 5 gallons (1 gallon covers approx 200 sf). On top of that, you dont have to pay a "professional" to install it.

                If anyone is curious Ill post our results once we know how we like the product.

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                • #9
                  Frank - I'd love to know how it works out.
                  Prost!
                  Eric Brandjes
                  Cole Street Brewery
                  Enumclaw, WA

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                  • #10
                    I am also interested in the results of the Seal Hard floors.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Keep me posted as well!

                      I'm interested in hearing your results as well.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Frank Trosset View Post
                        We are about 3 weeks away from installing a product called Seal Hard. Its a concrete sealer, not a floor coating. Everything Ive found on it is impressive. We will be using PBW as well as PAA. Both of those in concentrations under 10% v/v are resisted in an "excellent" level, the sealer does not support microbial growth, it hardens the concrete, its NSF certified and its only $137.50 for 5 gallons (1 gallon covers approx 200 sf). On top of that, you dont have to pay a "professional" to install it.

                        If anyone is curious Ill post our results once we know how we like the product.
                        Frank, did you end up going with Seal Hard? If so, how did it go?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          We had the brewhouse floor re-poured with the correct pitch.

                          We chose Dur-A-Flex Poly-Crete with a the color fast top coat. All done by professionals. The polyurathane flooring is being applied today as we speak!

                          We are super strapped for cash, but we did not want to skimp on the flooring or brewing system. Epoxy scares me. Good luck!
                          Tim Weber
                          Owner/Brewer
                          Twin Leaf Brewery

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by DowneastCider View Post
                            Frank, did you end up going with Seal Hard? If so, how did it go?
                            I second that. How did it go? Is there anything out there that says Seal Hard will stand up against hot chemicals in the long term? I see them mention breweries on their website but not much more...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Frank Trosset View Post
                              We are about 3 weeks away from installing a product called Seal Hard. Its a concrete sealer, not a floor coating. Everything Ive found on it is impressive. We will be using PBW as well as PAA. Both of those in concentrations under 10% v/v are resisted in an "excellent" level, the sealer does not support microbial growth, it hardens the concrete, its NSF certified and its only $137.50 for 5 gallons (1 gallon covers approx 200 sf). On top of that, you dont have to pay a "professional" to install it.


                              If anyone is curious Ill post our results once we know how we like the product.

                              It says "avoid using aggressive acid cleaners". Since my CIP protocol here uses 1.5%-2% LOEFFLER KMS-10 (A nitric/phos acid blend), I will stay away from this "seal hard".

                              Ideally, I would have used a SIKA floor from the beginning. but I started with a pad here and never wanted to epoxy it (I have had trouble with that in the past: cracking, peeling, slippery).

                              What I do here is simply use "concrete resurfacer" every 2-3 months. Its a simple mortar mix. Make up a 5 gallon pail with paddle mixer and a drill. Let it sit 5 minutes. Re mix for two minutes. Trowel in area where areas of the floor has seen some erosion due to beer, CIP, hot water etc. Then use a nylon bristle brush to even. Wait 5 minutes. Use a simple "float" to create a smooth surface.

                              I powerwash and clean the exisiting concrete floor, then treat the floor just before busy summer season to fill in all cracks. Re-do this just after the new year as well. Costs $80 to maintain every year and 2-3 hours of work. You just need 1 day of no drips/water on the floor to dry...

                              IMO, Invest your $17K in lab equipment or bottling line upgrades....

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