Flowcrete Australia Flowfresh antimicrobial-enhanced polyurethane floors

Flowcrete Australia supplies high-performance polyurethane (PU) resin coatings for food facility floors that have been designed to take on the challenges of the industry.

According to the company, fit-for-purpose, trowel-applied PU resin systems have several benefits over roller-applied epoxy coatings within intensive food and beverage plants. When compared to alternative materials, a thick PU finish is said to provide a facility with hygienic, functionality and regulatory advantages for an extended period of time.

The lifespan of a PU resin system is said to be roughly double that of an epoxy’s, clocking in at 10 years compared to epoxy’s five. This durability stems from the increased wear, abrasion and impact resistance properties of a thicker PU system.

These hard-wearing properties are essential, as busy food plants will inevitably subject the floor to physical impacts, point loading and traffic from heavy equipment. These factors could eat into the floor finish, and if the coating is too thin then this could result in hard-to-clean cracks appearing in the finish — which increases the risk of unwanted bacteria and microbes multiplying out of the cleaning regime’s reach.

Polyurethanes also boast resistance to corrosion, inorganic alkalis, organic alkalis and solvents. In contrast, epoxy resins can only offer a limited resistance to the organic acids that are found in a large quantity of food and drink produce.

Another key factor is the heat, cold and thermal shock tolerance of a polyurethane system, which can tolerate up to 120°C. This thermal shock resistance is beneficial in food and beverage facilities, where extreme temperature changes often occur on a daily basis.

PU floors can even incorporate antimicrobial additives into the resin build-up of the floor itself. Installing a floor with an additive like this means that bacterial growth is inhibited even in between wash cycles, as dirt, grime and contaminants that fall on the floor will be exposed to the bacteria-killing properties of the bactericidal agent.